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Why does ESPN shun the NHL!!!!!!!!?????

Ok, so if you're a hockey fan you've noticed. ESPN shows poker, and spelling bees, but hockey? Nope, sorry. Does this piss anyone else off? Fans of poker can turn to ESPN for coverage, but we have to turn to VS. and only when theres a game. Ok ok, I know Gary Bettman had alot to do with TELEVISING games, but Im not talking about televising more games, I live in South Texas and Im a fan of the Redwings, so Ive already accepted i wont see any of their games. HOWEVER, does that mean they cant show an NHL related show? I never hear anything, I never know whats going on with other teams, I get NOTHING. So yes, i KNOW about Gary Bettman. Notice the question asks "Why does ESPN shun the NHL"? not "Why doesnt ESPN televise NHL games. " So now its cleared up, please keep giving me your much appreciated answers.

Public Comments

1. they're simply playing to the crowd, right now hockey does not have the same fanbase as its competitors. ESPN is not trying to lose viewers so they're doing it for a reason. Perhaps the NHL charges too much for coverage.
2. i know! everyone looks down on hockey especially ESPN becuz they think they're soooo popular!! wutever... in my opinion, they need to worry a little less about football and more of hockey! lol
3. Well VS does have the contract to carry the games nationally, and ESPN does not. Thats a choice ESPN made after the NHL lost a year due to the lockout/strike, etc. Now it seems I do see a lot of hockey highlights on ESPN, and I would expect them to get the contract back once it expires on VS.
4. I dont think ESPN shuns the NHL. They devote several minutes of Sportscenter to the NHL everynight. Cant blame ESPN for not having the rights to televise hockey games. They used to but the ratings were horrible for it. Maybe once the contract between the NHL and Versus/NBC run out ESPN will give it another shot. Dont count on it though. Think about it, how would they have the room for the NHL, with MLB still going , NCAA BB just starting, NBA will be just starting as well, along with the NFL coverage they have all week long where would the NHL fit in anyways?
5. It was Gary Buttman's fault the NHL isn't on ESPN anymore. ESPN didn't offer as much as OLN (Versus) did and Buttman took the money instead of the publicity. Until Buttman gets fired or dies the NHL will continue to spiral into obscurity.
6. Money and poor ratings.
7. Even if they don't get the rights to broadcast games any time soon, I wish they would at least have a sports talk show devoted to hockey! We (in Pittsburgh) don't even have one locally and we probably won't ever because the Steelers get so much exposure, ALL THE TIME. I'm a Steelers fan, but I love my hockey, and my Pens! I like hearing about other teams in the NHL besides the Penguins anyway, so it would be really great to have an all-hockey show on ESPN to do highlights and just talk about hockey around the NHL.
8. It all came down to money. Versus offered considerably more to the NHL in order to get its network off the ground, and ESPN simply didn't believe that hockey was big enough in the states to pay that much. :(
9. JEEZE!! do you know how many people have asked this? if you are a hockey fan you would know it's because gary bettman. NOT ESPN. well, it was kinda both. it's not that they don;t want to it's cause they're not allowed to. the NHL and ESPN don't have a contract so ESPN can't elevise hockey games. it was because of the lockout. ESPN lossed alot of money because of it. so they used to re-new their contract unless the NHL paid them extra for the money lossed, the idiot (bettman) refused, bye bye ESPN hello biased, asshole terrible versus
10. i'm glad i live in canada.. we have tsn, sportsnet, the score, and cbc. dont worry, nhl players are all in the same boat. martin brodeur wanted to watch playoff games, and in his book he says that while we were in canada could get multiple games on cbc, etc, all he could watch on opening day (of the playoffs) was the detroit/edmonton game 1. he likes watching games, so he says it was tough... if you want to watch games, go online and get live streams from tsn and cbc, etc.
11. This pisses me off too! There showing things that arent even sports! ESPN should show a real god damn sport! Come on ESPN get your head out of your ass!
12. Ok, I thought I would see the real answer but I didn't. I thought someone would know. ESPN does not shun hockey, before the 04-05 season strike, they had games on ESPN but not many. Well if you want to get technical, they don't have many basketball games either (ABC and TNT have them) so here are 2 of the real reasons why. First and foremost, after the strike, the NHL's contract with ESPN was up and needed to be renewed, but there was a strike and ESPN didn't know where the strike was going and how long it would take so they didn't pick up the option. Second, VS picked up the contract and NBC has always had a loose contract with the NHL. This competition has left ESPN with no need. VS has the main contract, NBC has a loose contract for some games, and so there is nothing left to give to ESPN. VS contract also gave them the ability to start Hockey Central, their show about hockey before games, after games, or even when some games aren't on VS for the night. Since VS had this under control now, ESPN got rid of their Hockey show (don't remember what it was called but it was Hockey's version of Baseball Tonight). Now they only have small commentaries with Barry Melrose on Sports Center. EDIT: sorry, I reread some people's answers and noticed they did answer it lol. nevermind.
13. if some one screwed u over for millions of dollars would u have anything to do with them
14. First of all Bettman tried his best to get a national TV contract in the US. ESPN bailed out several months BEFORE lockout talks even started. Your best bet to see the games is NHL center Ice and a LOT of fox sports net networks carry their local teams. second of all Poker is NOT a sport its who can bluff the most that wins.
15. ESPN refuses to pay for any footage- they only carry what the league releases for free. So, you'll never see a "NHL2Night" again unless ESPN retakes the contract. Unfortunately, Poker is outdrawing the NHL right now...
16. it has a lot to do with NBC and Vs picking up contracts on hockey games and ESPN basically telling the NHL reps ' fine, we won't ever pick up a contract unless you come back begging at rates that are half what they used to be.'