RIP NBCSN

The NBCSN thing is shocking, even if, in retrospect, they do have a lot of car shows and other filler. Merging it with USA, a channel I haven't watched on purpose for years, seems logical for the programming they do carry forward but the idea of more stuff on Peacock, which friends and I have already pejoratively nicknamed "The Cock," is, to coin a phrase, suboptimal. Their streaming app is baffling, there's a sizable delay, they haven't made an app for my Samsung smart TV yet, and when you're already getting ripped off by a cable provider, OTT streaming services that charge you a second time add insult to injury.

The Premier League thing really intrigues me. Rebecca Lowe is one of the best in the business and decreasing the visibility of soccer on their platform significantly increases the risk she (or Arlo White) goes back to an employer over the pond. USA + a network Game of the Week + Peacock might be enough, though NBC Universal has been strategically marooning key games (such as last weekend's Man United-Liverpool showdown) on The Cock in a shameless attempt to drive up revenue. The new contract cycle scares me, as Fox's presentation is just straight-up inferior (and that's before you get Alexi Lalas involved) and ESPN will never give the Premiership anywhere near as much air when they can do better with a fifth hour of College Gameday.

But if they were going to lose half or more of the NHL package, and they only get the weaker half of the NASCAR season, I can certainly see why the idea of shutting down a network would seem logical.

 

You aren't the only one.

 

They’ve been trying to situate themselves against TNT. Not all their original programming is good, but Burn Notice and Suits were excellent.

 

Only thing I can think of watching on USA within recent memory is Suits. I enjoyed that a lot.

 

Fredrick's favorite show.

 

Also probably the Duke of Sussex.

 

When the WWL had the NHL before, they never really cared about it
When it got the NBA it happily walked away
If ESPN gets the NHL back, and I’m not sure who else would bid for a package, the NHL would be playing second banana to the NBA

 

NBC still owns a chunk of the NHL network right?

 

I believe MLBAM or whatever it’s called now manages if not owns NHL Network.

 

I think Fox does

 

I think what the NHL is hoping for is a package similar to what the NBA has, where it’s on both ESPN and an entertainment channel on the basic cable tier.

Dan’s correct.

Y’all call yourselves journalists? Some basic Google work shows that NHL Network is a joint venture between the league and NBC.

Denounce yourselves.
(Kidding. Kinda.)

 

Caveat: Not sure if the management deal is still intact.

Report: NHL partners with MLB on digital media deal valued at $1.2B