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.
