Jump to content

NHL on ABC

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Davemck (talk | contribs) at 05:06, 23 November 2022 (Clean up duplicate template arguments using findargdups). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

NHL on ABC
Also known asABC Hockey Saturday
GenreHockey telecasts
Presented bySean McDonough
Ray Ferraro
Emily Kaplan
Dave Jackson
Steve Levy
John Buccigross
Barry Melrose
Mark Messier
Chris Chelios
Brian Boucher
A. J. Mleczko
Kevin Weekes
Bob Wischusen
Laura Rutledge
Leah Hextall
Theme music composerBob Christianson
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons2 (19931994 version)
5 (20002004 version)
7 (2021 version)
14 (total)
Production
Production locationsVarious NHL arenas (game telecasts and some pregame, intermission segments, and occasional postgame)
ESPN's Bristol, CT studios (pregame, intermission segments, and occasional postgame)
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time180 minutes or until end of game
Production companiesABC Sports (2000–2004)
ESPN (2000–2004; 2021–present)
Original release
NetworkABC
ESPN+ (simulcasts, 2021–present)
Release
  • First run:
    April 18, 1993 (1993-04-18)–May 1, 1994 (1994-05-01)
  • Second run:
    February 6, 2000 (2000-02-06)–June 7, 2004 (2004-06-07)
  • Third run:
    November 26, 2021 (2021-11-26)–present (present)
Related

The NHL on ABC is an American presentation of National Hockey League (NHL) games produced by ESPN on ABC (formerly known as ABC Sports), and televised on ABC in the United States.

The network first broadcast NHL games during the 1993 Stanley Cup playoffs on April 18, 1993, under a two-year time-buy agreement with ESPN. After the two years, the NHL left ABC for newcomer Fox, while remaining with ESPN.

As part of a joint contract with ESPN, which was reached right before the 1998–99 season, the NHL returned to ABC on February 6, 2000, with their coverage of the 2000 NHL All-Star Game in Toronto. Regular season game telecasts returned to ABC on March 18, 2000. ABC also gained the rights to select weekend games from each round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and the last five games of the Stanley Cup Finals.[1] After the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, the NHL left ABC again, this time for NBC because Disney executives admitted that they overpaid for the 1999–2004 deal. ESPN, who was set to continue with the NHL, later dropped it from their schedules after the 2004–05 lockout.

On March 10, 2021, ESPN announced a new contract to hold half of the NHL's media rights beginning in the 2021–22 season. In this deal, ABC will broadcast up to 10 regular season games per-season, including the annual "Thanksgiving Showdown" game on the Friday after Thanksgiving Day, a late-season game of the week package (branded as ABC Hockey Saturday presented by Expedia for sponsorship purposes), and the All-Star Game. ABC exclusively televises the Stanley Cup Finals in even-numbered years. All games carried by ABC are streamed on ESPN+.

History

Before the 1992–93 NHL season

After being dropped by NBC after the 1974–75 season,[2][3][4] the NHL did not maintain a national television contract in the United States.[5][6][7] In response to this, the league put together a network of independent stations covering approximately 55% of the country.[8][9][10]

Games typically aired on Monday nights[11] (beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Time) or Saturday afternoons. The package was offered to local stations without a rights fee.[12] Profits would instead be derived from the advertising, which was about evenly split between the network and the local station. The Monday night games were often billed as "The NHL Game of the Week".[13]

Initially, the Monday night package was marketed to ABC affiliates; the idea being that ABC carried NFL football games on Monday nights in the fall and (starting in May 1976) Major League Baseball games on Monday nights in the spring and summer, stations would want the hockey telecasts to create a year-round Monday night sports block; however, very few ABC stations chose to pick up the package.

In 1979, ABC was contracted to televise Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.[14][15] Since the Finals ended in five games, the contract was void.[16] Had there been a seventh game, then Al Michaels would have called play-by-play alongside Bobby Clarke (color commentator). Jim McKay would host the seventh game in the studio, and Frank Gifford (reporter, who would have been in the winning team's dressing room to interview players and coaches as well as hand the phone to the winning team's coach that would have allowed him to talk to both President Jimmy Carter and Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau). This would give Michaels the honor of being the first to provide the play-by-play in four of the five major professional sports, having called the Super Bowl, the World Series, and NBA Finals. The game would have started at 5:10 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on a Saturday, replacing Wide World of Sports and local news shows that typically followed it on ABC stations in the Eastern and Central time zones.

It was also around this time that ABC offered the NHL a limited deal, splitting the network and show the NHL in the Northeast and Midwest and NASCAR in the South on Sunday afternoons, that NHL president John Ziegler Jr.[17] quickly rejected.

ABC's coverage of the Winter Olympics

Even though ABC didn't yet televise National Hockey League games, they were the American network broadcast home of the Winter Olympic games beginning in 1964 and continuing through the 1988 Winter Games from Calgary. For the ice hockey events, employed Curt Gowdy for play-by-play duties in 1968 and 1976 (NBC had the broadcasting rights for the 1972 Games in the interim) Games. Gowdy worked with Brian Conacher for the 1976 ice hockey events.

For years later at Lake Placid, ABC was on hand for a medal-round men's ice hockey game that would soon become known the "Miracle on Ice". On February 22, 1980, the United States team, made up of amateur and collegiate players and led by coach Herb Brooks, defeated the Soviet team, which consisted of veteran professional players with significant experience in international play. The rest of the United States (except those who watched the game live on Canadian television) had to wait to see the game, as ABC decided to broadcast the late-afternoon game on tape delay in prime time.[18] Sportscaster Al Michaels, who was calling the game on ABC along with former Montreal Canadiens goalie Ken Dryden, picked up on the countdown in his broadcast, and delivered his famous call:[19]

Eleven seconds, you've got ten seconds, the countdown going on right now! Morrow, up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game. Do you believe in miracles? YES!

Al Michaels continued serving as ABC's lead play-by-play announcer for their ice hockey coverage for their next two Winter Olympics both with lead color commentator Ken Dryden. In 1984 from Sarajevo, Mike Eruzione, who was the captain of the gold medal-winning United States ice hockey team from 1980, worked with Don Chevrier. For ABC's final Winter Olympics four years later, Eruzione was this time, paired with Jiggs McDonald.

ABC Radio coverage (1989–1991)

In 1989,[20] the NHL signed a two-year contract (lasting through the 1990–91 season) with ABC Radio for the broadcast rights to the All-Star Game and Stanley Cup Finals.[21][22] ABC Radio named Don Chevrier and Phil Esposito as their main commentating crew.[23][24][25][26][27]

Time-buy deal with ESPN (1993–1994)

The logo for ABC's regular season coverage in the 1993–94 season.

In the 1992–93 season, ABC televised five weekly playoff telecasts[28] (the first three weeks were regional coverage of various games and two national games)[29][30] on Sunday afternoons starting on April 18.[31] This marked the first time that playoff National Hockey League games were broadcast on American network television[32][33] since 1975 (when NBC was the NHL's American broadcast television partner[34][35][36][37][38][39][40]). In the 1993–94 season, ABC televised six[41] weekly regional telecasts[29][30] on the last three Sunday afternoons beginning on March 27, 1994.[42][43] This marked the first time that regular season National Hockey League games were broadcast on American network television[33] since 1974–75 (again when NBC was the NHL's American broadcast television partner). ABC then televised three weeks worth of playoff games on first three Sundays[44] – the final game was Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Boston Bruins and the New Jersey Devils, a game that was aired nationally. The network did not televise the Stanley Cup Finals, which instead, were televised nationally by ESPN and by Prime Ticket in Los Angeles (1993) and MSG Network in New York (1994). Games televised on ABC were not subject to blackout.

