Sounds like more Versus/NBC for the next few years

[Nightfall 871]

ESPN wouldn't shove the NHL down the throats of anyone.

You have to follow the money with the way ESPN treated the NHL when it was on. They simply do not give hockey enough attention to warrant such a substantial difference in a contract offer.

Hire Gary Thorne to NBC, and I guarantee you half of the criticisms of this deal would go away.

I agree with Doc Holliday.

I remember numerous occasions that the NHL games would be cut off if they went over their time or they wouldn't go over to the game if something else was going on. People here may not remember what it was like back then, but I was furious during the playoffs back in 1996 and 1997. I remember a few Wings games getting cut off for some golf tournament and there was no where else you could see the game. I know, just one example, but its a good one.

I was glad when Versus picked up the NHL. They give the NHL more exposure than ESPN ever did. Less homes? Thats fine. More specials, hockey shows, and so on is what I want to see. With the NHL Network now, I am a very happy camper.

I want Gary Thorne!

NHL Home Ice on XM Radio had a great interview with Gary Thorne and Bill Clement together. Gary pretty much said his existing contract to do baseball was more lucrative and NBC and Versus couldn't pay him enough. ESPN did volunteer to let him out of his contract, but they sweetened the deal to keep him around. Who knows what the future holds though. He has not ruled out a return to broadcasting hockey. Gary also said that the thing he misses most about hockey is the playoffs. The two month run is nothing like anything else in sports.

I hope Gary returns as well.

[South Dakota wings fan 7]

I think people are being way too fickle if they think this is the worst deal ever. It just increased league revenues, which SHOULD help the viability of some of the smaller market teams. I agree, Gary Thorne is superior to Doc Emrick. But what are you going to do? Nothing short of CBC for purists will ever be good enough. But I am glad we will see some additional coverage from the NBC-Versus partnership. A possible partnership with ESPN for one game per week would have been ok with me, but at least with this deal the NHL is their main focus, not an after-thought. It wouldn't break my heart if Eddie O got another coaching job and they brought in Razor Reough (sp) to be the color man. But not everyone is going to like the broadcasters no matter who you put on the games. Short of Al Michaels, I don't know who else everyone likes. I like Dan Patrick hosting the Stanley Cup finals. It isn't his area of expertise, but he is a pro and he is being serious when he hosts.

The games are in HD, they are improving the product. Hopefully it continues to improve now that they have major $$ invested in the partnership.

[Konnan511 1,736]

200 mil a season??? Good God. The cap was expected to rise 3-4 mil for next season...and that was projected in January. It is going to keep growing, good news for the Wings and thief fans .

Isn't Versus being bought by NBC? VS has the NHLas their number one sport and now with NBC involved, just imagine all the growth the sport will see with NBC having the NHL as their #1 sport:).

Great deal!

[VM1138 1,921]

I agree with Doc Holliday.

I remember numerous occasions that the NHL games would be cut off if they went over their time or they wouldn't go over to the game if something else was going on. People here may not remember what it was like back then, but I was furious during the playoffs back in 1996 and 1997. I remember a few Wings games getting cut off for some golf tournament and there was no where else you could see the game. I know, just one example, but its a good one.

I was glad when Versus picked up the NHL. They give the NHL more exposure than ESPN ever did. Less homes? Thats fine. More specials, hockey shows, and so on is what I want to see. With the NHL Network now, I am a very happy camper.

NHL Home Ice on XM Radio had a great interview with Gary Thorne and Bill Clement together. Gary pretty much said his existing contract to do baseball was more lucrative and NBC and Versus couldn't pay him enough. ESPN did volunteer to let him out of his contract, but they sweetened the deal to keep him around. Who knows what the future holds though. He has not ruled out a return to broadcasting hockey. Gary also said that the thing he misses most about hockey is the playoffs. The two month run is nothing like anything else in sports.

I hope Gary returns as well.

I get that he can make more money doing baseball, but I can't imagine putting up with the sheer boredom of living baseball all the time. Hockey is way more exciting and interesting.

[South Dakota wings fan 7]

I also wouldn't be surprised to see Versus in more homes now that they are partnered with NBC.

