Kings Broadcasts in 2023 ???

symbology

symbology

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I have seen a number of people questioning how we are going to watch broadcast Kings games this coming season. I started to do a little research and have found some interesting stuff. Below is a list of items that I have discovered, and some links to check out.

  • It sounds like the NHL owns the broadcast rights, not the Kings, not sure how this works. Did FOX/Ballys/Diamond Sports have an agreement with the Kings directly, or with the NHL/Kings?
  • Diamond Sports who holds the RSN (Regional Sports Network) rights is part of Sinclair Broadcasting and Diamond Sports filed for Bankruptcy last year.
  • Diamond Sports just recently filed lawsuits against Sinclair, JPMorgan and another Bank for Fraud.
  • ESPN had talks with the NBA, MLB and the NHL last month as the latter wants to buy an interest in ESPN.
  • Disney CEO Bob Iger announced last week that he wants to keep ESPN, but is looking for minority partners to help provide content and help with costs.
  • Sounds like ESPN is struggling as well, just like Ballys and the other RSN's.

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

Disney CEO Bob Iger wants minority partners for ESPN, but landing a deal won't be easy


This info may be new to some, but known to others. Just figured we need a centralized place to discuss this.

Does anyone have any other relevant info?
 
Does the fact that the sports leagues are trying to get in on ESPN, does that in any way impact the Kings broadcasts for 2023?
 
My God, if the TV is this big a mess in NHL-land (oops! no offence meant to Canadiens with that remark), then heaven knows if we'll get anything in this country (U.K.) at all. I guess I'll have to continue to make do with the 9 minute highlights reel on NHL's YouTube spot. I'm not complaining though, it's a darned sight better than nothing!

How I miss living in L.A. and, later, in South Carolina, although those were the days of Fox Sports West and Bob Miller and Jim Fox! I had a while with the new guy, "you know...the "Dagger" guy, but I didn't like him much at all. I always loved Nick Nickson's voice though. He, for me, was a fantastic listen, after dear Bob Miller (THE MAN!!), of course. I wish Mr Nickson had taken over the TV commentary. That would have been a blast!!

Anyways, as long as The Kings continue to blossom the way they have been over the last couple of seasons and stick it to the Oil in next year's playoffs (they seem destined to meet perenially), I, as an admittedly poorly-informed, but nevertheless totally enthusiastic devotee of Kings Hockey will be as happy as can be!
 
symbology said:
Does the fact that the sports leagues are trying to get in on ESPN, does that in any way impact the Kings broadcasts for 2023?
Click to expand...
Probably not. ESPN is not going to show 82 regular season games for any team


symbology said:
  • It sounds like the NHL owns the broadcast rights, not the Kings, not sure how this works. Did FOX/Ballys/Diamond Sports have an agreement with the Kings directly, or with the NHL/Kings?
Click to expand...
The NHL makes national tv deals. The teams themselves make the local broadcast deals
 
symbology said:
I have seen a number of people questioning how we are going to watch broadcast Kings games this coming season. I started to do a little research and have found some interesting stuff. Below is a list of items that I have discovered, and some links to check out.

  • It sounds like the NHL owns the broadcast rights, not the Kings, not sure how this works. Did FOX/Ballys/Diamond Sports have an agreement with the Kings directly, or with the NHL/Kings?
  • Diamond Sports who holds the RSN (Regional Sports Network) rights is part of Sinclair Broadcasting and Diamond Sports filed for Bankruptcy last year.
  • Diamond Sports just recently filed lawsuits against Sinclair, JPMorgan and another Bank for Fraud.
  • ESPN had talks with the NBA, MLB and the NHL last month as the latter wants to buy an interest in ESPN.
  • Disney CEO Bob Iger announced last week that he wants to keep ESPN, but is looking for minority partners to help provide content and help with costs.
  • Sounds like ESPN is struggling as well, just like Ballys and the other RSN's.

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

Disney CEO Bob Iger wants minority partners for ESPN, but landing a deal won't be easy


This info may be new to some, but known to others. Just figured we need a centralized place to discuss this.

Does anyone have any other relevant info?
Click to expand...
My understanding is that the Kings (and every other team) come to their own individually negotiated agreements with their various Rights Holders.

