NHL, ESPN Ink Seven-Year Rights Deal, Covering Four Stanley Cup Finals and Half of Playoff Package Also included are 25 regular-season games exclusively on ABC/ESPN, 75 on ESPN /Hulu By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor
Wednesday, March 10, 2021 - 2:24 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
For the first time in more than a decade and a half, the NHL is heading to ESPN. The Walt Disney Company, ESPN, and the league have inked a seven-year television, streaming, and media-rights deal that begins next season and runs through the 2027-28 season. Under terms of the deal, ABC will air exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Final in four of the seven years of the agreement, with the ability to simulcast/MegaCast on ESPN and additional ESPN networks. In addition, half the Stanley Cup Playoffs will be carried by ABC and ESPN each season.
According to the NY Post s Andrew Marchand, the deal is worth $2.8 billion over seven years ($400 million per year) and will be the NHL's A package, with a second to-be-determined rightsholder receiving the B package.
The agreement also covers 25 exclusive national regular-season games on ABC or ESPN and 75 national regular-season games per season produced by ESPN and streamed exclusively on both ESPN and Hulu. ESPN will also provide coverage annually of NHL's Face-off (opening-night games), the NHL All-Star Game and Skills Challenge, and other NHL special events each season.
Additionally, the NHL's out-of-market streaming package, with more than 1,000 games (formerly on NHL.TV), will be available to stream only as part of an ESPN subscription.
The agreement also includes extensive highlight rights, adding to coverage across ESPN's year-round news and highlights programming and to coverage on the ESPN App and social media. International media rights - including in Latin America, the Caribbean, and parts of Europe - are also part of the agreement.
This partnership of the world's top hockey league and the platforms of The Walt Disney Company is a big win for our fans and our game, says NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. Not only will this groundbreaking, seven-year deal enable the NHL to benefit from the incomparable power, reach, and influence of The Walt Disney Company and ABC/ESPN. It sets a new standard in delivering our game to the most passionate and tech-savvy fans in sports in the ways they now demand and on the platforms they use.
Stanley Cup Final, Playoffs, Regular Season Return to ABC, ESPN
Under the new agreement, the NHL's Stanley Cup Final and Stanley Cup Playoffs action will once again air on the ABC and ESPN networks - including exclusive coverage of the Stanley Cup Final in four of the seven years of the deal - beginning with the 2021-22 season.
Additionally, in each season of the agreement, ESPN and ABC will have live, exclusive coverage of one Conference Final series and half of all First Round and Second Round games from the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
This agreement clearly underscores The Walt Disney Company's leadership in the sports-media landscape and serves as a blueprint for sports deals in the future, says Jimmy Pitaro, chairman, ESPN and Sports Content, The Walt Disney Co. We know the power of the NHL and are thrilled to welcome it back as a significant new pillar across our platforms, and we look forward to connecting more deeply and directly with some of the sports world's most passionate fans.
Throughout the regular season, 25 games from the NHL schedule will be carried live, exclusively on ABC or ESPN.
Live game coverage and studio, surround, and original-programming plans across all Disney networks and streaming platforms will be announced in the coming months, along with a new weekly studio show during the NHL season on ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2.
NHL Streaming on ESPN and Hulu Beginning with the start of the 2021-22 season in October, ESPN will live-stream more than 1,000 NHL games per season, including 75 national games per season produced by ESPN and streamed exclusively on both ESPN and Hulu, a first. Additionally, more than 1,000 out-of-market games will be available digitally only on ESPN . The platform will also feature In the Crease, an exclusive original highlights show hosted by ESPN's Linda Cohn and Barry Melrose each NHL game day throughout the season.
This is the kind of innovative deal that only The Walt Disney Company and our portfolio of media platforms and businesses can bring to life, says Kareem Daniel, chairman, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, The Walt Disney Company. The combination of streaming leadership with ESPN and Hulu, along with our powerhouse ABC and ESPN networks, will bring the NHL into the homes and lives of millions of passionate fans - and help create new ones. It's a hat trick that delivers incredible value to our partner, our business, and consumers.
The deal also marks the first major sports agreement to include exclusive, live sports rights on Hulu, with the 75 games available to ESPN subscribers available to Hulu SVOD subscribers at no added cost as part of their subscription.
The agreement also comes as Disney is launching ESPN on Hulu, which will give Hulu subscribers accessing the service's on-demand streaming library the choice to sign up for and view ESPN - including thousands of live events and acclaimed original shows, series. and documentaries - directly in the Hulu environment.
Building on ESPN's NHL Legacy The NHL first appeared on ESPN on Dec. 19, 1979, only about three months after the network went on-air. ESPN recorded milestones both on and off the ice in the first nine seasons and, in 1986, became the first U.S. network to produce an NHL All-Star Game. After a four-year absence, the league returned to the network in 1992 and aired for the first time on ESPN2 the following season, j
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
NHL, ESPN Ink Seven-Year Rights Deal, Covering Four Stanley Cup Finals and Half of Playoff Package Also included are 25 regular-season games exclusively on ABC/ESPN, 75 on ESPN /Hulu By Jason Dachman, Chief Editor 
