ESPN reportedly winning the broadcast rights to the '16 World Cup of Hockey "could mean big business -- and big exposure -- for the NHL," according to Jared Clinton of THE HOCKEY NEWS. ESPN has not broadcast pro hockey since the strike cancelled the '04-05 season, and the net's perceived lack of coverage "has long left a sour taste in American hockey fans’ mouths." But once a "formal announcement is made, American hockey fans can rejoice because if ESPN does broadcast the tournament, they’re likely going to give it the best treatment they can." Clinton: "They’ll want the return on their investment, too" (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 2/4). YAHOO SPORTS' Greg Wyshynski wrote the NHL "made one critical mistake since leaving ESPN: Putting all of its eggs in one Peacock-feathered basket" with NBC. It is not that NBC "has done a poor job of promoting and covering the sport, because it hasn’t." Loyalty to the net "is understandable, but it came at a cost of maximizing the NHL’s momentum." So the ESPN deal would "somewhat corrects that." They will "promote this thing to the moon," and will "put championship games in prime time on the network." For two weeks, ESPN "will cover hockey like it covers any property it has a financial stake in, which is with rapt attention" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/4).
MIX & MATCH: In Minneapolis, Michael Russo notes the mixed European team concept for the World Cup will give players such as Wild RW Nino Niederreiter (Switzerland) and LW Thomas Vanek (Austria) a "chance to compete in the tournament." Niederreiter said, "I’m not sure what anthem they’re going to play. Maybe the European anthem?” Vanek added, “Maybe six or seven anthems." Niederreiter: “It’ll be interesting, especially for Switzerland. I mean, we’re not in the European union. ... What kind of logo will we wear? Who’s going to coach us?" Vanek: "It’s a weird concept because it’s always nice to represent your country, but at the same time, this gives guys like myself from Austria the opportunity to compete in the World Cup we probably wouldn’t have had" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 2/5).
