NHL INKS FIVE-YEAR AGREEMENTS WITH CBC, TSN
By Adnews Staff
The National Hockey League has signed five-year agreements with the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. and TSN. Both agreements begin with the league's 2002/2003 season. Under its agreement, CBC holds the national English-language broadcast rights to NHL games in Canada. The network also holds exclusive Canadian English-language broadcast rights to the Stanley Cup Finals, All-Star Weekend and The NHL Awards. Also, the NHL has scheduled the post-season games to ensure balanced programming for CBC during the playoffs. CBC has also created a hockey program called "Power Forward" that will promote the game throughout the year. Under its agreement, TSN gets specialty television rights in Canada. The sports network will broadcast 60 regular season games each year as well as expanded coverage during the playoffs. TSN will now offer second and third round coverage in addition to first round coverage. Specialty coverage of semifinal and final rounds has never been offered before in Canada. TSN will also have exclusive rights to broadcast the NHL Draft. ESPN Classic Canada will acquire the right to broadcast one "NHL Classic Game" per week from the NHL's library of games.