NHL’s Next TV Deal

[qwerty]

As many are well aware, the NHL’s American TV deal with NBC will be up pretty soon and negotiations are likely to occur if not already.

Ironically, could the NHL actually be the ones to make out like bandits with zero fans in the stands and all eyes on their television sets instead?

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[Kegsey]

As many are well aware, the NHL’s American TV deal with NBC will be up pretty soon and negotiations are likely to occur if not already.

Ironically, could the NHL actually be the ones to make out like bandits with zero fans in the stands and all eyes on their television sets instead?

Wouldn’t the NHL suffer from no ticket/merch sales and the Network be the winners?

 

[qwerty]

Wouldn’t the NHL suffer from no ticket/merch sales and the Network be the winners?

Well that’s what I meant with the irony piece there, obviously they’d be losing out huge on revenue. But same with every other league. The silver lining for the league though is that their tv deal negotiations coincides with no fans in the stands, so the tv ratings could potentially be massive which helps with their next contract.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Or viewership could be halved as having 3 games a day, means afternoon games everyday, and people do other things in the summer , does not bode well for numbers.

 

[Anisimovs AK]

Or we realize they have been negotiating for quite sometime, so the ratings during once in a hundred years global pandemic probably wont have any tangible effect on the tv rights at all

 

[The CyNick]

In each game you're talking about at most 20k extra eyeballs from only the home market. That's not enough to make a substantial difference in the rights fees.

The ratings generated this summer good or bad won't determine the next deal.

 

[GindyDraws]

As long as the Rangers, Capitals, Blackhawks, Flyers, and Bruins get to appear 80% of the time, that's what the league wants.

To me, you gotta have some balance, dangit.

 

[tyhee]

In each game you're talking about at most 20k extra eyeballs from only the home market. That's not enough to make a substantial difference in the rights fees.

The ratings generated this summer good or bad won't determine the next deal.

The effects of Covid, one way or another, have to be considered though.

For now, of course, there's the 20K fans at home but in addition there are people at home that would otherwise be at work, or choosing stay home rather than going out to a restaurant, nightclub or to friends' houses. Otoh, many of those people will have less money to spend.

Airlines, hotels, many retailers and some others won't have the same advertising budgets they would have previously had and some of them may be out of business.

All in all, it's hard to imagine the next contract being for quite as much money as it would have been if the economy was healthier. Imo it will be a few years before the economy is back to normal.

 

[gstommylee]

No way the next US NHL TV contract is going to be less per year than what they are getting now especially not when they added two new markets Vegas and Seattle.

 

[The CyNick]

The effects of Covid, one way or another, have to be considered though.

For now, of course, there's the 20K fans at home but in addition there are people at home that would otherwise be at work, or choosing stay home rather than going out to a restaurant, nightclub or to friends' houses. Otoh, many of those people will have less money to spend.

Airlines, hotels, many retailers and some others won't have the same advertising budgets they would have previously had and some of them may be out of business.

All in all, it's hard to imagine the next contract being for quite as much money as it would have been if the economy was healthier. Imo it will be a few years before the economy is back to normal.

The whole economy thing is entirely possible. I'm just saying the extra 20k won't make a difference.

Plus if anything they'll be in tough. Good chance the second half of the playoffs is up against NBA, MLB and NFL. So tougher competition than normal.

 

[KIRK]

Wouldn’t the NHL suffer from no ticket/merch sales and the Network be the winners?

The new TV deal won't take effect until the 2022-2023 season. By that point, ticket and merchandise sales will have recovered.

 

[eddygee]

I'm expecting $400-500m a year from the next US TV deal with NBC and another partner. I could see a situation where that gets up to $500-600m yr if ESPN gets involved and splits the more profitable Stanley Cup Playoffs with NBC.

The only thing is and I know it's been discussed before but how would ESPN find a spot to fit the games. Even though ESPN/ESPN2 distribution is the same now,n one wants the return of the 90s and games on ESPN2.

It just seems it's always a bit of bad timing when it comes to NHL and TV deals, last time was the Great Recession and we locked in a the long 10 yr deal instead of and 8 yr deal and missed on the mid 2010s sports rights boon. Now it's a pandemic that has triggered another economic upheaval. I hope this next deal is only 6-8 yrs long.

Will be interesting to see the chips fall as MLB was in the midst of negotiating with ESPN/Fox/Turner and even though they had some years left on their deal NFL were trying to get a head start on negotiations with networks before all this hit. Wonder what some other leagues do now with those future media rights negotiations do they wait it out a few years and restart talks in the end of 21 early 22' or do they try to lock in deals now before things potentially get worst economically.

