ESPN "refused to heed a request from the NHL to make
its telecast" of Game Six of the Stanley Cup Finals
"available" to a local Dallas TV station "so homes not
hooked up to cable would have access to the game," according
to Barry Horn of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. The Dallas-Ft.
Worth-area has the "lowest cable penetration of a major
television market" at "only" 52%. ESPN execs "would not
discuss their decision," but issued a statement which said
"exclusivity is an integral part of our agreement with the
NHL and the value we bring to our distributors. It is
important that we fulfill that commitment to our
distributors and their advertisers." Stars VP/Marketing &
Promotions Jeff Cogen: "I sit in these NHL meetings all the
time, and all they say is 'Grow the game.' ESPN is taking a
very single-minded, myopic view." Stars President Jim
Lites: "We pushed to have the game distributed to as many
people as possible" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/19).
ONE AGREEMENT WAS REACHED: ESPN and the NHL did reach
an agreement on Saturday which allowed the award ceremony to
be aired live on all over-the-air channels in the area. If
the Stars were leading in the final 30 seconds of the game,
"any station could pick up the action and stay with the ESPN
telecast until the conclusion of the Stanley Cup ceremony"
(DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/20). In Vancouver, Tony Gallager:
"What wrangled the Stars about the decision was that they
were not afforded the same consideration as ESPN grants
football fans when the cable company carries the NFL on
Sunday nights." NHL COO Stephen Solomon said that the
situation "was unique" because Dallas "is so lightly wired."
Solomon: "Now that this problem has surfaced, we will have
to deal with it" (PROVINCE, 6/20). In St. Petersburg, Tom
Jones reported that the "blackout has led at least a few
people to subscribe to cable" (ST. PETE TIMES, 6/20). In
Ft. Worth, Mary Doclar wrote that the game "played to full
houses at area sports bars" in Arlington, since it "was
being broadcast only on" ESPN (STAR-TELEGRAM, 6/20).
CREASE LIGHTNING: In N.Y., Phil Mushnick writes that
ESPN "did not try to soften the notion that the NHL had just
butchered its own championship" after the controversial Cup-
winning goal by Stars RW Brett Hull on Saturday. While the
award ceremony was taking place, ESPN's Gary Thorne said it
was "the worst way the NHL could've even thought to end this
game ... I don't mean to detract [from Dallas' win], but the
NHL has to answer to this" (N.Y. POST, 6/21).
STANLEY CUP POST-MORTEMS: In Columbus, Bob Hunter
wrote, "As the NHL struggles to gain a firm foothold with
the American sporting public, the effect this Stanley Cup
series has had on that mission is still unclear. On the one
hand, it has been exactly what hockey needed. ... On the
other hand, this hasn't been the free-spirited, high-scoring
shootout that marketing geniuses tell us the public needs to
fall in love" (COLUMBUS DISPATCH, 6/20). But ESPN's Jack
Edwards said on Sunday, "If you saw all six games of this
series, and you still don't like hockey, you better try
another sport. But if you didn't see all six games, you get
another chance to get hooked when they drop the puck in
October right here on ESPN" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 6/20).