These broadcasts (just as was the case with the 20002004 package) were essentially, time-buys[45] by ESPN.[46][47] In other words, ABC would sell three-hour blocks of airtime to ESPN,[48] who in return, would produce and distribute the telecasts.[33] Overall, ABC averaged a 1.7 rating for those two seasons.[49][50][51]

When the NHL television contract went up for negotiation in early 1994, Fox (which was in the process of launching its sports division after acquiring the rights to the National Football Conference of the NFL) and CBS (which was hoping to land a major sports contract to replace the NFL rights that they lost to Fox and Major League Baseball rights that they lost to ABC and NBC) competed heavily for the package. On September 9, 1994, the National Hockey League reached a five-year, US$155 million contract with Fox[52] for the broadcast television rights to the league's games, beginning with the 1994–95 season.[53]

Announcers

Studio host

  1. Gary Thorne
  2. Mike Emrick
  3. Al Michaels (1993)
  4. Tom Mees (1994)
  5. Bob Miller (1993–94)
  6. Sam Rosen (1993–94)
  1. Bill Clement
  2. John Davidson
  3. Darren Pang (1993–94)
  4. Joe Micheletti (1993–94)
  5. Jim Schoenfeld (1993)

Reporters

  1. Al Morganti
  2. Tom Mees
  3. Bob Neumeier
  4. Brenda Brenon[54]
  5. Mark Jones

Schedules

1993–94
Date Teams Start times (All times Eastern) Commentators
March 27[55][56][57][58] Boston at Washington
Detroit at Chicago
New York Rangers at Winnipeg
Los Angeles at Vancouver
1 p.m.
2 p.m.
2 p.m.
3 p.m.
Sam Rosen, Joe Micheletti, and Brenda Brenon
Tom Mees, Darren Pang, and Bob Neumeier
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Al Morganti
Bob Miller and John Davidson
April 3[59] Boston at Pittsburgh
Dallas at Washington[60][61][62]
St. Louis at Detroit[63]
Edmonton at Los Angeles
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
4 p.m.
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Al Morganti
Sam Rosen, John Davidson, and Brenda Brenon
Tom Mees, Darren Pang, and Bob Neumeier
Bob Miller and Joe Micheletti
April 10 New York Rangers at New York Islanders[64][65]
Boston at Philadelphia[66][67][68]
Los Angeles at Chicago
Dallas at St. Louis
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Al Morganti
Sam Rosen, Joe Micheletti, and Brenda Brenon
Al Michaels and John Davidson
Tom Mees, Darren Pang, and Bob Neumeier

April 17,[69][70] May 1, 24: Playoffs

Stanley Cup playoff commentator crews

1993
Round Series Games covered Play-by-play Color commentator(s)
Division semifinals Pittsburgh vs. New Jersey Games 1, 4[71][72][73][74] Gary Thorne Bill Clement
Chicago vs. St. Louis Games 1, 4[75][76][77] Mike Emrick Jim Schoenfeld
Calgary vs. Los Angeles Games 1, 4[78] Al Michaels[79] John Davidson
Division finals Pittsburgh vs. New York Islanders Game 1[80] Gary Thorne Bill Clement
Toronto vs. St. Louis Game 4[81][82][83] Gary Thorne Bill Clement
Vancouver vs. Los Angeles Game 1[84] Mike Emrick John Davidson
Conference finals Montreal vs. New York Islanders Game 1[85][86][87] Gary Thorne Bill Clement
1994
Round Series Games covered Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Ice level reporter(s)
First round New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders Games 1, 4[88][89][90][91][92] Gary Thorne Bill Clement Al Morganti
Dallas vs. St. Louis Games 1, 4[93] Tom Mees Darren Pang (Game 1)
John Davidson (Game 4)
Bob Neumeier (Game 1)
Conference semifinals New Jersey vs. Boston Game 1[94][95][96] Gary Thorne Bill Clement Al Morganti

NHL returns to ABC (2000–2004)

Previous logo used from 2000 to 2004.

In August 1998, ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 signed a five-year television deal with the NHL, worth a total of approximately US$600 million[97][98][99][100][101][102][103] (or $120 million per year), beginning with the league's 1999–2000 season. The $120 million per year that ABC and ESPN paid for rights dwarfed the $5.5 million that the NHL received from American national broadcasts in the 1991–92 season.[104] ABC's terms of this deal included: rights to the NHL All-Star Game, 4 to 5 weeks of regular season action,[105] with three games a week, weekend Stanley Cup Playoff games, and Games 3 to 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

As previously noted, much like ABC's initial contract with the NHL in the 1992–93 and 1993–94 seasons, ESPN essentially purchased time on ABC to air selected NHL games on the broadcast network. This was noted in copyright tags at the conclusion of the telecasts (i.e., "The preceding program has been paid for by ESPN, Inc."). ESPN later signed a similar television rights contract with the National Basketball Association in 2002, allowing it to produce and broadcast NBA games on ABC under a similar time buy arrangement on the broadcast network.[106]

In May 2004, NBC and ESPN reached an agreement to broadcast NHL games beginning in the 2004–05 season, which would end up being canceled as a result of the 2004–05 NHL lockout; ESPN later withdrew[107] from the deal in favor of OLN,[108] which wound up being rebranded as NBCSN in 2012. In the interval between the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals and the start of the 2005–06 season, several ABC affiliates, including WDTN in Dayton, Ohio (a secondary market for the Columbus Blue Jackets) and WAND in Springfield, Illinois (which is served by the Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues), affiliated with NBC.

Regular season

As previously mentioned, ABC televised four to five weeks worth of regional games on Saturday afternoons,[109] typically beginning in January or March for the first two seasons.

Announcers

Studio personalities

  1. John Saunders – lead studio host
  2. Steve Levy – fill-in studio host
  3. John Davidson – lead studio analyst (19992002)[1][110]
  4. Barry MelroseNHL All-Star Game and Stanley Cup Finals studio analyst (19992002); lead studio analyst (200304)[111][112][113][114]
  5. Darren PangStanley Cup Finals studio analyst (20032004)

Stanley Cup Finals hosts

  1. Al Michaels (20002002)[115]
  2. Chris Berman (2003)[116]

Play-by play announcer

  1. Gary Thorne
  2. Steve Levy
  3. Mike Emrick
  4. Dave Strader (20002002)
  1. Bill Clement
  2. John Davidson (20032004)[111][113][117][118]
  3. Darren Pang
  4. Barry Melrose (19992002)
  5. Brian Engblom (200204)[111]
  6. Brian Hayward (2000 Stanley Cup playoffs)
  7. Jim Schoenfeld (20012002)

Reporters

  1. Brian Engblom – co-lead rinkside reporter
  2. Darren Pang – co-lead rinkside reporter
  3. Steve LevyNHL All-Star Game and Stanley Cup Finals reporter
  4. Sam Ryan
  5. Erin Andrews
  6. Joe Micheletti
  7. Chris Simpson (20012003)
  8. Daryl Reaugh (2000 Stanley Cup playoffs)
  9. Mickey Redmond (2001; Detroit Red Wings)
  10. Tony Granato (2002 Stanley Cup playoffs)

1999–2004 Schedules

1999–2000

[119]

Date Teams Start times (All times Eastern) Commentator crews
March 18 Pittsburgh at Boston
New York Rangers at Philadelphia
Detroit at Colorado
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
March 26 New York Rangers at Detroit
Pittsburgh at Philadelphia
Colorado at Dallas
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
April 1 Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
Detroit at St. Louis
Anaheim at Los Angeles[120]
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
6 p.m.
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
April 9 Phoenix at Dallas
Detroit at Colorado
Los Angeles at Anaheim
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
Steve Levy and Darren Pang

2000–01

[121]

Date Teams Start times (All times Eastern) Commentator crews
March 10 New Jersey at Philadelphia
Detroit at St. Louis
Colorado at Dallas
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
March 17 New York Rangers at Philadelphia[122]
Detroit at Colorado[123]
San Jose at Los Angeles
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
March 24 Detroit at New York Rangers[124]
Colorado at Boston
Anaheim at Los Angeles
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
6 p.m.
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
March 31 New York Rangers at New Jersey[125][126][127]
Detroit at Philadelphia
St. Louis at Pittsburgh[128]
Colorado at Los Angeles
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
Dave Strader and Jim Schoenfeld
April 7 Pittsburgh at Philadelphia[129]
Colorado at Detroit[130]
Dallas at San Jose[131]
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
Steve Levy and Darren Pang

2001–02

[132]

