The NHL, under the "new U.S. broadcast contract allowing NBC and partner Comcast exclusivity over the playoffs," wants to "take a page from NCAA March Madness and stagger the start times of the games so they don't all go to intermission at the same time," according to Bruce Dowbiggin of the GLOBE & MAIL. If the NHL "has its way, the 2012 playoffs may be staggered," and sources said that "spacing the start times of games will mean non-stop action for fans." There are "hurdles to overcome in implementing the format," including that Canadian broadcasters "have to be onside with the plan." The CBC, "in particular, makes a lot of money from" its "Coaches Corner" intermission feature, and there also are "the constraints of news programming that already resents being punted for the eight weeks of the postseason." Dowbiggin noted "arena availabilities, time-zone issues and team preferences could also be a factor," but the league "wants a festival-like feeling around the playoffs and intends to make it happen" (GLOBE & MAIL, 4/25).
PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT? In Toronto, Damien Cox writes NBC and Versus "undoubtedly will be thrilled to broadcast as many Flyer games as possible" under the new deal, since the Flyers are owned by Comcast-Spectacor. The Capitals, Penguins and Flyers "are already NBC's favoured teams, but this new TV deal makes you wonder if the Flyers will become the unquestioned marquee franchise of the NHL." Cox: "Certainly league decisions involving the Flyers will now be accompanied by a few winks and nods among the conspiratorially minded" (TORONTO STAR, 4/24).
OLYMPICS TAKE CENTER STAGE: ADWEEK's Anthony Crupi wrote the new deal with the NHL "promises to give NBCUniversal more leverage as it prepares its Olympics bid." The 10-year deal "can be seen as a dry run for the network's quest to land the rights" to the '14 Sochi and '16 Rio de Janeiro Games. It also "certainly should go a long way toward ensuring that Sochi's biggest attraction will be bolstered by a full contingent of NHL talent" (ADWEEK.com, 4/25). MULTICHANNEL NEWS' Mike Reynolds writes, "The question now is whether NBC Sports Group's first rights agreement under Comcast is a harbinger of things to come in the sports-rights derby -- bidding for the Olympic Games is expected in June, and the Pac-12 college conference is looking to build its own sports network" (MULTICHANNEL NEWS, 4/25 issue). In Dallas, Barry Horn wrote it "seems only a matter of time before NBC makes a cable bid for NFL Network's Thursday Night Football and maybe a college football conference like the Big East or Pac-12" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/23).
