Versus Extends Contract With N.H.L.

From the NY Times
---
Buoyed by higher ratings this season, Versus has agreed to carry
N.H.L. games through the 2010-11 season. The cable network, which is
paying $72.5 million for the league's rights this season, will pay
inflationary increases over the next three years.

"We've really benefited from our relationship with the N.H.L.," said
Gavin Harvey, the president of Versus. "It was a game-changer for us.
We certainly feel we've seen great growth, but there's major growth
ahead. We feel positive momentum."

Versus, called the Outdoor Life Network at the time, made its first
deal with the N.H.L. in August 2005, shortly before the league
restarted after the 2004-5 lockout. The network exercised its option
to extend its contract last month, but made public its decision
Tuesday.

"You don't renew at these levels unless you feel you have a property
that's reached the objectives you've set," said Bill Daly, the
N.H.L.'s deputy commissioner. "Versus exercising its option tells you
a lot about how they value the league."

Through 29 games, Versus's 0.3 rating is modest, but it is 50 percent
higher than the 0.2 average at the same time last season. In that
period, viewership swelled to an average of 261,760 a game from an
average of 195,666 a game last season.

During the 2006-7 season, Versus's N.H.L. rating stayed flat at a 0.2,
but because of the overall growth of subscribers, viewership rose 31
percent to 212,366.

Harvey said the deal was turning a profit.

"Without the N.H.L., we'd be in a more difficult pickle," he said.

Since the Comcast-owned Versus acquired the rights to the N.H.L. --
after ESPN vowed to drastically reduce its rights payment to the
league -- the network has grown by about 10 million subscribers to 74
million, more than 22 million fewer than ESPN or ESPN2. It has also
increased its subscriber fee to about 26 cents a month, from less than
20 cents.

Versus also carries the Tour de France, college sports, boxing and
mixed martial arts, but Harvey views the N.H.L. as its marquee
property. "If you're into hockey, you'll stay for World Extreme
Cagefighting," he said, "and maybe even for hunting and fishing."

He added: "It's all coming together because sports fans are finding
something new. It's not replacing anything. We never said we'd replace
ESPN or Turner."

On 2008-01-23, Bender wrote:
>
> "We've really benefited from our relationship with the N.H.L.," said
> Gavin Harvey, the president of Versus.

Yeah, too bad nobody else has, shithead!

--keith


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