Date Teams Start times (All times Eastern) Commentator crews
January 5 Colorado at Detroit[133]
New York Rangers at Pittsburgh
Washington at Boston
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
Mike Emrick, Barry Melrose, and Christine Simpson
Steve Levy, Darren Pang, and Joe Micheletti
January 12 New York Rangers at Philadelphia[134][135]
St. Louis at Pittsburgh
Dallas at Detroit[136]
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
Mike Emrick, Barry Melrose, and Christine Simpson
Steve Levy, Darren Pang, and Joe Micheletti
March 2[137] Philadelphia at New York Rangers
Detroit at Pittsburgh
Dallas at Colorado
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Mike Emrick, Barry Melrose, and Christine Simpson
Steve Levy, Darren Pang, and Joe Micheletti
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
March 9[138] New York Rangers at Pittsburgh
Detroit at St. Louis
Los Angeles at Colorado
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Mike Emrick, Barry Melrose, and Christine Simpson
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
Steve Levy, Darren Pang, and Joe Micheletti
March 16 Detroit at Boston
New York Rangers at New Jersey
Colorado at Philadelphia
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and Brian Engblom
Mike Emrick, Barry Melrose, and Christine Simpson
Steve Levy, Darren Pang, and Joe Micheletti

2002–03

[139]

Date Teams Start times (All times Eastern) Commentator crews
January 11 Colorado at Dallas
Detroit at Philadelphia[140]
New York Rangers at Pittsburgh
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom
February 8 Pittsburgh at Boston[141]
Detroit at Colorado
New York Rangers at Philadelphia
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom
March 15 Colorado at Detroit[142]
New York Rangers at New Jersey[143]
Philadelphia at Pittsburgh
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
March 22 New York Rangers at Philadelphia
Chicago at Colorado[144]
Detroit at St. Louis[145]
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
March 29 Detroit at St. Louis[146]
New York Rangers at Boston[147]
Phoenix at Colorado[148][149]
1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
6 p.m.
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom
Steve Levy and Darren Pang

2003–04

Date Teams Start times (All times Eastern) Commentator crews
January 10 Detroit at Boston[150]
Colorado at Dallas
New York Rangers at New York Islanders
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
1 p.m.
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom
February 14 New York Rangers at Philadelphia[151]
Colorado at Detroit[152]
Boston at Chicago[153]
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom
March 13 Dallas at Detroit
New Jersey at Philadelphia[154]
Los Angeles at San Jose
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom
March 20 New York Rangers at Philadelphia
St. Louis at Dallas[155]
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
March 27 Colorado at Detroit[156]
New York Rangers at Philadelphia
Los Angeles at Calgary[157]
1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
6 p.m.
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom

NHL All-Star Game (1999–2004)

Year Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Ice level reporters Studio host Studio analysts
2000[158] Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom and Darren Pang John Saunders John Davidson and Barry Melrose
2001[159] Gary Thorne Bill Clement and Denis Leary Brian Engblom, Darren Pang, and Steve Levy John Saunders John Davidson and Barry Melrose
2002[160] Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom and Darren Pang John Saunders John Davidson and Barry Melrose
2003[161] Gary Thorne Bill Clement and John Davidson Brian Engblom and Darren Pang John Saunders Barry Melrose and Darren Pang
2004[162][163][164] Gary Thorne Bill Clement and John Davidson Brian Engblom, Darren Pang, and Sam Ryan John Saunders Barry Melrose and Darren Pang
Notes

Stanley Cup Playoffs (2000–2004)

Besides the National Hockey League All-Star Game,[165] ABC televised Games 3–7 of the Stanley Cup Finals[166] in prime time. In the league's previous broadcast television deal with Fox, the network split coverage of the Stanley Cup Finals with ESPN. Games 1, 5 and 7 were usually scheduled to be televised by Fox; Games 2, 3, 4 and 6 by ESPN. However, from 1995 to 1998, the Finals were all four-game sweeps; 1999 ended in six games. The consequence was that – except for 1995, when Fox did televise Game 4 – the decisive game was never on network television.

2003 was the only year that ABC broadcast both the NBA and the Stanley Cup Finals that involved teams from one city in the same year, as both the New Jersey Nets and the New Jersey Devils were in their respective league's finals. During ABC's broadcast of Game 3 between the San Antonio Spurs and the Nets in New Jersey on June 8, Brad Nessler said that ABC was in a unique situation getting ready for both that game and Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals between the Devils and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim the following night, also at Continental Airlines Arena. Gary Thorne mentioned this the following night, and thanked Nessler for promoting ABC's broadcast of Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.[167]

Following the 2003–04 season, ESPN was only willing to renew its contract for two additional years at $60 million per year.[168] ABC wanted to televised the Stanley Cup Finals games played on weekend afternoons (including a potential Game 7). Disney executives later conceded that they overpaid for the 1999–2004 deal, so the company's offer to renew the television rights was lower in 2004.[169]

ABC ended their second run with the NHL with Game 7 of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals on June 7. There, the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Calgary Flames 2–1 to clinch their first ever Stanley Cup.

And I'll tell you what, this city has gone bananas inside and outside this arena! It should be a wild ride! ABC Sports is online at ESPN.com, search "ABC Sports". Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Lightning!

— Host John Saunders at the conclusion of Game 7 of the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, ABC and ESPN’s final NHL telecast until the 2021–22 season, which their first telecast, ironically, was in Tampa Bay as well.

ABC concluded their coverage of Game 7 with a montage of highlights from the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals that were set to the song "Shine" by Andy Stochansky.

Stanley Cup playoffs commentating crews
Year Round Teams Games Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Ice-level reporter(s)
2000 First round Washington-Pittsburgh Game 2[170] Mike Emrick Barry Melrose Joe Micheletti
St. Louis-San Jose Games 2, 6[171][172] Dave Strader (Game 2)
Gary Thorne (Game 6)
Brian Hayward (Game 2)
Bill Clement (Game 6)
Brian Engblom (Game 6)
Colorado-Phoenix Game 2 Steve Levy Darren Pang Daryl Reaugh
Detroit-Los Angeles Game 2[173] Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom
Conference semifinals Philadelphia-Pittsburgh Games 2, 5[174][175] Steve Levy (Game 2)
Gary Thorne (Game 5)
Darren Pang (Game 2)
Bill Clement (Game 5)
Daryl Reaugh (Game 2)
Brian Engblom and Darren Pang (Game 5)
Colorado-Detroit Game 2 Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom
Conference finals Philadelphia-New Jersey Game 1[176] Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom
Dallas-Colorado Game 4[177][178][179][180] Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom
2001 First round Washington-Pittsburgh Games 2, 5[181] Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom
Philadelphia-Buffalo Games 2, 6[182][183] Mike Emrick Barry Melrose Joe Micheletti
Detroit-Los Angeles Games 2, 5[184] Steve Levy Darren Pang Mickey Redmond
St. Louis-San Jose Games 2, 6[185][186] Dave Strader Jim Schoenfeld Christine Simpson
Conference semifinals Buffalo-Pittsburgh Games 2, 5[187][188][189][190][191][192] Steve Levy (Game 2)
Gary Thorne (Game 5)
Darren Pang (Game 2)
Bill Clement (Game 5)
Joe Micheletti (Game 2)
Brian Engblom (Game 5)
Colorado-Los Angeles Game 2 Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom
Conference finals New Jersey-Pittsburgh Game 4 Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom
Colorado-St. Louis Game 1[193] Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom
2002 First round Boston-Montreal Game 5 Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom
Carolina-New Jersey Game 6[194] Mike Emrick Barry Melrose Christine Simpson
Toronto-New York Islanders Game 2[195] Mike Emrick Barry Melrose Christine Simpson
Colorado-Los Angeles Games 2, 6 Gary Thorne (Game 2)
Steve Levy (Game 6)
Bill Clement (Game 2)
Darren Pang (Game 6)
Brian Engblom (Game 2)
Joe Micheletti (Game 6)
San Jose-Phoenix Game 2 Dave Strader Jim Schoenfeld Tony Granato
St. Louis-Chicago Game 2[196] Steve Levy Darren Pang Joe Micheletti
Conference semifinals Detroit-St. Louis Games 2, 5[197][198] Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom
Colorado-San Jose Games 2, 5[199][200] Steve Levy Darren Pang Joe Micheletti
Conference finals Detroit-Colorado Games 1, 4[201][202][203] Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom
2003[112] First round Tampa Bay-Washington Game 2 Mike Emrick Brian Engblom
Philadelphia-Toronto Game 5[204] Gary Thorne Bill Clement and John Davidson Christine Simpson
Detroit-Anaheim Game 2 Gary Thorne Bill Clement and John Davidson Christine Simpson
Colorado-Minnesota Games 2, 5 Steve Levy Darren Pang
Conference semifinals Ottawa-Philadelphia Game 5 Steve Levy Darren Pang Joe Micheletti
New Jersey-Tampa Bay Game 2[205] Gary Thorne Bill Clement and John Davidson Christine Simpson
Dallas-Anaheim Games 2, 5[206] Steve Levy (Game 2)
Gary Thorne (Game 5)
Darren Pang (Game 2)
Bill Clement and John Davidson (Game 5)
Joe Micheletti (Game 2)
Christine Simpson (Game 5)
Conference finals Ottawa-New Jersey Game 4[207][208][209][210][211][212][213] Steve Levy Darren Pang and John Davidson Joe Micheletti
Minnesota-Anaheim Game 1[214][215] Gary Thorne Bill Clement and John Davidson Brian Engblom
2004 First round Tampa Bay-New York Islanders Game 2[216] Steve Levy Darren Pang Erin Andrews
Philadelphia-New Jersey Game 5[217][218] Steve Levy Darren Pang Erin Andrews
Detroit-Nashville Games 2, 6[219][220] Gary Thorne Bill Clement and John Davidson
San Jose-St. Louis Game 2[221] Mike Emrick Brian Engblom
Colorado-Dallas Game 5 Mike Emrick Brian Engblom
Conference semifinals Detroit-Calgary Games 2, 5 Gary Thorne Bill Clement and John Davidson
San Jose-Colorado Games 2, 5 Mike Emrick (Game 2)
Steve Levy (Game 5)
Brian Engblom (Game 2)
Darren Pang (Game 5)
Erin Andrews
Conference finals Tampa Bay-Philadelphia Games 1, 4[222] Gary Thorne Bill Clement and John Davidson Sam Ryan (Game 1)
Joe Micheletti (Game 4)

