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 | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | United States |
| Headquarters | Secaucus, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Picture format | 720p (HDTV) 480i (SDTV) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | National Hockey League (84.4%) NBCUniversal (15.6%)[1] |
| Sister channels | Golf Channel MLB Network |
| History | |
| Launched | October 1, 2007; 18 years ago (2007-10-01) |
| Links | |
| Website | [3] |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| DirecTV Stream | Internet Protocol Television |
| Sling TV | Internet Protocol Television |
| FuboTV | Internet Protocol Television |
NHL Network is an Americansports-orientedcable andsatellitetelevision network that is ajoint venture between theNational Hockey League (NHL), which owns a controlling 84.4% interest, andNBCUniversal, which owns the remaining 15.6%. Dedicated to providing broadcast coverage ofice hockey, the network features live game telecasts from the NHL and other professional and collegiate hockey leagues, as well as NHL-related content including analysis programs,specials anddocumentaries.
Launched on October 1, 2007, the NHL Network was developed out of ajoint venture between the NHL and cable providerComcast, as part of a broadcast rights agreement that resulted in theNBC Sports Network (then known as Outdoor Life Network) acquiring partial cable television rights to regular season, andStanley Cupplayoff andfinals games from the National Hockey League. It became the third sports-oriented cable network devoted to programming from and controlled by one of theMajor professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada, following theNational Basketball Association-ownedNBA TV (which launched in March 1999) and theNational Football League-ownedNFL Network (which launched in November 2003);Major League Baseball would launch its own sports channel,MLB Network, on January 1, 2009.[2]
On June 1, 2015,The Globe and Mail columnistDavid Shoalts reported that NHL Network in Canada would cease operations on September 1, 2015; national media rights to the NHL in Canada had been acquired byRogers Communications beginning in the 2014–15 season, and theBell Media employees who managed the network's Canadian arm on behalf of the NHL were laid off that July.[3][4]
In August 2015, it was announced that the NHL had reached a six-year deal withMajor League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) to take over the management of the NHL's digital properties, as well as NHL Network. Operations and production of NHL Network's programming was shifted fromToronto to theSecaucus, New Jersey facilities ofMLB Network.[3][5] There has been minor talent sharing between the networks, and MLB Network cross-promoted anNHL Stadium Series game atCoors Field by building a scale hockey rink in its Studio 42 (which itself is designed to resemble a scaled baseball field).[6]
For much of the 2015–16 season, NHL Network studio programs originated from MLB Network's Studio 21 and Studio K facilities (enabled by a lack of major overlap between the two leagues' regular seasons).[7][8] In April 2016, coinciding with the start of theplayoffs, NHL Network moved to a permanent 1,200 square-foot studio near Studio 21 known as "The Rink".[8]
The network continues to operate under the league's new television contract consortium ofESPN andTurner Sports beginning with the 2021–22 season, continuing to air regional games and theNHL Network Showcase package.[9][10][11][12]
Comcast, owners of the league's former cable partner NBCSN, is also the largest cable television provider in the United States. The company was contractually obligated to carry NHL Network on its systems by the summer of 2007 at the latest, so it would be available in time for the2007–08 NHL season.[13] Both Comcast and the NHL had an option to terminate their contract after the 2006–07 season, which would have voided Comcast's obligation to launch a U.S. version of NHL Network, but opted to proceed with the launch.[14]
Since its official launch in the United States, the NHL Network announced on October 8, 2007 that it would begin being carried that month onCablevision,Charter,Cox Communications,DirecTV,Dish Network,Xfinity andTime Warner Cable through carriage agreements that were struck with each of the providers.[15] DirecTV has aired NHL Network on channel 215 since October 31, 2007.[16][17]
NHL.com announced on January 12, 2009 thatAT&T U-verse would begin carrying the channel.[18] This was followed on June 2, 2009 with the announcement that NHL Network and Comcast had reached an agreement to carry the channel on the provider's Digital Classic Tier, which increased subscribership of the channel from the then-estimated two million subscribers in its placement on the "Sports Entertainment" tier to over 10 million on its Digital Classic package.[19]
In 2016,Sling TV became the firstover-the-top media service to offer NHL Network.[20]
In 2011, AT&T U-verse refused to carry NHL Network over a planned increase inretransmission payments.[21]
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The NHL Network originally shared some programming with its now-defunctsister network inCanada, with the main differences in programming between the two networks being the carriage of domestically targeted commercials and live game telecasts. For those live NHL games aired throughout the season, they are primarily simulcasts of feeds from one of the team's regional rightsholders or Canadian rightsholderSportsnet, includingCBC-airedHockey Night in Canada coverage on Saturday evenings. In 2021, the network introduced its first original broadcasts, theNHL Network Showcase, which is modeled after MLB Network'sMLB Network Showcase, and air on weekend afternoons.[11][12]
Until the 2021–22 season, NHL Network also carried selected first round games during theStanley Cup Playoffs.[22]
NHL Network has also aired other hockey leagues and events, such as theAmerican Hockey League,[23]college hockey,[24] and as official USA broadcaster for such IIHF events like theIIHF World Junior Championship.[25]
It is also the producer of the NHL International television service providing a global feed (both TV and online) for the All Star Game and the Stanley Cup Final.
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Current on-air talent includes:[29]
