NBC Close To Picking Up NHL Rights Option For '08-09 Season
The NHL is “close to reaching a contract extension with NBC” for the ’08-09 season, according to William Houston of the Toronto GLOBE & MAIL. NBC Universal Sports Dir of Communications Brian Walker did not confirm the parties are nearing a deal, saying only, “We are in conversations with the league about an extension.” Houston notes the likelihood of the net “picking up the NHL option has been the subject of speculation.” NBC earned a 2.2 rating for the Penguins-Sabres Amp Energy NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Day, but it has averaged just a 1.0 rating for its entire regular-season coverage to date. That, however, is up from a 0.9 rating at this point in the ’06-07 regular season. The Stanley Cup Finals present a “problem” for NBC, as all games are in primetime and the net “would prefer to avoid pre-empting highly rated weeknight telecasts.” NBC’s Finals telecasts begin with Game Three, and the net’s programming desire “may be partially achieved” with their coverage “starting on a Friday, with the fourth game on Sunday.” Under that scenario, Game Five would be played on Wednesday before “returning to the weekend for the sixth and seventh” (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 4/4). In Minneapolis, Judd Zulgad reports the "success of the [Penguins-Sabres] outdoor game -- and the opportunity to hold another next season -- appears to be one reason NBC is interested" in picking up its option (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 4/4).
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