Stanley Cup Finals commentating crews

Year Teams Games Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Ice-level reporter(s) Pregame host Pregame analyst(s)
2000 New Jersey-Dallas Game 3–6 Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom and Darren Pang Al Michaels (Games 3–5)
John Saunders (Game 6)
John Davidson and Barry Melrose
2001[223] Colorado-New Jersey Games 3–7[224][225] Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom and Darren Pang Al Michaels and John Saunders John Davidson and Barry Melrose
2002 Detroit-Carolina Games 3–5 Gary Thorne Bill Clement Brian Engblom and Darren Pang Al Michaels and John Saunders John Davidson and Barry Melrose
2003[226][112][227] New Jersey-Anaheim Games 3–7[228] Gary Thorne Bill Clement and John Davidson[111] Brian Engblom, Darren Pang, and Sam Ryan John Saunders and Chris Berman Barry Melrose and Darren Pang
2004 Tampa Bay-Calgary Games 3–7 Gary Thorne Bill Clement and John Davidson Darren Pang, Sam Ryan, Steve Levy, and Erin Andrews John Saunders Barry Melrose and Darren Pang

Second return to ABC (2021–present)

On March 10, 2021, ESPN announced a new, seven-year broadcast deal with the NHL, which included games on ESPN, ABC, and ESPN+ beginning in the 2021–22 season.[229][230] At least 25 regular-season games will be scheduled to air on ESPN or ABC, along with half of the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and one conference final each year. ESPN/ABC have first choice of which conference final series to air. ABC will exclusively broadcast four Stanley Cup Finals[231] over the life of the contract, with the option to simulcast each game on ESPN+, as well as produce alternate broadcasts to air on other ESPN platforms. The 2022 Stanley Cup Finals marked the first to be broadcast in their entirety on over-the-air television since 1980, as the Finals had since either been partially or exclusively carried on cable.[232][233][234] Due to the current arrangement of ABC's sports programming being produced and co-branded by ESPN, the broadcasts carry the NHL on ESPN production and branding.

ABC's first game back featured the New York Rangers and the Boston Bruins in the annual Thanksgiving Showdown on November 26, 2021.[235] After ABC aired the 2022 NHL All-Star Game, the network aired a weekly game under the ABC Hockey Saturday branding, which began on February 26. The package primarily aired on Saturday afternoons, with one primetime game on March 19 to accommodate afternoon coverage of the 2022 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament. All games broadcast by ABC stream on ESPN+.[236]

ABC typically does not air a full 30 minute or hour long pregame show before their games, instead opting for an abbreviated 15-minute pregame show presented by Verizon. However, ABC aired a full 30-minute pregame show on April 23, as a lead-out of their Bundesliga soccer coverage. If time permits, ABC will also air a short postgame show until 6:00 p.m. ET, so most ABC affiliates on the East Coast can show their local news or ABC World News Tonight. For the Stanley Cup Finals, all games aired with 8:00 p.m. ET start times, allowing for a short pre-game show prior to puck drop (by contrast to the NBA Finals, which has preferred a later, 9:00 p.m. ET window, with ABC leading into the game with half-hour Jimmy Kimmel Live! specials and NBA Countdown).[237]

In the 2022–23 season, ABC will air 14 games, including four doubleheaders and a tripleheader on April 8. However, ABC will open their NHL schedule after the All-Star break, with TNT taking over the Thanksgiving Showdown package in late November in addition to the 2023 Stanley Cup Finals.[238]

Announcers

Studio personalities

  1. Steve Levy – lead studio host and occasional play-by-play (2021–present)[239][240][241][242]
  2. John Buccigross – fill-in studio host and play-by-play (2021–present)
  3. Barry Melrose – studio analyst (2021–present)[242]
  4. Mark Messier – studio analyst (2021–present)[243][244][245]
  5. Chris Chelios – studio analyst (2021–present)[242][246]
  6. Brian Boucher – color commentator/Inside the Glass and studio analyst (2022–present, select games)

Play-by-play

  1. Sean McDonough – lead play-by-play (2021–present)[240][241][242][247][248]
  2. Steve Levy – lead studio host and occasional play-by-play (2021–present)[239][240][241][242]
  3. John Buccigross – fill-in studio host and play-by-play (2021–present)
  4. Bob Wischusen – play-by-play (2023–present)

Color commentators/Inside-the-Glass analysts

  1. Ray Ferraro – lead color commentator/Inside the Glass analyst (2021–present)[249][250][251]
  2. A. J. Mleczko – color commentator/Inside the Glass analyst (2021–present, select games)
  3. Brian Boucher – color commentator/Inside the Glass and studio analyst (2022–present, select games)

Rinkside reporters

  1. Emily Kaplan – lead rinkside reporter (2022–present)
  2. Leah Hextall – rinkside reporter (2023–present)

Contributors

  1. Laura Rutledge – contributor (2022–present)
  2. Kevin Weekes – Stanley Cup Finals contributor (2022–present)

Rules analyst

  1. Dave Jackson – rules analyst (2021–present)[252][253]

Schedules

2021–22

Date Teams Start times (All times Eastern) Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Inside the Glass analyst(s) Ice level reporter(s) Rules analyst Notes
November 26 New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins 1:00 p.m. Sean McDonough Ray Ferraro A. J. Mleczko Dave Jackson Bruins-Rangers rivalry
2021 NHL Thanksgiving Showdown
Originally Blues-Blackhawks, which filled the vacant 3:30 ET slot on ESPN+, which Rangers-Bruins had occupied
February 26 New York Rangers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins 3:00 p.m. Ray Ferraro Emily Kaplan Penguins-Rangers rivalry
Special “IceCast” alternate broadcast was also produced and broadcast on ESPN+
March 5 Chicago Blackhawks vs. Philadelphia Flyers 3:00 p.m. 2010 Stanley Cup Finals rematch
Special “IceCast” alternate broadcast was also produced and broadcast on ESPN+
March 12 Philadelphia Flyers vs. Carolina Hurricanes 3:00 p.m. Special “IceCast” alternate broadcast was also produced, and broadcast on ESPN+
March 19 New York Rangers vs. Tampa Bay Lightning 8:00 p.m. First ever NHL regular season game on ABC to air in primetime
Special “IceCast” alternate broadcast was also produced and broadcast on ESPN+
March 26 Chicago Blackhawks vs. Vegas Golden Knights 3:00 p.m. Special “IceCast” alternate broadcast was also produced and broadcast on ESPN+
April 2 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Colorado Avalanche 3:00 p.m. Special “IceCast” alternate broadcast was also produced and broadcast on ESPN+
April 9 Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins 3:00 p.m. Capitals–Penguins rivalry
Sidney Crosby vs. Alex Ovechkin
Special “IceCast” alternate broadcast was also produced and broadcast on ESPN+
April 16 Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues 3:00 p.m. 2022 Winter Classic rematch
Special “IceCast” alternate broadcast was also produced and broadcast on ESPN+
April 23 New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins 3:00 p.m. Bruins-Rangers rivalry
Special “IceCast” alternate broadcast was also produced and broadcast on ESPN+