[lookalive07 251]

This deal is fine with me as long as they're going to do a Game of the Week from the start of the season.

I still think NBC should get rid of some of their stupid sitcoms and play some hockey during the week though.

[SiLkK19 67]

Needs more Gary Thorne!

[Konnan511 1,736]

200 mil a season??? Good God. The cap was expected to rise 3-4 mil for next season...and that was projected in January. It is going to keep growing, good news for the Wings and thier fans .

Isn't Versus being bought by NBC? VS has the NHLas their number one sport and now with NBC involved, just imagine all the growth the sport will see with NBC having the NHL as their #1 sport:).

Great deal!

Edited April 19, 2011 by Konnan511

[Nightfall 871]

I get that he can make more money doing baseball, but I can't imagine putting up with the sheer boredom of living baseball all the time. Hockey is way more exciting and interesting.

I totally agree. You know Gary Thorne makes good money working baseball. I would take a 20% pay cut to do hockey if I was given the option. Still, you know Thorne probably likes baseball as well.

[Konnan511 1,736]

I totally agree. You know Gary Thorne makes good money working baseball. I would take a 20% pay cut to do hockey if I was given the option. Still, you know Thorne probably likes baseball as well.

Exactly, it's not like he's doing something he hates.

[Theophany 110]

200 mil a season??? Good God. The cap was expected to rise 3-4 mil for next season...and that was projected in January. It is going to keep growing, good news for the Wings and thier fans .

Isn't Versus being bought by NBC? VS has the NHLas their number one sport and now with NBC involved, just imagine all the growth the sport will see with NBC having the NHL as their #1 sport:).

Great deal!

Comcast owns both NBC and Versus; they've stated that they're rebranding the Versus network (and changing the name), and they're going to try to turn Versus into a TV network that will compete with ESPN.

With Comcast/NBC that focused on putting a big sports channel on the air and with the NHL a main part of that, we can only hope that they start showing more NHL and less retarded rodeos and crap like that.

[mjlegend 155]

Signing RFAs just got a whole lot more expensive.

Hopefully, it doesn't change the Wings' spending habits (more for less). I'd hate to see them dip into the free agent pool and pick up a Brian Campbell-like contract when Lids retires, either this summer or next.

[Hockeytown_Ryan 119]

200 mil a season??? Good God. The cap was expected to rise 3-4 mil for next season...and that was projected in January. It is going to keep growing, good news for the Wings and thief fans .

Isn't Versus being bought by NBC? VS has the NHLas their number one sport and now with NBC involved, just imagine all the growth the sport will see with NBC having the NHL as their #1 sport:).

Great deal!

Comcast just bought NBC...they also own Versus...

[Theophany 110]

I totally agree. You know Gary Thorne makes good money working baseball. I would take a 20% pay cut to do hockey if I was given the option. Still, you know Thorne probably likes baseball as well.

No you wouldn't.

Let's say hypothetically, you get paid $100,000 a year to broadcast baseball (I have no idea what PBP guys get paid, it's just a round number).

Are you really going to pass up $20,000 a year just so you can call hockey games? I sure as hell wouldn't, and I don't know too many people that would.

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

No word on monetary contractual obligations regarding lockout(s)? I'm surprised. I guess that's best kept as a secret.

[Dimaline312000 51]

Damn, I kinda wanted ESPN to tack back NHL coverage. Just seems to me that the commentators always seem to talke down the Wings or talk up the other team if they are covering a Red Wings Game. I'll stick with FSD for as many games as possible.

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

No you wouldn't.

Let's say hypothetically, you get paid $100,000 a year to broadcast baseball (I have no idea what PBP guys get paid, it's just a round number).

Are you really going to pass up $20,000 a year just so you can call hockey games? I sure as hell wouldn't, and I don't know too many people that would.

Agreed.

Baseball is also much less involved compared the time you spend on the air, making play by play much easier. Can't blame Gary for keeping to baseball.

[xtrememachine1 795]

I read that ESPN and Fox Sports were two other companies looking to get the rights. I miss those two broadcasting the games, although I don't miss the "glow puck".

[drumnj 459]

Holy s***....another name change!?