For example...

Vegas had a contract with AT&T SportsNet but Warner Bros. Discovery OWNS ATT&T SportsNet and informed the various teams with contracts that they would no longer be operating in the Regional Sports Network space. Therefore Vegas was free to negotiate their deal with Scripps TV (local over air broadcasting partner). The NHL did approve of the contract but I'm not certain to what extent the NHL "owns" the broadcasting rights.

As far as ESPN getting into regional sports themselves... the entire reason Sinclair purchased the Fox/Bally channels in the first place was the Department of Justice filing a civil antitrust lawsuit.

www.justice.gov

The Walt Disney Company Required to Divest Twenty-Two Regional Sports Networks in Order to Complete Acquisition of Certain Assets from Twenty-First Century Fox

“American consumers have benefitted from head-to-head competition between Disney and Fox’s cable sports programming that ultimately has prevented cable television subscription prices from rising even higher,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust...
www.justice.gov www.justice.gov

I can't imagine enough has changed for reverse that position so I wouldn't anticipate ESPN operating regional networks like a BALLY SPORTS WEST.

AS for the Kings specifically. Our broadcast deal with Bally ended this summer. The fact that the regional sports network landscape has become so volatile recently is, I believe, a coincidence. The deal was signed 10 years ago, prior to the Diseny purchase of Fox and the subsequent sale of the RSNs to Sinclair.

Not sure that clears anything up but that is my understanding of the situation.
 
ATKM said:
My understanding is that the Kings (and every other team) come to their own individually negotiated agreements with their various Rights Holders.

For example...

Vegas had a contract with AT&T SportsNet but Warner Bros. Discovery OWNS ATT&T SportsNet and informed the various teams with contracts that they would no longer be operating in the Regional Sports Network space. Therefore Vegas was free to negotiate their deal with Scripps TV (local over air broadcasting partner). The NHL did approve of the contract but I'm not certain to what extent the NHL "owns" the broadcasting rights.

As far as ESPN getting into regional sports themselves... the entire reason Sinclair purchased the Fox/Bally channels in the first place was the Department of Justice filing a civil antitrust lawsuit.

www.justice.gov

The Walt Disney Company Required to Divest Twenty-Two Regional Sports Networks in Order to Complete Acquisition of Certain Assets from Twenty-First Century Fox

“American consumers have benefitted from head-to-head competition between Disney and Fox’s cable sports programming that ultimately has prevented cable television subscription prices from rising even higher,” said Assistant Attorney General Makan Delrahim of the Justice Department’s Antitrust...
www.justice.gov www.justice.gov

I can't imagine enough has changed for reverse that position so I wouldn't anticipate ESPN operating regional networks like a BALLY SPORTS WEST.

AS for the Kings specifically. Our broadcast deal with Bally ended this summer. The fact that the regional sports network landscape has become so volatile recently is, I believe, a coincidence. The deal was signed 10 years ago, prior to the Diseny purchase of Fox and the subsequent sale of the RSNs to Sinclair.

Not sure that clears anything up but that is my understanding of the situation.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this. It was a little confusing as you can read online that the RSN (FOX/Bally Sports) had agreements with MLB/NBA/NHL, and there was no real mention of individual teams. From the sounds of it maybe the NHL agreed to a deal with FOX to be the provider for teams in certain markets, but it was up to the individual teams to actually sign the broadcast deal. The fact that the NHL approved the Knights new contract leads me to believe this is the case. NHL has some skin in the game.

So, it sounds like the Kings are kind of in the drivers seat here. Which is one of the things that I was trying to figure out.

If they go over the air, that still binds me to Spectrum, as I am in an area where we cannot get over the air TV. I am waiting to figure out of I can dump Spectrum TV, or I still need it.

Thanks again.
 
11th hour deal coming? This close to the beginning of the season there is no way they aren't working on a broadcast solution.
 
I recently dumped all pay TV (except one more month of Apple Plus) because of the strikes, and no new content. I'm sitting here with my wallet open, waiting to find out who I send my money to for my LA Kings games! It could be one of the few sources for entertainment as this strike scenario trudges on.
 