2022–23

Date Teams Start times (All times Eastern) Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Inside the Glass analyst Ice level reporter Rules analyst Notes
February 11 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Dallas Stars 1:00 p.m. TBD TBD TBD TBD Dave Jackson 2020 Stanley Cup Finals rematch
Washington Capitals vs. Boston Bruins 3:30 p.m.
February 25 New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals 1:00 p.m. Capitals-Rangers rivalry
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. St. Louis Blues 3:30 p.m.
March 4 New York Rangers vs. Boston Bruins 1:00 p.m. Bruins-Rangers rivalry
Colorado Avalanche vs. Dallas Stars 3:30 p.m.
March 11 Detroit Red Wings vs. Boston Bruins 1:00 p.m.
Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins 3:30 p.m. Flyers-Penguins rivalry
March 18 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers 8:00 p.m. Penguins-Rangers rivalry
2022 First Round rematch
March 25 Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins 8:00 p.m. Capitals-Penguins rivalry
April 1 Boston Bruins vs. Pittsburgh Penguins 3:00 p.m.
April 8 St. Louis Blues vs. Minnesota Wild 1:00 p.m. 2022 First Round rematch
Vegas Golden Knights vs. Dallas Stars 3:30 p.m.
Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Detroit Red Wings 8:00 p.m. 2008 and 2009 Stanley Cup Finals rematch

NHL All-Star Game (2022–2028)

Year Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Ice level reporters Rules analyst Pregame host Pregame analyst(s)
2022 Sean McDonough Ray Ferraro Emily Kaplan and Laura Rutledge Dave Jackson Steve Levy Mark Messier and Chris Chelios
2023 Emily Kaplan

Stanley Cup Playoffs (2022-present)

As part of ESPN's new deal, ABC also gained rights to part of half of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and exclusive rights to the entire Stanley Cup Finals in even-numbered years, the first time the entire series will air on broadcast television since 1980, with games prominently airing on weekends. However, in 2022, ABC did not air any early round playoff games on network television. However, ABC was supposed to simulcast Game 7 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals, had the series gone that far. However, it was not necessary as the series ended in six games, marking the first time no games were aired on broadcast network. Early round playoff games are expected to return to ABC in 2023.

Stanley Cup Finals

Year Teams Games Play-by-play Color commentator(s) Inside the Glass analyst(s) Ice level reporter(s) Rules analyst Pregame host Pregame analysts
2022 Colorado Avalanche vs Tampa Bay Lightning All games Sean McDonough Ray Ferraro Emily Kaplan (entire series)
Kevin Weekes (Game 6 postgame)
Dave Jackson Steve Levy Mark Messier, Chris Chelios, and Brian Boucher

Notes

  • All games in series are simulcast on ESPN+, and included an “IceCast” alternate broadcast.
  • ABC's coverage in 2022 marked the first time the entire Stanley Cup Finals was carried exclusively on American broadcast television since 1980, and the first time ABC aired the Finals since 2004.

Nielsen ratings

National Hockey League coverage on ABC owned-and-operated television stations

Team Stations Years
Philadelphia Flyers WPVI-TV 6 19831986
San Jose Sharks KGO-TV 7 19911994

