Hockey fans can now embrace the Outdoor Life Network and smack ESPN upside the head with a puck, because the former will be airing NHL games for the next two seasons while ESPN, well, won't. Of course, ESPN insists it's all business. The seminal sports network dropped the NHL after the lock-out last year, and while it maintained the right to match offers made by other stations, it decided not to match the $135 million offered by OLN, claiming that the ratings history and "prolonged work stoppage" simply wasn't worth it. OLN not ESPN takes NHL
Hockey fans can now embrace the Outdoor Life Network and smack ESPN upside the head with a puck, because the former will be airing NHL games for the next two seasons while ESPN, well, won't. Of course, ESPN insists it's all business. The seminal sports network dropped the NHL after the lock-out last year, and while it maintained the right to match offers made by other stations, it decided not to match the $135 million offered by OLN, claiming that the ratings history and "prolonged work stoppage" simply wasn't worth it. 
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-18-2005 @ 8:56PM
JB said...
ESPN was smart for not picking up the NHL. OLN and Comcast will be posting some major losses next year.
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8-19-2005 @ 11:09AM
Guido said...
ESPN lost interest in the NHL... Being a Canadian and hockey fan - duh - this deal doesn't affect me at all. But this is a step in the right direction for the NHL. They will be the #1 property on OLN and treated as such. Don't underestimate the power of Comcast, they are plenty of things they can offer including on-demand.
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10-17-2005 @ 12:07PM
Dale said...
If the referees have they way ,there won't be any checking left in the league.The Europeon players are such panzies we don't dare check them ar rough them up for fear of going to the sin bin.
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