Talked to a buddy of mine that does freeelance audio engineering work for ESPN, Bally's, et al. He says that until Diamond Sports Group (Bally's parent) exits Chapter 11, they won't be able to ink any new deals. He says expect the Kings to be on a local broadcast station.
 
Mentioned in another thread.

MLB is in the same situation. MLB.com has taken over production of broadcasts for the teams impacted this summer with no deal. The NHL had a relationship w mlb.com in the past ( pretty sure they built NHL.com). Hopefully if it's red alert the NHL will do the same.
 
Here are a few articles to help explain the hurdles MLB, NBA and NHL are facing.


www.basketballinsiders.com

NBA's Local TV Rights Entice YouTube, Apple, Amazon, & Disney

The NBA's local TV rights are drawing interest from YouTube, Apple Inc., Amazon.com Inc., and Walt Disney Co. Bally Sports Regional...
www.basketballinsiders.com www.basketballinsiders.com

www.sportspromedia.com

Warner Bros Discovery to shut down or sell RSNs by end of 2023 - SportsPro

The WBD-owned RSNs have the local broadcast rights to games featuring as many as ten MLB, NBA and NHL teams.
www.sportspromedia.com www.sportspromedia.com
 
Oh, yeah. An option the Kings could choose is to piggyback on what ever deal the Lakers get for local broadcast rights. We all know there is now way the Lakers will not be on local tv.

On this topic, at the time the Dodgers new channel was launched it the best thing for the Kings. Foxsports LA knew they had to lock down the other local teams before they left for a better deal. I recall it was a pretty big contract for the Kings at the time.
 
SirJW said:
Oh, yeah. An option the Kings could choose is to piggyback on what ever deal the Lakers get for local broadcast rights. We all know there is now way the Lakers will not be on local tv.

On this topic, at the time the Dodgers new channel was launched it the best thing for the Kings. Foxsports LA knew they had to lock down the other local teams before they left for a better deal. I recall it was a pretty big contract for the Kings at the time.
Click to expand...
The Lakers have their own channel, like the Dodgers do
 
SirJW said:
Oh yeah, Doh, but I still see no reason the Kings can't jump to Spectrumsportsnet. The only problem is every outlet knows the Kings are desperate so it will probably be a crappy deal.
Click to expand...
That creates some new problems. The Lakers channel is better distributed because they are the Lakers and there really isn't a competing basketball team.

The dodgers got in to distribution problems because of the Angels. Cox, especially, didn't want to pay the fees.
I can see this happening all over again with a RSN run by a cable company. Especially with the Ducks in OC

From your articles, it sounds like Amazon, apple , etc or a direct to consumer solution like the MLB is doing with the Padres is likely going to happen
 
Sooooo if the kings deal was already up and they were looking for a new partner does that mean Luc's hitting up the Saudi's for some of that coin?
 
Today (8/11) during a bankruptcy hearing for Diamond Sports Group, the parent company of Bally Sports, the judge granted them an extra 80 days to finish their go-forward plan. This plan is meant to show the court how Bally Sports will keep operating in the future.
Click to expand...

cordcuttersnews.com

Bally Sports May Lose NHL TV Rights If a Deal Is Not Reached Soon | Cord Cutters News

Once again, Bally Sports is facing the real risk of losing TV rights to sports teams if a deal is not reached soon with the NHL. This summer, Bally Sports lost rights to two MLB teams, with the Padres and Diamondbacks both not being paid. They have also lost to the NBA Phoenix Suns recently […]
cordcuttersnews.com cordcuttersnews.com

awfulannouncing.com

NHL tells bankruptcy court it may ask for emergency relief from Diamond Sports Group contracts

The National Hockey League told a bankruptcy court Friday morning that it may ask for emergency relief from Diamond Sports Group contracts.
awfulannouncing.com
 
Channel 30 (Scripps) or Channel 13 (Fox Secondary) makes the most sense, I know Kings ratings aren't that great, but they have to be better than 20 year old repeats of Law and Order on Channel 30 and repeats of Big Bang Theory on Channel 13.

CBS loves their news block on Channel 9 and KTLA has its wonderful CW programming now being the west coast flagship.
 
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