The NHL is returning to ESPN.
It’s a the seven-year deal, with ESPN broadcasting four Stanley Cups. The NHL has wanted its marquee event on network TV so at least part of the Stanley Cup may end on ABC.
The financials of the agreement are not yet known. ESPN+, the network’s streaming service, is expected to have a significant presence going forward.
NBC Sports is in the final season of its 10-year deal, for around $2 billion. It has had exclusive rights to the league in the United States, but the NHL has set out to have multiple carriers of its national telecasts.
NBC very well could retain half of the package and pick up the other three Cups. In light of the forthcoming NFL deals in which it is expected to double the amount it pays for “Sunday Night Football” to $2 billion per year, Comcast’s CEO Brian Roberts said the parent company of NBC Sports will need to make “tough decisions” on current relationships.
The company is shuttering its NBC Sports Network at the end of the year, but could use USA Network and its subscription service, Peacock, for the majority of any games.
The Gotham Reporter 