References

  1. ^ a b Pergament, Alan (30 September 1999). "With Fox Gone, NHL Turns All-Disney". The Buffalo News.
  2. ^ Frederick C. Klein (25 March 1977). "Hockey, Violence and Movies". The Wall Street Journal.
  3. ^ Ross Atkin (9 June 1975). "Sports check on what's new". The Christian Science Monitor. p. 19.
  4. ^ "5 New Coaches Will Try to Dethrone the Flyers". Los Angeles Times. 8 October 1975. p. D8.
  5. ^ George Langford (5 October 1975). "Hockey in battle for TV life!". Los Angeles Times. p. I3.
  6. ^ Joseph Durso (13 July 1977). "Problems of Overexpansion Continue to Haunt NBA and NHL". The New York Times. p. A16.
  7. ^ Robin Herman (28 June 1977). "NHL's President-Elect Scores Points With His Take-Charge Attitude". The New York Times. p. 24.
  8. ^ "Holiday TV Hurts Series". The New York Times. 28 December 1975. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  9. ^ "N.H.L. Plans Cup TV; Seeks New York Outlet". The New York Times. 23 March 1976. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  10. ^ Verdi, Bob (17 January 1979). "Hockey needs TV blanket to keep it warm in U.S.". The Chicago Tribune. p. E1.
  11. ^ Gary Deeb (9 November 1976). "TV hockey back, but no Hawks". The Chicago Tribune. p. C2.
  12. ^ Gary Deeb (23 February 1979). "Shriking Act". The Chicago Tribune. p. E4.
  13. ^ Don Merry (11 October 1978). "NHL Starts Tonight: Action but No TV". Los Angeles Times. p. E2.
  14. ^ "May 26 Selected For a 7th Game". The New York Times. 13 May 1979. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  15. ^ "NHL, ABC-TV Agree". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. 13 May 1979. p. 89.
  16. ^ Donald Ramsay (22 May 1979). "Montreal win kills ABC TV deal but Ziegler feels pact is on way". The Globe and Mail. p. P35.
  17. ^ Barry, Sal (29 October 2018). "John Ziegler Did More Harm Than Good for Hockey". Punk Junk.
  18. ^ "College kids perform Olympic miracle", ESPN.com
  19. ^ 1980 Miracle On Ice on YouTube
  20. ^ "ABC Radio Gets Stanley Cup". Los Angeles Daily News. 12 September 1989.
  21. ^ Robert Fachet (3 April 1990). "Regular Season Honors to Bruins; Liut Top Goalie". The Washington Post. p. B08.
  22. ^ Rob Grant (17 May 1991). "TV deal offers another chance but CFL needs a career year". Toronto Star. p. C.8.
  23. ^ Milt Dunnell (16 July 1989). "Relief role McGwire's dream". Toronto Star. p. G1.
  24. ^ "Munchies List is Some Food for Thought". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. 19 May 1990. p. B8.
  25. ^ Rob Grant (19 May 1990). "Cool Goodyear feels the heat of Indy-scribable media hype". Toronto Star.
  26. ^ Ken McKee (22 December 1989). "Palmer heads the short list as replacement for Kubek". Toronto Star. p. B7.
  27. ^ "Irish Football Games Returning to WGN". Steve Nidetz (Chicago Tribune). 15 May 1990. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  28. ^ "Stanley Cup playoffs debut on ABC, ESPN". pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca. 17 April 1993.
  29. ^ a b "NHL governors "ecstatic' over reported TV package". Kitchener-Waterloo Record. 27 August 1992. p. E2.
  30. ^ a b E.M. Swift (20 June 1994). "Hot Not". Sports Illustrated.
  31. ^ "ABC to televise five Sunday NHL playoff games". Tampa Bay Times. 4 March 1993. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  32. ^ Gatehouse, Jonathon (October 2012). The Instigator: How Gary Bettman Remade the NHL and Changed the Game Forever. Triumph Books. p. 159. ISBN 9781623686567.
  33. ^ a b c "Select few watching NHL on ABC". Jim Shea (Hartford Courant). 7 May 1993. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  34. ^ Michael Heistand (4 March 1993). "Weighty ESPY awards get lighthearted touch". USA Today. p. 3C.
  35. ^ "NBC Wins With Lottery, East Finals". Jorge Milan (Sun-Sentinel). 22 May 1993. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  36. ^ Randy Covitz (6 March 1993). "ABC to help showcase NHL with 5 playoff games". Kansas City Star. p. D6.
  37. ^ Mike Kiley (28 March 1993). "He's Muni-ficent: Oilers coach lavishes praise on new Hawk". The Chicago Tribune. p. 12.
  38. ^ "N.H.L. Is About to Showcase Lemieux and the Prime-Time Penguins". Joe LaPointe (New York Times). 11 April 1993. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  39. ^ Mike Kiley (12 April 1993). "Hawks must win Norris to make ABC telecast". The Chicago Tribune. p. 11.
  40. ^ Ken McKee (15 April 1994). "TV picture still fuzzy for NHL playoff schedule". Toronto Star. p. E8.
  41. ^ "NHL strikes TV deal with ESPN". UPI. 2 September 1992. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  42. ^ Rudy Martzke (5 February 1993). "NHL's new boss ready to clear up confusion". USA Today. p. 3C.
  43. ^ Michael Hiestand (28 April 1993). "Camera could be newest Derby rider". USA Today. p. 3C.
  44. ^ "NHL Boss Finishes Eventful 1st Year – Bettman Focuses on CBS Deal". Mike Kiley (Chicago Tribune). 21 January 1994. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  45. ^ Michael Hiestand (3 September 1992). "NHL announces TV deal but some details murky". USA Today. p. 3C.
  46. ^ "Too Much Punch Ruins NHL Party". Craig Davis (Sun-Sentinel). 22 August 1992. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  47. ^ Rudy Martzke (12 September 1994). "Fox makes hockey its newest surprise". USA Today. p. 3C.
  48. ^ "Legal Sabers Rattle Over N.H.L. TV Plan". Richard Sandomir (New York Times). 27 August 1992. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  49. ^ "Fox checks CBS to win TV rights to NHL". New York Times News Service, Baltimore Sun. 10 September 1994. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  50. ^ Wise, Aaron N.; Meyer, Bruce S. (1997). International sports law and business, Volume 3. Kluwer Law International. p. 1704.
  51. ^ "Mighty Ducks '93-94: Premiere Season: A Brave new NHL: As It Welcomes Two New Members, the National Hockey League Ponders What It Needs to Do to Become the Sport of the '90s". Mike DiGivanna (Los Angeles Times). 3 October 1993. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  52. ^ Daniel, Al (17 May 2020). "NHL on Fox established hockey's lasting U.S. network presence". Fansided.
  53. ^ "Fox Outbids CBS for N.H.L. Games". Richard Sandomir (New York Times). 10 September 1994. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  54. ^ Alan Pergament (2 April 1994). "Ch. 7'S Brenon on the Mark As Rink-Side Reporter". Buffalo News. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  55. ^ Jerry Lindquist (24 March 1994). "No More Life in a Fishbowl". Richmond Times-Dispatch. p. C4.
  56. ^ Dan Caesar (25 March 1994). "Presidential Priorities: Clinton Cuts Off for Game". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 4G.
  57. ^ Dan Caesar (25 March 1994). "National Audience Is Again About to get ABCs of Hockey". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 5G.
  58. ^ McKee, Sandra. "Juneau, Iafrate to meet after trading places". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  59. ^ Dave Sell (3 April 1994). "Capitals Doing It Hard Way; Try to Beat Stars For Third Straight". The Washington Postt. p. D10.
  60. ^ Stars vs. Capitals, Apr. 3, 1994 (1st Period) on YouTube
  61. ^ Stars vs. Capitals, Apr. 3, 1994 (2nd Period) on YouTube
  62. ^ Stars vs. Capitals, Apr. 3, 1994 (3rd Period) on YouTube
  63. ^ Tom Wheatley (4 April 1994). "Blues Stick It Out, Earn Tie– Joseph on the Cutting Edge in Slice 'N' Dice Battle With Wings". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 1C.
  64. ^ ABC Sports piece on Clinton Brown April 10, 1994 on YouTube
  65. ^ NHL on ABC April 10 1994 Rangers at Islanders on YouTube
  66. ^ Bruins vs. Flyers, Apr. 10, 1994 (1st Period) on YouTube
  67. ^ Bruins vs. Flyers, Apr. 10, 1994 (2nd Period) on YouTube
  68. ^ Bruins vs. Flyers, Apr. 10, 1994 (3rd Period) on YouTube
  69. ^ Michael Hiestand (15 April 1994). "USA's Kenin gets CBS sports job". USA Today. p. 2C.
  70. ^ "Nothing Is as Easy as ABC". The New York Times. 15 April 1994.
  71. ^ 1993 First Round - Pittsburgh vs. New Jersey, Game 4, PART 1 on YouTube
  72. ^ 1993 First Round - Pittsburgh vs. New Jersey, Game 4, PART 2 on YouTube
  73. ^ 1993 First Round - Pittsburgh vs. New Jersey, Game 4, PART 3 on YouTube
  74. ^ 1993 First Round - Pittsburgh vs. New Jersey, Game 4, PART 4 on YouTube
  75. ^ 1993 Campbell Division Semifinals: St. Louis Blues 4, Chicago Blackhawks 3 on YouTube
  76. ^ NHL Apr.25/1993 G4 Chicago Blackhawks - St.Louis Blues on YouTube
  77. ^ StL Blues vs Chi Playoffs (Game 4 - 1993) on YouTube
  78. ^ Los Angeles Kings vs Calgary Flames (Game 1): 1993 Smythe Division Semi-Finals. on YouTube
  79. ^ 92-93 Playoffs Kings goals vs Flames (Round One) on YouTube
  80. ^ Game 1 1993 Patrick Division Final Islanders at Penguins on YouTube
  81. ^ 1993 Second Round - Toronto vs. St. Louis, Game 4, PART 1 on YouTube
