NHL on US cable TV

I heard the news report the other day that the NHL has started talks with
ESPN. This network can give Hockey a moderately prominent place in the US sports TV eye even though they have treated the NHL like a second class citizen in the past.

NHL fans have both liked and hated the decision to go to VS in 2005 after ESPN abandoned them as the lockout started in late 2004. I was one that liked the idea and for me personally, it has been good. I get VS on Directv and I also get the VS HD games through my satellite TV subscription. The product was good and they made Hockey number 1 on that channel.

If an agreement is reached, VS and ESPN may be both televising games in 2008-09. All VS has to do is drop the exclusivity clause in their contract. All the reports that I have read have failed to mention how this is can be a win-win for the league and fans. People who did not get VS, will now have games to watch, fans like me who get VS, will now have even more games to watch and the league gets another revenue stream. I did see that ESPN may offer $35-40 million for their package of games.

Hopefully there will be a new TV contract by training camp.

NHL marketing flaws

I have been a hockey fan for 20 years and the game has changed a lot in that time. Most people thought the league was dead after the lock out but I feel the game is better than ever.

Last season, Gatorade sports drink became the official drink for the league. I have seen ads for this product on TV and the NHL is not featured in these spots. Last week I was in a grocery store and I saw 10 cases of this product stacked on the floor. Peyton Manning was displayed prominently on the packaging of the case on top. I looked at all the other cases and No luck for the NHL.

Why would the league enter into an agreement where your league does not get any exposure for using a product like Gatorade?