Why ESPN airing KHL Is a Slap in the face to the NHL

November 20th, 2012 by Nicholas Goss Leave a reply »


ESPN's decision to broadcast KHL games during the NHL lockout is a slap in the face to the world's best hockey league and its commissioner, Gary Bettman.

When the NHL locked out its players following the 2003-04 season, ESPN was the league's national cable television rights holder, which was a big deal for the NHL because it needed a major cable network to help grow in United States markets.

Like hockey fans everywhere, ESPN wasn't happy that the league and its players were unable to reach a new CBA in time to save the 2004-05 season. ESPN was benefiting from its NBA, MLB and NFL and college football television deals at the time, and didn't need the NHL and much as the NHL needed ESPN.



Following the lockout, the NHL and ESPN no longer had a television agreement, and the league began its partnership with NBC Sports, which included games on the Outdoor Life Network (later Versus and now NBC Sports Network).

Since the lockout, it's hard to imagine that the league's relationship with ESPN is any better than it was in 2005. Watching the network quickly make a deal with the KHL to give hockey fans in North America a plac ...

Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
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