  82. ^ 1993 Second Round - Toronto vs. St. Louis, Game 4, PART 2 on YouTube
  83. ^ 1993 Second Round - Toronto vs. St. Louis, Game 4, PART 3 on YouTube
  84. ^ 92-93 Playoffs Kings goals vs Canucks (Round Two) on YouTube
  85. ^ Ray Ferraro Goal Game 1 1993 Wales Final on YouTube
  86. ^ 1993 Third Round - Montreal vs. NY Islanders, Game 1, PART 1 on YouTube
  87. ^ 1993 Third Round - Montreal vs. NY Islanders, Game 1, PART 2 on YouTube
  88. ^ Islanders @ Rangers Game #1 1994 (NYR Goals) on YouTube
  89. ^ 1994 ECQF Rangers vs. Islanders (1st period and first 8 minutes of 2nd period) on YouTube
  90. ^ 1994 ECQF Rangers vs. Islanders Game 1 (last 12 min. of 2nd pd. and all but last few seconds of 3rd) on YouTube
  91. ^ 1994 ECQF NYRvsNYI end of Game 1 and most of first two periods of Game 3 on YouTube
  92. ^ Classic: Rangers @ Islanders 04/24/94 | Game 4 Quarter-Finals 1994 on YouTube
  93. ^ 1994 Western Conference Quarterfinal Game 4: Dallas Stars 2, St. Louis Blues 1 on YouTube
  94. ^ Bruins vs. Devils 1994 Eastern Conference Semifinal Game 1 (1st Period) on YouTube
  95. ^ Bruins vs. Devils 1994 Eastern Conference Semifinal Game 1 (2nd period) on YouTube
  96. ^ Bruins vs. Devils 1994 Eastern Conference Semifinal Game 1 (3rd period) on YouTube
  97. ^ John Walters (10 January 2000). "Learning It Cold". Sports Illustrated.
  98. ^ "ESPN Lands $600M NHL Deal". R. Thomas Umstead (Multichannel News). 31 August 1998. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  99. ^ "Picture Is Fuzzy for N.H.L. on Networks". Richard Sandomir (New York Times). 22 February 2005. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  100. ^ "Fox Probably Grateful to Ice the Puck". Jeff Goldberg (Hartford Courant). 23 April 1999. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  101. ^ "Final meltdown of relationship between Fox, NHL begins today". Milton Kent (Baltimore Sun). 8 June 1999. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  102. ^ "Stars' 1-0 triumph brings in viewers". ESPN. 9 June 2000.
  103. ^ "Price for NHL Rights Is Right, Disney Says". Michael Hirsley (Chicago Tribune). 26 August 1998. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  104. ^ Sandomir, Richard (7 August 1998). "Best N.H.L. Action Is the Battle Over TV Rights". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  105. ^ Gatehouse, Jonathon (October 2012). The Instigator: How Gary Bettman Remade the NHL and Changed the Game Forever. Triumph Books. p. 165. ISBN 9781623686567.
  106. ^ Richard Sandomir (10 June 2015). "Without Showing Games, ESPN Leaves a Mark on the N.B.A. Finals". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  107. ^ Miller, Shales, James Andrew, Tom. Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN (PDF). p. 543.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  108. ^ Rovell, Darren (17 August 2005). "ESPN decides not to match Comcast's offer". ESPN.
  109. ^ Harris, Cecil (2007). Breaking the Ice: The Black Experience in Professional Hockey. p. 187. ISBN 9781897415054.
  110. ^ "J.D. Hired By ABC". CBS News. 30 September 1999. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  111. ^ a b c d "ABC Sports - ABC Sports announces its hockey broadcast teams". www.espn.com. 18 April 2003. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  112. ^ a b c "NHL playoffs to air exclusively on ABC, ESPN and ESPN2". ESPN. 18 April 2003.
  113. ^ a b "TSN hands off Wickenheiser game to bolster sister network". 10 January 2003. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  114. ^ "Finding a New Comfort Zone". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  115. ^ "Truth & Rumours". Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  116. ^ Phil Musnick (25 April 2003). "Brand Berman & ESPN Shameless". New York Post. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  117. ^ Marchand, Andrew (13 December 2002). "Howie Switching to Radio Booth? Mets May Recast Broadcast Lineups". New York Post. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  118. ^ Sarni, Jim (10 January 2003). "Aussie Open Shift Would Mean More Competition". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  119. ^ "1999–2000 NHL Schedule". The Washington Post. 1 October 1999.
  120. ^ April 1, 2000 Anaheim Mighty Ducks VS Los Angeles Kings Full Game on YouTube
  121. ^ "ABC Sports - ABC Sports announces its 2000-2001 National Hockey League Schedule". www.espn.com. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  122. ^ Todd Fedoruk vs Rich Pilon on YouTube
  123. ^ Red Wings-Avalanche 17.3.2001 on YouTube
  124. ^ Slava Kozlov scores from Yuri Butsaev pass vs Rangers (24 mar 2001) on YouTube
  125. ^ Rangers Devils line brawl March 31, 2001 on YouTube
  126. ^ Alex Mogilny fantastic goal vs Rangers for Devils (2001) on YouTube
  127. ^ Rangers vs Devils scrum - Mar 31, 2001 on YouTube
  128. ^ St Louis Blues at Pittsburgh Penguins - March 31, 2001 on YouTube
  129. ^ April 7, 2001 Flyers erase 3-0 deficit to beat Penguins on YouTube
  130. ^ Avalanche-Red Wings 7.4.2001 on YouTube
  131. ^ Mike Ricci Fan Appreciation Hat Trick 4-7-01 on YouTube
  132. ^ "ABC Sports - ABC's 2001-2002 NHL schedule". www.espn.com. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  133. ^ 01/02 RS: Col @ Det Highlights - 1/5/02 on YouTube
  134. ^ 2002: NHL on ABC Opening - Lindros Returns to Philadelphia with NYR on YouTube
  135. ^ January 12, 2002 Flyers beat Rangers 4-2 in Eric Lindros' return to Philadelphia on YouTube
  136. ^ (Det Goals) 01/02 RS: Dal @ Det - 1/12/02 on YouTube
  137. ^ "ABC Sports - The NHL on ABC". www.espn.com. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  138. ^ "ABC Sports - The NHL on ABC". www.espn.com. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  139. ^ "ABC's 2002–2003 NHL schedule". ESPN. ABC Sports.
  140. ^ Darren McCarty vs Donald Brashear Jan 11, 2003 on YouTube
  141. ^ Pittsburgh Penguins at Boston Bruins - February 8, 2003 on YouTube
  142. ^ 02/03 RS: Col @ Det Highlights - 3/15/03 (Roy's Last Game vs Det) on YouTube
  143. ^ Dale Purinton vs Turner Stevenson - Mar 15, 2003 on YouTube
  144. ^ Chris Simon vs Scott Parker on YouTube
  145. ^ Darren McCarty vs Reed Low Mar 22, 2003 on YouTube
  146. ^ 02/03 RS: Det @ STL Highlights - 3/29/03 on YouTube
  147. ^ Alex Kovalev's two goals for Rangers vs Bruins (2003) on YouTube
  148. ^ Brad Ference vs Dan Hinote Mar 29, 2003 on YouTube
  149. ^ Andrei Nazarov vs Bryan Marchment Mar 29, 2003 on YouTube
  150. ^ NHL 2004 01 10 04 Detroit Red Wings at Boston Bruins on YouTube
  151. ^ February 14, 2004 Flyers crush Rangers 6-2 on YouTube
  152. ^ Avalanche-Red Wings 14.2.2004 on YouTube
  153. ^ Doug Doull vs Ryan VandenBussche Feb 14, 2004 on YouTube
  154. ^ Donald Brashear vs Sean Brown Round 3 on YouTube
  155. ^ Highlights: Blues at Stars: March 20, 2004 on YouTube
  156. ^ Avalanche-Red Wings 27.3.2004 on YouTube
  157. ^ Chris Simon vs Jeff Cowan on YouTube
  158. ^ 2000 NHL All-Star Game: World 9, North America 4 on YouTube
  159. ^ 2001 NHL All-Star Game: North America 14, World 12 on YouTube
  160. ^ 2002 NHL All-Star Game: World 8, North America 5 on YouTube
  161. ^ 2003 NHL All-Star Game: Western Conference 6, Eastern Conference 5 (SO) on YouTube
  162. ^ 2004 NHL All Star Game, Naslund and Bertuzzi Assists (Feb. 8, 2004) (ABC) on YouTube
  163. ^ 2004 NHL All Star intro from St. Paul - Part 1 of 2 (West) on YouTube
  164. ^ 2004 NHL All Star intro from St. Paul - Part 2 of 2 (East) on YouTube
  165. ^ Kostya Kennedy (5 February 2001). "The NHL". Sports Illustrated.
  166. ^ Pete McEntegart (16 June 2003). "Under Review". CNN.
  167. ^ NHL on ABC: Game 7 of the 2003 Stanley Cup Finals (television). ABC Sports. 9 June 2003.
  168. ^ Rudy Martzke (19 May 2004). "NHL announces TV deal with NBC". USA Today. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  169. ^ Kevin Downey (12 April 2001). "Sports TV get pricier and pricier. Here's why". Media Life Magazine. Archived from the original on 13 October 2008.
  170. ^ Washington Capitals at Pittsburgh Penguins - Eastern Quarterfinals Game 2 - April 15, 2000 on YouTube
  171. ^ 2000 NHL Western Conference Quarterfinal Game 2: San Jose Sharks 4, St. Louis Blues 2 on YouTube
  172. ^ 2000 NHL Western Conference Quarterfinal Game 6: St. Louis Blues 6, San Jose Sharks 2 on YouTube
  173. ^ NHL Regular Season 1999-2000 - Los Angeles Kings @ Detroit Red Wings on YouTube
  174. ^ Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers - Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 2 - April 29, 2000 on YouTube
  175. ^ Pittsburgh Penguins at Philadelphia Flyers - Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 5 - May 7, 2000 on YouTube
  176. ^ 1999-00 Round 3/Game 1: Game Intro on YouTube
  177. ^ NHL: Colorado - Dallas 0:1 (2000 Playoffs - Game 4) on YouTube