 

[SJSharksfan39]

Whatever happens, I really hope we might get the end of Blackouts on NHL.TV. Then maybe I can move to near Vegas and still be able to see the Sharks.

 

[Stumbledore]

Whatever happens, I really hope we might get the end of Blackouts on NHL.TV. Then maybe I can move to near Vegas and still be able to see the Sharks.

Bakersfield?

 

[SJSharksfan39]

Bakersfield?

I was thinking maybe somewhere like Henderson or just the suburb area. Vegas is too touristy, but I heard that the surrounding areas are pretty nice.

 

[ForumNamePending]

As others have said, assuming the NHL manages to resume, the viewership numbers (good or bad) will have no impact on what the NHL is able to pull in for media rights. On the other hand, the the ensuing economic fallout from all this...

Ten weeks ago my (un?)educated guess would have been the NHL getting ~$600 million/year. Now? No idea.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Weird. Everybody else going with the same $600M I had made.

FWIW, I think $600M is the low end. Could get more depending on how desperate broadcasters are. Bettman's announcement yesterday on NBCSN kept getting cut off, due to broadcasting error, by footage of a guy painting a car engine... Can't imagine NBCSN wants to lose the NHL.

 

[Deadpool8812]

As long as the Rangers, Capitals, Blackhawks, Flyers, and Bruins get to appear 80% of the time, that's what the league wants.

To me, you gotta have some balance, dangit.

Well, if other teams could pull in ratings like those 5, you would get more balance

 

[Ernie]

A lot of the recent sports media deals have been made with the idea that it'll keep people from cutting the cord.

But that hasn't been working out so well.

Pay-TV has lost 10m subscriptions since 2018, about 12% of total subscribers.

Maybe the high cost tv deals have slowed subscriber losses, but they certainly haven't stopped them. It also leaves pro leagues with diminishing exposure to consumers. However, hockey fans are the wealthiest of pro sports fans in North America, with 1/3rd of viewers earning over $100,000 (as of 2014). So that plays into the NHL's favour.

 

[Deadpool8812]

A lot of the recent sports media deals have been made with the idea that it'll keep people from cutting the cord.

But that hasn't been working out so well.

Pay-TV has lost 10m subscriptions since 2018, about 12% of total subscribers.

Maybe the high cost tv deals have slowed subscriber losses, but they certainly haven't stopped them. It also leaves pro leagues with diminishing exposure to consumers. However, hockey fans are the wealthiest of pro sports fans in North America, with 1/3rd of viewers earning over $100,000 (as of 2014). So that plays into the NHL's favour.

Yeah, I cut the cord last year and I couldn't be happier. That $80+ a month I am saving is well worth it

 

[Hockeyholic]

Tje NHL is the only league without at least two TV partners (NFL has Fox, CBS, NBC, and ESPN. NBA has ABC/ESPN & TNT. MLB has FOX, TBS and ESPN). I can't imagine this will continue. Back in the 90's they had Fox & ESPN.

I would like to see them stick with NBC as the main broadcaster. I don't think ESPN or CBS care enough (Or know enough) about Hockey. Would they be willing to go with Fox? Joe Buck could do a few games I'm sure

 

[qwerty]

I do wonder if a broadcaster is willing to shell out more thinking that TV viewership could trend upwards for the next several years as ticket sale demand is likely to be softer. All it takes is one offer right?

 

[ItsFineImFine]

I do hope that they're wise enough to not go as long on this deal. That last NBC deal was idiotic. Sure it was good money up front but the amounts they were getting in later years was not what they would be getting had they been a part of a new deal by then. Basically they took short-term gratification for long-term loss, as they usually do.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

I have been predicting a split package between FOX and NBC for awhile. I’m not sure if NHL gets 600 million combined now with how the economy has been affected by the pandemic. One thing is your sure, NHL cannot negotiate another exclusive deal with NBC. I think FOX has the advantage over both ESPN and Turner due to FS1 needing the programming. TBS might be a solid fit most days of the week though.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

I have been predicting a split package between FOX and NBC for awhile. I’m not sure if NHL gets 600 million combined now with how the economy has been affected by the pandemic. One thing is your sure, NHL cannot negotiate another exclusive deal with NBC. I think FOX has the advantage over both ESPN and Turner due to FS1 needing the programming. TBS might be a solid fit most days of the week though.

FS1 NOR 2 need programming