NHL, NBC announce multiyear extension

NEW YORK -- The National Hockey League and NBC Sports today
announced an extension through the 2010-11 season of their successful
revenue-sharing partnership -- one that has achieved viewership
milestones, programming and production innovations, awards and critical
acclaim. The joint announcement was made by NHL Commissioner Gary
Bettman and Ken Schanzer, President, NBC Sports.

"The NHL/NBC partnership has been terrific. Our association has led to
such technical innovations as the 'Inside the Glass' reporting and to
such programming advancements as the extremely popular Winter Classic,"
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final
was broadcast television's most-watched hockey game in 36 years, which
makes clear the NHL and NBC are building an audience, are building
momentum and are perfectly positioned to continue growing the game."

Schanzer said: "We're thrilled to be able to continue our relationship
with the NHL and build on all the positive momentum on and off the ice.
Together, we have attained viewership milestones not seen in more than
three decades. And the Winter Classic, in just two years, has become
one of the highlights of the sports calendar. We strongly believe this
is a league that is poised for continued growth."

RECORD VIEWERSHIP: NBC Sports has achieved a number of ratings
milestones including broadcasting the most-watched regular season game
in 34 years (2009 Winter Classic) and the most-viewed NHL game overall
in 36 years (Game 7 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Final).

INNOVATIVE PRODUCTION: NBC Sports and the NHL have introduced
many innovations to help grow the game, including the "Inside the
Glass" analyst position, which has revolutionized the way hockey is
covered and of which USA Today said "is as close to the action as TV
gets."

AWARDS: NBC Sports received a Sports Emmy Award for its
promotion of the 2009 Winter Classic and the inaugural event garnered a
Sports Business Journal Sport Business Award as Event of the Year.

ACCOLADES: NBC's NHL production has received critical acclaim,
earning praise for innovations such as "Inside the Glass," a reporter
position between the teams' benches first introduced by NBC hockey
producer Sam Flood. The Toronto Star called "Inside the Glass"
invaluable. ESPN.com said of NBC's hockey coverage, "the NHL has never
looked or sounded better in its free, on-the-air history." The Hockey
News called "Inside the Glass," "the biggest innovation to hit
televised hockey in recent years." " Hockey has found a network that
will let the sport be the sport," said the San Jose Mercury News.

NBC Sports' 2010 NHL coverage begins on New Year's Day with the third annual NHL Winter Classic.

NBC Sports will also continue to broadcast games throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs and up to five Stanley Cup Final games.

NHL & NBC: The successful partnership, which was announced
in May 2004, launched in January 2006 and previously extended in 2007
and 2008, has been highlighted by innovations, awards and ratings
milestones. NBC Sports' NHL coverage is produced by Sam Flood, the
originator of the Inside the Glass position. Emmy award nominee "Doc"
Emrick, Eddie Olczyk (analyst), Pierre McGuire (Inside the Glass analyst) and Mike Milbury comprise NBC's NHL broadcast team.

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Is this good news? Is the NHL actually making any money in this deal? Will it lead to an ESPN partnership as well?

Cap'n Clutch wrote:Is this good news? Is the NHL actually making any money in this deal? Will it lead to an ESPN partnership as well?

wprager wrote:Inside the Glass is McGuire sandwiched between the two benches in a little open glass booth.

There, you know now. Don't spread it around.

For a hockey fan, NBC these days could either stand for “No Bloody Cash” or “Not a Bad Contract.”

I gravitate towards the latter.

Ideally, the NHL would have found a mainstream, over-the-air carrier in the United States willing to shell out mega-millions on a new pact. Ideally, I’d be mortgage free, own vacation properties in Hawaii and Monaco and have a full head of my own hair.

In this economic climate, with this product, Gary Bettman and the gang – despite some of the moaning I’m hearing from some fans and colleagues – did OK in extending the revenue sharing agreement with NBC by a couple years.

For starters, NBC does a commendable job with the property. Its broadcast teams are highly credible and its production values are first-rate. And NBC pioneered the “Between the Glass” insider’s position, one of the best innovations introduced to televised hockey in years.

The way the deal is structured, NBC covers the cost of production for
each game. Any revenues generated from the broadcasts first go to
paying those production costs and any money that is left over is split
between the NHL and NBC, with 80 percent going to the league and 20
percent to the network.

But the league struck only a two-year deal with NBC for one very
important reason. Its cable deal with Versus expires in two years and
the league is hoping that by having both its over-the-air and cable
contracts up for renewal at the same time it will have more options
when it comes to its next television contracts.