  178. ^ NHL: Colorado - Dallas 0:2 (2000 Playoffs - Game 4) on YouTube
  179. ^ NHL: Colorado - Dallas 1:2 (2000 Playoffs - Game 4) on YouTube
  180. ^ NHL: Colorado - Dallas 1:3 (2000 Playoffs - Game 4) on YouTube
  181. ^ Pittsburgh Penguins vs Washington Capitals Brawl 2001 on YouTube
  182. ^ Flyers at Sabres 4 21 01 on YouTube
  183. ^ Sabres Beat Flyers 2001, Round 1 - Final Seconds, Handshakes on YouTube
  184. ^ 2001 Playoffs: LA @ Det - Game 2 Highlights on YouTube
  185. ^ 2001 Western Conference Quarterfinal Game 2: San Jose Sharks 1, St. Louis Blues 0 on YouTube
  186. ^ 2001 Western Conference Quarterfinal Game 6: St. Louis Blues 2, San Jose Sharks 1 on YouTube
  187. ^ Penguins vs. Sabres 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinal Game 2 (1st Period) on YouTube
  188. ^ Penguins vs. Sabres 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinal Game 2 (2nd Period) on YouTube
  189. ^ Penguins vs. Sabres 2001 Eastern Conference Semifinal Game 2 (3rd Period) on YouTube
  190. ^ Chris Gratton Goal - Game 5, 2001 ECSF Penguins vs. Sabres on YouTube
  191. ^ Curtis Brown Goal - Game 5, 2001 ECSF Penguins vs. Sabres on YouTube
  192. ^ Stu Barnes Overtime Goal - Game 5, 2001 ECSF Penguins vs. Sabres on YouTube
  193. ^ 2001 NHL Western Conference Final Game 1: Colorado Avalanche 4, St. Louis Blues 1 on YouTube
  194. ^ NHL 2002 04-27-02 Hurricanes at Devils gm 6 on YouTube
  195. ^ NHL 2002 04-20-02 Islanders at Maple Leafs gm 2 on YouTube
  196. ^ 2002 Western Conference Quarterfinal Game 2: St. Louis Blues 2, Chicago Blackhawks 0 on YouTube
  197. ^ 2002 Western Conference Semifinal Game 2: Detroit Red Wings 3, St. Louis Blues 2 (Partial Game) on YouTube
  198. ^ 2002 Western Conference Semifinal Game 5: Detroit Red Wings 4, St. Louis Blues 0 on YouTube
  199. ^ NHL 2002 05-04-02 Sharks at Avalanche gm 2 on YouTube
  200. ^ NHL 2002 05 11 02 Sharks at Avalanche gm 5 on YouTube
  201. ^ 2002 Playoffs: Col @ Det - Game 1 Highlights on YouTube
  202. ^ NHL 2002 05 18 02 Avalanche at Red Wings gm 1 on YouTube
  203. ^ NHL 2002 05 25 02 Red Wings at Avalanche gm 4 on YouTube
  204. ^ Toronto Maple Leafs @ Philadelphia Flyers (Game 5) - April 19, 2003 - Tony Amonte, Ed Belfour on YouTube
  205. ^ Tampa Bay Lightning @ New Jersey Devils (Game 2) - April 26, 2003 - Pascal Rheaume, Fredrik Modin on YouTube
  206. ^ Mighty Ducks OT Goal vs. Stars - 02/03 Playoffs R2 GM2 on YouTube
  207. ^ 2002-03 Round 3/Game 4: Game Intro on YouTube
  208. ^ 2002-03 Round 3/Game 4: Grant Marshall Goal on YouTube
  209. ^ 2002-03 Round 3/Game 4: Jay Pandolfo Goal on YouTube
  210. ^ 2002-03 Round 3/Game 4: Jeff Friesen Goal on YouTube
  211. ^ 2002-03 Round 3/Game 4: Patrik Elias Goal on YouTube
  212. ^ 2002-03 Round 3/Game 4: John Madden Goal on YouTube
  213. ^ 2002-03 Round 3/Game 4: End Game on YouTube
  214. ^ J.S. Giguere Ridiculous Stick Save - 2003 West Final Game 1 on YouTube
  215. ^ Petr Sykora Game 1 OT goal vs Minnesota Wild 2003 on YouTube
  216. ^ Game 2 2004 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal Islanders at Lightning (Full NHL on ABC broadcast) on YouTube
  217. ^ Danny Markov scores GWG vs Devils for Flyers in game 5 (2004) on YouTube
  218. ^ Philadelphia Flyers vs New Jersey Devils playoffs post game 5 4/17/04 on YouTube
  219. ^ 2004 Playoffs: Nsh @ Det - Game 2 Highlights on YouTube
  220. ^ 2004 Playoffs: Det @ Nsh - Game 6 Highlights on YouTube
  221. ^ Highlights: Blues at Sharks: 2004 Game 2 West Quarterfinals on YouTube
  222. ^ Lightning @ Flyers 05/15/04 | Game 4 Stanley Cup Playoffs 2004 on YouTube
  223. ^ Buckler, Matt (11 June 2001). "ABC let soap opera get in way of telecast". Journal Inquirer.
  224. ^ "ABC Sports allows Game 6 of Cup Finals to be televised". David Folkenflik (Baltimore Sun). 8 June 2001. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  225. ^ Jacobs, Jeff (1 June 2001). "Our Ultimate Opponent". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 20 March 2008.
  226. ^ Farber, Michael (9 June 2003). "Bedeviled in Jersey They're a Smart, Tough Hockey Team Battling for Their Third Championship in Nine Years. So Why Don't the Devils Have More Admirers?". Sports Illustrated.
  227. ^ Fischer, John (9 June 2011). "Eight Years Ago, The New Jersey Devils Won Their Third Stanley Cup". All About the Jersey.
  228. ^ Lapointe, Joe (6 June 2003). "Hockey: Game 5 TV Analysis; ABC and ESPN Script Grabs More Eyeballs". The New York Times.
  229. ^ "NHL back on ESPN with 7-year multiplatform deal". ESPN. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
  230. ^ Draper, Kevin (11 March 2021). "N.H.L. Returns to ESPN in a 7-Year Deal With an Emphasis on Streaming". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  231. ^ Clinkscales, Jason (29 June 2022). "Start times for the NBA Finals are harder to defend now after watching the Stanley Cup Final". Awful Announcing. Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  232. ^ Lucia, Joe (27 April 2021). "Turner's NHL deal will include "up to 72" exclusive national games each season, half the Stanley Cup Playoffs, HBO Max streaming". Awful Announcing.
  233. ^ Knoll, Andrew (27 April 2021). "N.H.L. and Turner Sports Reach 7-Year Media Rights Deal". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  234. ^ Hayes, Dade; Pedersen, Erik (27 April 2021). "Turner & NHL Ice Seven-Year Rights Deal Including Some Playoff & Stanley Cup Final Games, HBO Max – Update". Deadline. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  235. ^ Lucia, Joe (16 September 2021). "ESPN, Turner release NHL schedules for 2021-22 season, featuring 78 regular season games on cable and broadcast". Awful Announcing. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  236. ^ "Breaking it Down: How to Watch the NHL on ESPN, ESPN+, Hulu and ABC". ESPN Press Room U.S. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
  237. ^ "Start times for the NBA Finals are harder to defend after the Stanley Cup Final". Awful Announcing. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2022.
  238. ^ Chi, Danny (7 September 2022). "The Walt Disney Company Announces 103 Exclusive National Hockey League Games Across ESPN, ESPN+, Hulu and ABC Beginning October 11". ESPN Press Room U.S. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
  239. ^ a b "McDonough gets lead NHL gig on ESPN". Sports Media Watch. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  240. ^ a b c Greenspan, Jared (29 June 2021). "ESPN tabs Sean McDonough as lead NHL play-by-play voice". New York Post. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  241. ^ a b c "McDonough, Levy to lead ESPN's team for NHL coverage". USA Today. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  242. ^ a b c d e "Dynamic, Diverse and Accomplished Team to Present ESPN's NHL Coverage to Fans". ESPN Press Room U.S. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  243. ^ Gardner, Steve. "ESPN adds Hockey Hall of Famer Mark Messier as NHL analyst". USA Today. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  244. ^ "NHL great Messier joins ESPN as studio analyst". ESPN. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  245. ^ Ciccotelli, Jenna. "Mark Messier Joining ESPN as NHL Studio Analyst Starting with 2021-22 Season". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  246. ^ Marchand, Andrew (28 June 2021). "ESPN hiring Chris Chelios to join Mark Messier in NHL studio". New York Post. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  247. ^ "Sean McDonough to lead ESPN's NHL coverage". www.boston.com. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  248. ^ "ESPN Announces Its No. 1 Announcer For The NHL". The Spun. 29 June 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  249. ^ Marchand, Andrew (10 May 2021). "ESPN adding Ray Ferraro, Brian Boucher as NHL analysts". New York Post. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  250. ^ The Athletic Staff. "Ray Ferraro and Brian Boucher to join ESPN as NHL analysts: Sources". The Athletic. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  251. ^ Tornoe, Rob. "ESPN's new NHL roster has several Flyers connections, including a once-hated foe". www.inquirer.com. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  252. ^ "Referee Dave Jackson Joins ESPN NHL Broadcast Team". Scouting The Refs. 3 October 2021. Retrieved 7 October 2021.
  253. ^ Patrick Johnston [@risingaction] (1 October 2021). "ESPN adding a rules analyst in retired ref Dave Jackson. TSN of course had Kerry Fraser in the past" (Tweet). Retrieved 7 October 2021 – via Twitter.
Preceded by NHL network broadcast partner
(with NBC) in the United States

19921994
Succeeded by
Preceded by NHL network broadcast partner
in the United States

20002004
Succeeded by
Preceded by NHL network broadcast partner
in the United States

2021
Succeeded by