[News] Sportsnet signs 12 year $5.2 billion for NHL CDN Broadcast rights.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Min 22 Canadien games on TVA during reg season for years to come.

French language fans enjoy all playoff games (incl. Canadiens) and SC finals on TVA. Up to another 160 games can be broadcast on TVA, and they have rights to events like All-Star Game, Draft, etc.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

CBC Saturday night games will still continue, TSN will cover games as well. Sportsnet said more games will be covered. How has not been revealed.

Where did you hear TSN? Do you mean TVA?

[atb]

Does this mean being out of market I only have to subscribe to Sportsnet West to get Flames games as oppose to having to get Center Ice?

[Stay Golden]

Of course they have to kiss TVA's butt. They should only get any part of a sub deal if they are willing to broadcast an equal amount of games not including Montreal lol. Challenge them.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Conference done now, one-on-one's to follow it sounds like.

[Stay Golden]

Originally Posted by getbak

Where did you hear TSN? Do you mean TVA?

yes that is what i meant thanks.

[GirlySports]

seeing powerful execs sitting on high chairs is kind of amusing.

[the2bears]

Originally Posted by Table 5

If you thought the TSN version was bad, wait till Sportsnet buys it and gives us the budget version with some guy playing it on a recorder.

The Friendly Giant?

[TurnedTheCorner]

Rogers rationale: Focus on sports for past few years, NHL is icing on cake. Deal is positive for Rogers shareholders. Positive from NPV perspective.

(Reporter thought TSN was paying $40M annually previously, why did Rogers increase bid 8-fold?) I assume TSN+CBC+french language before was actually the $197M.

[TurnedTheCorner]

CBC - pays nothing for broadcast rights. HNIC still can promote its shows and brand.

[CaptainCrunch]

I hope now that Sportsnet has this deal that they'll improve the game time production and get better people for their panels. Sportsnet right now is hard to sit through the intermissions.

this is pretty devastating news to TSN who probably had 40 or 50 hours worth of games per week (just a guess)

Guess they'll be spooling up coverage of the nantucket spelling bee with a panel of Dregor and Mackenzie

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

CBC - pays nothing for broadcast rights. HNIC still can promote its shows and brand.

Murdoch Mysteries! woo!

[Regular_John]

Really interested to see how this plays out for the digital/NHL GameCenter broadcast. Thus far the NHL has said there's no more regional games or blackouts under this deal, and I've also seen that it includes "all digital rights".

My wishful thinking is that NHL GameCenter finally becomes a viable alternative to cable, pony up a bit of cash each year & be able to watch all the Flames games without having to play silly IP stuff with my router. Or alternatively our new corporate overlords opt to stream most (if not all) on their respective sites.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Bettman asked if this was an auction process, duration and intensity of negotiations.

Bettman refuses to address question. Wants to talk about this deal moving forward, acknowledges TSNs good work in past. NHL conclusion was that for its rights, Rogers relationship made the most sense. "Not just about the money", talked about rights and partnership. Did say there was lots of interest.

[sureLoss]

CBC internal memo on Rogers deal:
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1rsbqpk

A day of mixed emotions for sure. Today, the NHL announced that they have chosen Rogers as the exclusive rights holders for NHL hockey in Canada going forward.

While this isn’t the outcome we had hoped for, I'm pleased to say that through an agreement with Rogers, CBC will retain HNIC on Saturday nights, including 320 hours of prime-time hockey and the Stanley Cup Final for the next four years.

This may not be the ideal scenario but, it is the right outcome for Canadian hockey fans and is an acceptable adaptation to the role of the public broadcaster in the modern world of professional sports rights. A world in which partnering with a wide array of other actors is a key to success.

A little bit about our deal with Rogers. CBC pays no rights costs for the broadcasting of hockey games. Rogers is bearing the sole risk around hockey revenues; (they sell the inventory and keep the revenue – the overall selling process is yet to be defined), while we continue to make Canada’s game available to all Canadians wherever they live.

It also provides us with a high-traffic place to promote all of our other fantastic Canadian content during a broadcast that brings the nation together week after week.

I'd be remiss if I didn't acknowledge the remarkable HNIC technical team at CBC, you are hands down the best in the business and I’m glad your hard work and talents will continue to be shared with Canadians through our new deal with Rogers. However, starting next year, Rogers will assume all editorial control (all editorial decisions with respect to the content, on-air talent and the creative direction of HNIC – we have the right to be consulted and there is a commitment to excellence) under the new agreement.

These negotiations were not easy. We had been in conversation with the league for a number of months to secure these rights ourselves; the CBC was prepared to do a fiscally responsible deal to preserve hockey on Saturday nights and to help the NHL to build the hockey brand through a variety of significant events and outreach activities. The NHL chose a deal with only one broadcaster – that’s their choice and that’s their prerogative.

I want to personally thank the negotiating team of Neil McEneaney and Jeffrey Orridge who for months have poured so much smarts and passion into trying to make the best deal happen with the NHL, and for going the extra mile in securing our agreement with Rogers over the last few days (and nights) – thank you.

So, what does this mean for the CBC going forward? While this deal will result in job losses, the staffing impact would have been much greater had we lost hockey entirely, as CBC is still producing hockey. Preserving HNIC also allows CBC to maintain a capacity to execute a sports strategy and fulfillits existing contractual obligations (i.e. Olympics, Pan-Am, FIFA)

[taxbuster]

Sounds like CBC ends up with the rights to broadcast and advertise their programs. No direct money. Suspect that is because the NHL was resistant to removing HNIC as a property - and a well-known one - costing viewers in the Toronto area.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Omin new reporter asks about Punjabi broadcast.

Rogers media says this is day one, planning in infancy. Coming months will have serious meetings, including Omni's involvment. Says the magic of Rogers/NHL arrangement is the flexibility. All rights with one entity, Rogers. Gives Rogers the benefit of exploring flexibility on how to broadcast.

[GirlySports]

for sure the Punjabi broadcast will be on OMNI.

[TurnedTheCorner]

City reporter asked about future of Don Cherry. Rogers media said specifics like this have not been discussed as deal is early and on day one.

[taxbuster]

Betcha Cherry gets one year and is then toast.