NBC Puts Focus On Controversial Sean Avery During NHL Coverage

Avery Being Used As NHL Promotional Tool?

NBC gave NHL Rangers LW Sean Avery “the superstar treatment” yesterday during the net’s coverage of Flyers-Rangers, according to Garth Woolsey of the TORONTO STAR. Avery “only a few weeks ago was deemed to be so toxic the NHL suspended him ‘indefinitely,’” but fans yesterday could follow Avery’s “every move on an isolated camera feed” on NHL.com. Woolsey writes NBC “seems to want to treat the Rangers like its home team for featured games of the week,” and the net’s Web site “offers video banks of Avery in action, as well as a slide show of no fewer than 55 photos of him on and off the ice” (TORONTO STAR, 3/16). In Westchester, Jane McManus notes Avery's "bad-boy reputation was part of the reason NBC ... showed the left wing on screen with its 'Star Cam'" (Westchester JOURNAL NEWS, 3/16). In N.Y., Bob Raissman wrote NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in December “offered some unkind words about Sean Avery,” but that was “before Avery returned to the Rangers.” Now Avery, and “whatever vibe his personality generates, is being used as an NHL promotional tool” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 3/15).

CHANGING CHANNELS? FANHOUSE.com’s Tom Mantzouranis noted that ESPN VP/PR Josh Krulewitz indicated there are no immediate plans to bring the NHL to ESPN. That means there currently is "no major carrier lined up to broadcast NHL games next season, as the NHL’s deal with NBC expires after this season.” Versus will “continue to carry games,” and NBC “might choose to re-up with the league for another year in order to cash in on Olympic synergy,” since the net will air the ’10 Vancouver Games. However, long-term the NHL “needs to find a TV partner,” and a deal with ESPN "would return a lot of credibility" to the league (FANHOUSE.com, 3/15).