THE ATHLETIC's Katie Strang noted with the NHL's media-rights deal with NBC Sports set to expire in '21, those in the hockey community and TV are "already wondering about the scope of the next contract." Some TV execs feel that the league's partnership with NBC is a "stable one that bodes well for a future deal." The "most obvious" choice is for NBC to extend its deal. However, one ESPN source said that the net "remains bullish on ESPN+ and is always looking to add assets to build out its subscription service to offset cord-cutting." MKTG President & CEO Brian Cooper believes that the NHL is "likely to bundle both its broadcasting and streaming rights together, in order to optimize the sort of return a bundled deal could fetch" (THEATHLETIC.com, 1/29).
CRUNCH TIME: ACC Commissioner John Swofford said that the conference is "full speed ahead" on the ACC Network, and early work "getting added by various cable and satellite TV providers is going well." He expects a "lot more to come from the network before now and the launch date." Swofford: "It can mean so much in terms of optics, in terms of a 24/7 space for ACC and ACC fans and what that can [mean] for your league as well as potential financial ramifications that come with it." In Orlando, Matt Murschel notes while it is "too early to determine the potential financial impact of the new platform, there’s little doubt it will provide the league with a financial boost" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/30).
ON THE UP & UP: The SENTINEL's Murschel noted AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco is "upbeat about the future of the young league as it starts a new round of television negotiations." Aresco said, "I can’t say too much about it other than our negotiating period is just days away and we’ll be engaging and obviously we love our relationship with ESPN and we’ll see where that goes." He added, "We all know we've been laboring under a TV contract that's been highly undervalued because of where we were six years ago. But I'm optimistic" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 1/29).
