National Hockey League

Report: NHL agrees to new TV deal

Published Apr. 19, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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The NHL will announce Tuesday a new agreement to keep its broadcasts on NBC and cable network Versus.

The terms of the agreement have not been announced publicly, but Broadcasting & Cable reported the deal is for the next 10 years and is worth about $2 billion. The sum is at least twice what the league was paid under the previous pact.

A press conference will be held Tuesday afternoon to announce the deal.

NBC, which will also receive new digital rights under the contract, outbid ESPN and Turner Broadcasting. Versus will pay the NHL $77 million a year to remain the exclusive cable outlet for NHL broadcasts.

Versus became part of the NBC Sports Group earlier this year when its owner, Comcast, acquired a majority stake in NBC Universal.

The NHL said its television ratings on Versus jumped 17 percent this season, while the New Year's Day Winter Classic on NBC was the most watched regular season game in 36 years. The outdoor clash between the Penguins and Capitals followed a four-part "24/7" series on HBO that offered a behind-the-scenes look at both teams.

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