The Flyers are set to open the season in 26 days and the
team still does not have a cable carrier, according to Mike
Bruton of the PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER. The Flyers and Prism, the
team's previous TV carrier, have been negotiating since Comcast-
Spectacor purchased the team, but "have come to no agreement."
The deal would be for one year, until the Comcast sports network
"is up and running and presumably ready to showcase the Flyers,
Sixers and Phillies," which is why Prism was reportedly only
offering a nominal rights of $5M. The Flyers are negotiating
with independent cable operators as an alternative to Prism, and
if a deal is reached, the games would be shown on each cable
system independently, and the team would pay the production costs
of about $20,000 a game. Bruton notes "cable operators are being
squeezed ... between Prism and the Flyers and they don't seem
comfortable." Bruton: "If a deal isn't made soon, somebody is
going to turn into a pumpkin, and that somebody could be
[Comcast-Spectacor Managing Partner] Ed Snider" (PHILADELPHIA
INQUIRER, 9/10).
WORLD CUP NOTES: The NHL and NHLPA will co-host a cybercast
of tonight's Canada-U.S. game one of the World Cup of Hockey
finals in Philadelphia at www.worldcup hockey.com. It will be
hosted by Greg Millen, with analysis by Ranger coach Colin
Campbell. The action begins at 8:00pm ET and the site will also
host events for game two and, if necessary, game three in
Montreal (THE DAILY)....Prime Sports will air the World Cup of
Hockey final tonight and Thursday and game three, if necessary,
from Montreal (Prime Sports). In Toronto, William Houston notes
Fox is expected to air the third game from Montreal nationally
(Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 9/10). But a Fox spokesperson told THE
DAILY this morning that Fox has no plans to broadcast game three
nationally, but that it would be on fX (THE DAILY).
