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Old 12-14-2017, 08:57 AM   #1
sureLoss
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Icon48 ESPN back in the NHL broadcasting business

With Disney buying most of 21st Century Fox, ESPN (Disney owned) appears to have acquired the regional NHL TV rights for many NHL cities.

https://www.businesswire.com/news/ho...st-Century-Fox

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Combining with Disney are 21st Century Fox’s critically acclaimed film production businesses, including Twentieth Century Fox, Fox Searchlight Pictures and Fox 2000, which together offer diverse and compelling storytelling businesses and are the homes of Avatar, X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool, as well as The Grand Budapest Hotel, Hidden Figures, Gone Girl, The Shape of Water and The Martian—and its storied television creative units, Twentieth Century Fox Television, FX Productions and Fox21, which have brought The Americans, This Is Us, Modern Family, The Simpsons and so many more hit TV series to viewers across the globe. Disney will also acquire FX Networks, National Geographic Partners, Fox Sports Regional Networks, Fox Networks Group International, Star India and Fox’s interests in Hulu, Sky plc, Tata Sky and Endemol Shine Group.
Fox has (had) the NHL regional rights for Anaheim, Arizona, Carolina, Detroit, Florida, St. Louis, Minnesota, Columbus, Dallas, Nashville, Los Angeles, Tampa Bay, Nashville. With this sale, Disney/ESPN has acquired them all according to reports.

NBC's national coverage contract ends in 2021, could be a sign that ESPN will also make a huge play for the national broadcast rights in the US.
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Old 12-14-2017, 08:59 AM   #2
CroFlames
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We won't see actual ESPN broadcasts though will we? I imagine there won't be any change to the Fox brand broadcasts for a long time.
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Old 12-14-2017, 09:26 AM   #3
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We won't see actual ESPN broadcasts though will we? I imagine there won't be any change to the Fox brand broadcasts for a long time.
I imagine a re brand will be pretty quick. Fox is keeping their national network Fox Sports 1 and I doubt either side wants the confusion of having Fox regional networks and Fox national networks.
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Old 12-14-2017, 09:38 AM   #4
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It looks like they own the regional rights for about half the MLB teams. Depending on when the deal gets finalized, I wouldn't be surprised to see them re-brand the FSN channels as ESPN Regional (or something similar) prior to the start of the baseball season.


The press release has June 30 as the closing date for the deal, so it might not be until next fall that the change happens.
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Old 12-14-2017, 09:38 AM   #5
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These would be ESPN's first regional sports stations then, correct?
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Old 12-14-2017, 09:53 AM   #6
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This is a good thing for the NHL as whether you like them or not ESPN dominates the US sports landscape and there's no downside to having them broadcasting the league.
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Old 12-14-2017, 09:56 AM   #7
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Originally Posted by Toonage View Post
These would be ESPN's first regional sports stations then, correct?
At one time there was an entity called SportsChannel that had quite a few regional hockey broadcasts. I cant remember if they were swallowed up by ESPN or FOX though.

Actually i just googled it and it was FOX they merged with.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SportsChannel

So yes, it appears this is ESPN's first foray into regional channels. Should be interesting.
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Old 12-14-2017, 10:30 AM   #8
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ESPN needs to get back in the video hockey game business.
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Old 12-14-2017, 10:43 AM   #9
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I think this is going to turn into a big deal for sports broadcasting.

ESPN now owns local rights to half the MLB teams as well. They also own the mlb.tv and NHL Game Center.

They see their current model of being bundled into basic cable as dying, so this is their response.

They have already said they have a grand plan of having a standalone sports streaming app. I can see them selling ESPN everything direct to the customer that includes all games to all teams including in-market. Anyone who wants to watch sports of any kind is going to have to subscribe to ESPN is probably their strategy.
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Old 12-14-2017, 12:46 PM   #10
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ESPN needs to get back in the video hockey game business.
ESPN NHL 2K5 might be the GOAT hockey game. Had everything you could possibly want.
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Old 12-14-2017, 12:48 PM   #11
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We all need some Gary Thorne & Bill Clement in our lives.
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Old 12-14-2017, 03:39 PM   #12
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We all need some Gary Thorne & Bill Clement in our lives.
Ooooof, could you imagine?
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Old 12-15-2017, 11:11 AM   #13
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This isn't a done deal, because there will be definite anti-trust concerns here, with sports broadcasting high on that list.

Interestingly, Disney would also get a big stake in Sky (europe) and Star (India). Those properties have lots of sports rights as well (soccer, cricket, etc) which are potentially a good fit for the ESPN streaming service they're working on.
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Old 12-15-2017, 12:50 PM   #14
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Can't wait for that PG Deadpool movie
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Old 12-15-2017, 01:12 PM   #15
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nvm
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