It looks like the NHL will be back next year. This year's MISL championship games were on espn2. How does the NHL affect MISL's chances of getting back on espn2/or any national tv?
The MISL championship game (and any other game they want to televise) will be on any channel they want next year, including ESPN, if Steve 'Fresh Money' Ryan writes a check. MISL pays to air the games. The NHL (used too) get paid to have there games televised. a Big difference
I may be wrong. But for this year's championship games I thought that espn2 came to MISL for the games. I thought that is why MISL changed the format from a best of 3 series to a 2 game series because that is what espn2 came to them and proposed/offered because they hade more or less "open" times with the nhl down and were looking to fill spots. Under normal circumstances (that the NHL is operating), i'm sure MISL would have to pay. that's why i asked about the nhl vs misl thing. I don't remember if I read this, heard this, dreamt this, or what but for some reason that is what I thought. But i could be more wrong than ever.
Farmer.. from my understanding right now the only channel the NHL has a deal with anymore is NBC their new network partner who kindly stayed with them till the league was back up and going. I think I have read their cable partner aka ESPN/ESPN2 is not on board anymore and they have to either A) get a new deal with espn/espn2 which would most likely be either a time-buy or get paid half as much as espn was paying them for the games. or B) find a new cable partner.. maybe Fox Sports Net? .. not sure really what other cable outlets they could go to. So say if ESPN decides not to bring back the NHL then well that may very well bode well for MISL getting even more tv exposure nation wide.
ESPN is probably going to be a little hesitant into jumping into a deal with the NHL because right now the fan base is a little unstable. I think they will wait to see how fans react to the return of the league.