Durbin speaks on $5.2 billion NHL broadcasting deal

By Greg Asciutto

Communication Professor Daniel Durbin spoke with Canada’s CBC News concerning a groundbreaking media rights deal signed between the National Hockey League and Rogers Communications on Tuesday.

The NHL will begin a 12-year, $5.2 billion (Canadian) contract with Rogers at the start of the 2014-2015 season, giving the media giant exclusive rights to broadcast all national games. It is the largest such agreement in Canadian history, according to the NHL.

“Rogers is trying to establish a place for itself as a major provider of media content, especially sports content, and they’ve hit a home run with the NHL,” Durbin said in an in-studio interview.

The deal gives Rogers considerable control over the NHL broadcasting market. Unlike the National Football League, which has diversified across a number of entities, the NHL is limiting itself to one network, Durbin said.

“Going through one primary provider in Canada gives a lot of power to Rogers, which is a little bit surprising, but it opens up the opportunity for Rogers to allow other broadcasters — for a price — to broadcast some of the NHL games.”

To watch the full piece, click here.

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