Rogers Communications "is off to a slow start in the quest" to win its $5.2B (all figures C) gamble on NHL broadcast rights, according to Dave Shoalts of the GLOBE & MAIL. The ratings results for NHL games on Rogers’ various networks plus the CBC "are mixed compared to last year -- up slightly for the Eastern games on Saturday nights, down significantly for the Western games on Saturday, up nicely on Wednesdays and disappointing on Sundays." The "big problem is that one-quarter of the way through the NHL’s regular season, Rogers is running" around 9% behind the 20% increase in television viewers "it promised advertisers, who were also told there was a commensurate increase in advertising rates." This has the company "lagging behind its projections for the revenue needed to make this venture break even at the very least after landing the NHL’s national Canadian broadcast rights" for 12 years. Sources said that the amount of ad revenue Rogers "expects to pull in from Hockey Night In Canada on Saturdays plus its Sunday and Wednesday broadcasts is a closely guarded secret." Sources said that it "is at least" $250M for the '14-15 season. Rogers President of Sportsnet & NHL Scott Moore said he is "extremely happy on the big picture with a couple of small concerns." Without counting the production costs of the hockey shows, Rogers "needs to bring in" an average of $433.3M "over the next 12 years just to cover" the $5.2B it is paying the NHL for the rights. Aside from selling "what sources say is a sizeable remaining advertising inventory, a big challenge for Moore and his team is getting Canadians to watch NHL teams other than their local favourite" (GLOBE & MAIL, 12/6).
