National Hockey League signs new U.S. broadcast deal with NBC (http://rds.yahoo.com/search/news/S=53720272/K=nbc+hockey/v=2/SID=w/l=NSR/R=1/SIG=13mdbpbma/*-http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/cpress/20040519/ca_pr_on_ho/nhl_tv_deal____________________________reuse_1)

Report: National Hockey League set to move to its games from ABC to NBC (http://rds.yahoo.com/search/news/S=53720272/K=nbc+hockey/v=2/SID=w/l=NSR/R=2/SIG=12hp3lesi/*-http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/cpress/20040519/ca_pr_on_sp/nhl_nbc_2)

NBC SIGNS 2-YEAR DEAL WITH NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE (http://rds.yahoo.com/search/news/S=53720272/K=nbc+hockey/v=2/SID=w/l=NSR/R=3/SIG=11dl4ifaq/*-http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=40576)

NHL skates over to NBC (http://rds.yahoo.com/search/news/S=53720272/K=nbc+hockey/v=2/SID=w/l=NSR/R=4/SIG=12478afbi/*-http://money.cnn.com/2004/05/19/news/fortune500/nhl_nbc/index.htm)

NHL announces TV deal with NBC (http://rds.yahoo.com/search/news/S=53720272/K=nbc+hockey/v=2/SID=w/l=NSR/R=5/SIG=1298kpjg9/*-http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2004-05-19-martzke-nbc_x.htm)

Report: NHL games to be broadcast by NBC (http://rds.yahoo.com/search/news/S=53720272/K=nbc+hockey/v=2/SID=w/l=NSR/R=6/SIG=11q0kpf0e/*-http://www.foxsports.com/content/view?contentId=2413820)

NHL agrees to two-year deal with NBC (http://rds.yahoo.com/search/news/S=53720272/K=nbc+hockey/v=2/SID=w/l=NSR/R=7/SIG=12i7n9nak/*-http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/entertainment/television/8703929.htm)

NHL and NBC announce partnership (http://rds.yahoo.com/search/news/S=53720272/K=nbc+hockey/v=2/SID=w/l=NSR/R=8/SIG=12olkokhj/*-http://www.sportsnetwork.com/default.asp?c=sportsnetwork&page=nhl/news/ADN3239791.htm)

NHL Drops ABC, Inks 2-Year Deal With NBC (http://rds.yahoo.com/search/news/S=53720272/K=nbc+hockey/v=2/SID=w/l=NSR/R=9/SIG=12ee2tf0j/*-http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040519/ap_en_tv/hkn_nhl_nbc_4)

NBC Universal Lands NHL TV Contract Network Will Carry Stanley Cup In Prime Time (http://rds.yahoo.com/search/news/S=53720272/K=nbc+hockey/v=2/SID=w/l=NSR/R=16/SIG=11gt1igf2/*-http://www.nbc10.com/news/3323565/detail.html)

NBC finally has a major sport, well almost major. ;)

Originally posted by sinatrastar
NBC finally has a major sport, well almost major. ;)

What do you mean, almost? :o

I see this as a big step up for both NBC and the NHL and both parties should be congratulated for getting this done so quickly,
seeing as how their contract with ABC and ESPN is set to expire after this year's finals. The league is still hoping to work out a deal with ESPN to continue to carry midweek games, but for Saturday afternoon Game Of The Week packages it will turn to NBC. Best of all, next year's Finals will be mainly in prime time evening hours. The NHL last broadcast on NBC in 1974 and they did an excellent job featuring well-known pros Brian McFarlane (remember when he introduced Peter Puck?), Howie Meeker, and Ted Lindsay as part of their staff. Play by play man Tim Ryan is still with NBC today and might be brought back in a smaller role. The first game is set for mid-January. How much you wanna bet the lockout will be over just before then?

By the way, I thought ABC's coverage was simply awful. If I never see or hear Gary Thorne or Barry Melrose again, then there really is a God!

I don't like the fact ESPN/ESPN2 is going from 100 games down to about 40, but thankfully I have the Center Ice package so I have my choice of games to watch.

Sal, didn't NBC broadcast a couple of All-Star games back in the early 90's? I don't think they aired any regular season games though.

Originally posted by Sal
What do you mean, almost? :o


I was joking - not a big hockey fan. I also think that the sports NBC shows now are pretty sad, let's not forget the XFL attempt.

NBC did have the All-Star game from 1991-1994.

alt.sports.hockey.nhl.vanc-canucks (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=alt.sports.hockey.nhl.vanc-canucks)

rec.sport.hockey (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=rec.sport.hockey)

alt.sports.hockey.nhl.phila-flyers (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=alt.sports.hockey.nhl.phila-flyers)

alt.sports.hockey.nhl.col-avalanche (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=iImdnVEp5bfLLTbdRVn-jA%40comcast.com&rnum=7&prev=/groups%3Fhl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26q%3Dnhl%2Bnbc)

rec.sport.hockey (http://groups.google.com/groups?q=nhl+nbc&start=10&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=2496%40hsdndev.UUCP&rnum=14)

alt.sports.hockey.nhl.nj-devils (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=JkNqc.5102%24fF3.118933%40bgtnsc05-news.ops.worldnet.att.net&rnum=24&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dnhl%2Bnbc%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26start%3D20%26sa%3DN)

rec.sport.hockey (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=rec.sport.hockey)

alt.sports.hockey.nhl.ny-rangers (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=2h1hnvF7qaa8U1%40uni-berlin.de&rnum=28&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Dnhl%2Bnbc%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26start%3D20%26sa%3DN)

alt.sports.hockey.nhl.wash-capitals (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=alt.sports.hockey.nhl.wash-capitals)

alt.satellite.tv.europe (http://groups.google.com/groups?q=nhl+nbc&start=40&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&selm=2hoahl%241m9%40vuokko.uta.fi&rnum=41)

alt.sports.hockey.nhl.pit-penguins (http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&group=alt.sports.hockey.nhl.pit-penguins)

Newsgroups: rec.arts.tv (http://groups.google.com/groups?dq=&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&threadm=ijball***SPAM-No***-3E4CF6.07244020052004%40orngca-news03.socal.rr.com&prev=/groups%3Fq%3Drec.arts.tv%26ie%3DUTF-8%26hl%3Den)

Thanks to GE's skinflint ownership, NBC can be assured of being the #4
network in sports for many years to come, that is until WB or UPN
decide to form sports departments. Under GE's tightwads, NBC has lost
MLB, NFL and NBA, all within the last decade. By signing the NHL, NBC
confirms their commitment to having a bare-bones, take what no one
else wants, sports department. I only wonder how the merger will
effect USA network and their excellent US Open tennis coverage.
Somehow, I'm sure NBC will find a way to blow that deal as well.
Remember, when it comes to sports, NBC stands for:

Nothing
But
Crap