Quoted message said:From dallasnews.com
Hot Air: OLN reels in big fish
NHL becomes network anchor after guppy run at ESPN
ABCs of the NHL's deal with OLN:
If ESPN was unwilling to plunk down $60 million for national cable
rights to the upcoming NHL season, why was OLN willing to up the ante
to $65 million and guarantee another $70 million for the 2006-07
season?
That's simple. At retail establishments such as Wal-Mart et al, its
called dangling a loss leader.
In the TV biz, its called trolling for eyeballs.
OLN needs programming to try to establish itself as a player in the
cable sports market place. The annual July joie de vivre the Tour De
France brings OLN isn't quite enough. And now that the Tour will be
sans Lance Armstrong, its impact is certain to be lessened.
Enter the NHL, which will supply OLN with eight months of anchor
programming. At ESPN, the NHL lost whatever juice it had when the NBA
signed on. The NHL was a guppy in the ESPN empire. At OLN, hockey will
be the big fish.
The NHL could be to OLN what the NFL was to Fox when it jumped on board
in 1994. On a much smaller plane. That's what OLN is banking on.
"Hopefully this will be a pivotal moment in OLN history," NHL
commissioner Gary Bettman said via conference call. OLN executives on
the call seconded the emotion.
OLN, which for obvious reasons has officially changed its name from the
Outdoor Life Network, may use the NHL as a springboard to trying to
acquire rights to other relatively mainstream sports. The NFL is
expected to put up for bid an eight-game Thursday-Saturday night
package beginning in 2006. OLN, owned and backed by the Comcast Cable
empire, is expected to be a player in the bidding. And there is NASCAR,
whose rights fees will soon be up for bid.
Add the slices of the NFL and NASCAR to the NHL and, voila, upstart,
dreamy-eyed OLN will have a foothold in the marketplace dominated by
ESPN.
More the merrier: It is also OLN's most fervent hope that its NHL deal
will spur cable providers that don't carry the network to sign on. OLN
is available to 64 million homes nationwide compared to ESPN's 90
million. Comcast and Charter, giants in Dallas-Fort Worth, both offer
OLN as do satellite providers DirecTV and Dish Network.
If you're a hockey fan and have cable but can't get OLN, the idea is to
have you pester your cable company into picking up the network.
ESPN says farewell: George Bodenheimer, the president of ESPN, offered
this parting shot: "... given the prolonged work stoppage and the
league's TV ratings history, no financial model even remotely supports
the contract terms offered. We wish the NHL all the best."
For the record, the NHL averaged a 0.5 rating on ESPN and a 0.2 on
ESPN2 in 2003-04. ESPN replacement programming during last season's
lockout actually did better in the ratings.
On the flip side, OLN doesn't have a single regular show that averages
as much as a 0.5 rating. OLN hopes to juice ratings by putting mikes on
players and coaches, taking viewers into the dressing rooms and
conducting in-game interviews.
Looking ahead: OLN has an option for a third NHL season in 2007-08 for
$72.5 million. ... In addition to the planned 58 regular-season games
on Monday and Tuesday nights, OLN will offer the All-Star Game as well
as wall-to-wall playoff coverage, including the first two games of the
Stanley Cup finals. NBC will pick up the postseason from there.
Cable flashback: And finally: Remember SportsChannel America? Didn't
think so.
In 1988, SportsChannel America outbid ESPN for NHL rights. It paid the
league $56 million for four seasons. SportsChannel America hoped the
NHL would be its entrée into cable homes. It didn't work. The network
died and the NHL returned to ESPN in 1992.