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/467027-Ebersol_Versus_Will_Get_New_Name.php

Mr. Ebersol also said NBCU plans to rename Versus to include the NBC moniker within 90 days. NBC executives have already discussed the name change with advertising buyers, according to an ad buyer.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703922504576273092012048656.html

[cusimano_brothers 1,655]

To have all those games, NBC's first plan was to make it a summer replacement for SNL.

[MGreenberg 105]

Get rid of Versus please, sucks when I can't watch half the Wings playoff games because I have the channel and can't always watch over the internet which sucks.

[Guest Howard He Do It?!]

ESPN wouldn't shove the NHL down the throats of anyone.

You have to follow the money with the way ESPN treated the NHL when it was on. They simply do not give hockey enough attention to warrant such a substantial difference in a contract offer.

Hire Gary Thorne to NBC, and I guarantee you half of the criticisms of this deal would go away.

The NHL was a declining commodity when it was on ESPN. It's hard to market a product that was basically unsellable.

Things are different now though. The NHL has increased revenues and attracted new fans. ESPN recognizes this, which is why they were involved in the bidding process. The NHL is marketable again and there is no one better at marketing sports than ESPN. ESPN wouldn't pick up the NHL and let it go stagnant. Not at those prices.

The re-branding of Versus to move it in line with ESPN does intrigue me however. If the channel has any sort of popularity it will be good for the NHL. It's just tough to compete in that market with ESPN having a virtual monopoly. Comcast is going to have to play nice in offering this new sports channel to other providers. No more Versus/DirecTV incidents.

Edited April 19, 2011 by Howard He Do It?!

[Doc Holliday 1,888]

The NHL was a declining commodity when it was on ESPN. It's hard to market a product that was basically unsellable.

Things are different now though. The NHL has increased revenues and attracted new fans. ESPN recognizes this, which is why they were involved in the bidding process. The NHL is marketable again and there is no one better at marketing sports than ESPN.

With Versus and NBC leading the way. Strangely enough NBC had better ratings in the finals last season than any playoff game on ESPN ever had. What makes you think the NHL needs a program that kept the sport as niche and in a declining state?

ESPN needs to come up with a better offer if they want the NHL to help their program. They obviously aren't willing to cough up the dough and that is a huge indicator of how much they value the League.

[Guest Howard He Do It?!]

With Versus and NBC leading the way. Strangely enough NBC had better ratings in the finals last season than any playoff game on ESPN ever had. What makes you think the NHL needs a program that kept the sport as niche and in a declining state?

ESPN needs to come up with a better offer if they want the NHL to help their program. They obviously aren't willing to cough up the dough and that is a huge indicator of how much they value the League.

Hockey is and always will be a niche sport, at least in the US. The decline really had nothing to do with ESPN but the product itself. There is a reason the NHL went through an extensive re-branding after the lockout. It was bleeding fans and revenue. ESPN would cut away to golf, bowling, and pool because it got better ratings. No one wanted to watch the NHL.

Comparing NBC to ESPN is stupid. ESPN is on cable, which not everyone subscribes to, while you can pick up NBC with a $2 pair of rabbit ears. Of course ratings are going to be better. Don't forget that a deal with ESPN would include broadcasts on ABC, at least it should. If a deal didn't include time on ABC then it is understandable to pass.

[Guest Howard He Do It?!]

This right here boys & girls...Couldn't have said it any better.

Some here seem to have forgotten that ESPN had more interest in broadcasting poker tournaments instead of NHL hockey those last few seasons...Why on earth would the NHL want to go back to that?

Now with this done - I'm hoping the NHL & NHLPA can work out a new deal, and avoid another 2004/2005 disaster.

Ask yourself why ESPN was more interested in broadcasting poker tournaments instead of the NHL. The simple fact is that poker was drawing better than the NHL.

Part of my take on the deal:

• This new NBC sports channel could be very good for the NHL if it can tap into part of ESPN's market.
  
• I like the price as it means more stability for the league.
  
• NBC better be showing a game of the week from the start of the season and not 3 months into it.
  
• I hate that the SCF are split between NBC and Versus. It would be a disaster for the NHL if the Cup were awarded during a game on Versus.
  

Edited April 19, 2011 by Howard He Do It?!