NHL Could Start Bidding War in Next Rights Deal

By Tripp Mickle and John Ourand of Sports Business Journal (sub. req.):

Early signs suggest that a bidding war is developing. The league is

expected to enter an exclusive negotiating period with Versus later

this year, and Versus has made no secret of its desire to renew with

the NHL, which consistently brings the highest ratings to the

Comcast-owned sports channel. NBC also has said that it would like to

keep its rights package.

But others are lurking. ESPN said it wants to be involved. And sources

said Fox Sports is considering whether to bid on a package.

The ACC’s most recent media deal showed how multiple bidders can drive

up rights fees. Sources said that ESPN increased its bid by $35

million per year once Fox Sports showed interest in the conference’s

rights earlier this spring.

NHL executives have worked quietly behind the scenes to fuel that kind

of interest. During the Vancouver Olympics in February, for example,

NHL Chief Operating Officer John Collins was spotted at a high-top

table before the first U.S.-Canada hockey game chatting with ESPN

President George Bodenheimer. Four months later, Collins took in Game

6 of the Stanley Cup Final with NBC Sports & Olympics Chairman Dick

Ebersol. He’s had informal contact with top executives at almost every

TV network.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly and

Collins will lead negotiations, which are set to formally begin when

Versus exercises an option to open an exclusive negotiation window.

From there, it’s anybody’s guess what will happen.