[valo403]

Originally Posted by Daradon

No I get that, I assumed he was quoting comparable numbers. Othwerwise there would have been lots more decimals and explanations.

Also, as has been mentioned on Sportsnet the Fan, the Canadian contracts are quickly coming up for renewal, and will obviously not go cheaper, based on the recent media mergers and battles.

The NBC deal, though biggest ever, was widely regarded on both sides of the border as too long and too cheap. Look at The Fan, Doh Boy, Francis, TSN, and even Jason Smith in LA, if you want any verification of this.

Ah yes, a list of pullitzer winners right there. Here are the opinions of some professionals in the field:

Derek Baine, a senior analyst covering television networks for the research firm SNL Kagan, said this was a good deal for the NHL. "This shows sports continue to remain very popular," he said. "And maybe the NHL was helped because of looming strikes in other areas."
AJ Maestas, president of Navigate Marketing, a Chicago-based firm specializing in sports and entertainment marketing, called the new contract "excellent" for the NHL and echoed Ebersol — that it's not always best to be a small fish in a big pond.
"The smart money is on NBC and Comcast to offer a network with more sports programming using the cable higher-subscriber fees. Everything can't be on ESPN," Maestas said.
According to the NHL, its ratings have risen 84% over the last four years.
"That's not just luck," Maestas said. "And the demographic is attractive — young males. While being on ESPN might mean your sport is covered more on 'SportsCenter,' you also might just get one 'game of the week' or be relegated to times that aren't attractive. I really do believe this is a good deal for hockey. It's a pretty big win."

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr...l-nbc-20110420