Local broadcasts for the 14 NHL teams caught up in turmoil involving the futures of their respect regional sports channels aren?t going anywhere, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday.
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The plan, Bettman said at the NHL?s general manager meetings, is for the 12 franchises partnered with Bally Sport Regional Networks, as well as the two partnered with AT&T SportsNet, to air the remainder of their games as scheduled on their current channels. Local broadcasts are produced and aired through the first round of the playoffs.
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?Obviously, it?s not inexpensive to run sports channels or (Diamond) wouldn?t be in the situation that they?re in. But in a combination of linear carriage and streaming, we can get the games out there,? Bettman said. ?And listen, we?re in an era where the business model is evolving for local distribution of games in all the sports, and that?s something we?re going to have to address not just on a short-term basis, but on the long-term. And we will. We?re prepared to do that.?
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?(AT&T SportsNet is) going to continue to carry the games (through the end of teams? seasons),? Bettman said. ?As I said (regarding) any of the regionals, we believe based on everything we?ve been told ? and we?re in constant dialogue ? that our games certainly through this regular season will be taken care of. And then once we get to the playoffs, there?s national distribution.?
