Bell Express Vu, a new direct-to-home satellite
distributor in Canada set to launch November 25, "intends to
offer channels that would take regional telecasts of NHL
games and air them across the country," but the NHL "is
blowing the whistle on the plan," according to Rob Longley
of the TORONTO SUN. Included in Bell's package would be all
four regional versions of CTV SportsNet, which would give
Toronto-area viewers more than 100 additional Senators,
Flames, Oilers and Canucks games. Subscribers who rent a
mini-dish from the company "would be offered a variety of
stations at package prices." But the NHL "has told Bell
Express Vu that it will attempt to block games designated
for regions other than those where rights are held." NHL
VP/TV & Business Skip Prince: "We have served notice that we
are opposing what they are doing. ... They are trying to
take games and distribute them nationwide for next to
nothing." Prince said that the NHL would like to offer more
games in Canada, but only like it is being done in the U.S.,
with an 800-game PPV package. Prince: "We think it would be
a market-maker in Canada. And it would provide much needed
incremental revenue to the teams" (TORONTO SUN, 11/13).
