Hockey fans are used to it by now. Bettman, who's been at the helm of the NHL since 1993, made a few bad calls over the course of his career. In recent years, the massive fiasco of the BioSteel deal made headlines: the company went bankrupt, forcing the drink supplier to cease their association with the NHL after only two seasons.
The commissioner made a deal with Diamond Sports Group, the broadcasting company who own the rights to nine NHL teams, for the 2024-25 season.
This new deal confirmed that wether or not they go bankrupt, they will broadcast the games of the Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning for the whole season, regardless of what happens on September 3rd, when the fate of the company will be determined.
We are appreciative of the ongoing collaboration and long-term partnerships with the NBA and NHL, David Preschlack, Diamond's CEO, said in a statement. These new agreements that cover NBA and NHL linear and (direct-to-consumer) rights are another major milestone and continue Diamond's momentum toward emergence, which will enable us to provide value for our NBA and NHL partners and continue to serve dedicated local NBA, NHL, and MLB fans [...]
