NHL Expands TV Presence in Eastern Europe

In response to the growing demand of a global viewing audience, the National Hockey League announced the addition of two broadcast agreements that will provide live game coverage of the NHL in the Ukraine, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina.

The recently launched Ukrainian “Hockey” TV channel has secured the rights to show up to 15 live NHL games per week in the Ukraine for the next five seasons. The addition of the 24-hour “Hockey” channel featuring live NHL contests has brought the game back to a Ukrainian TV audience for the first time in more than three years.

Arena Sports has secured the rights to show multiple live NHL games per week in Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia, and Herzegovina for the next five seasons.  Through this deal, live NHL games also will be made available in Slovenia through Sport TV. All games will be broadcast in HD and in the local language.

These additions follow a number of distribution agreements reached this season with international broadcasters throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as the distribution partnership between the NHL and MTG to provide live coverage of all 1,230 regular-season games and every Stanley Cup Playoff game throughout the Nordic region, including Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway.

In  July  of  2011,  Advisers  Media  International  (AMI)  and Medge Consulting  secured the international media rights for the NHL.  The rights cover  international  markets tendered by the NHL, including Europe, Africa, and  the Middle East.  In addition to marketing the NHL’s media rights, AMI
and  Medge  have also been appointed to develop the international brand and
profile of the NHL and develop and market new events.