Flyers, Phillies digital cousins in $600 million deal between NHL, MLB Advanced Media
Though still separated by a parking lot at the stadium complex in South Philadelphia, the Flyers and Phillies got a bit closer digitally on Tuesday.
Though still separated by a parking lot at the stadium complex in South Philadelphia, the Flyers and Phillies got a bit closer digitally on Tuesday.
The National Hockey League and Major League Baseball Advanced Media Tuesday announced a six-year, $600 million deal under which the baseball league's technology subsidiary will run the operations of the hockey league's TV network, and the websites and other digital platforms of the league and its 30 teams, including the Flyers.
The NHL and its teams will retain control of the content on the TV network and websites.
The Phillies' website and online ticketing operation is run through MLBAM or its subsidiaries. MLBAM has gotten so proficient at streaming video and selling related products, including tickets, that it has moved beyond the baseball diamond, striking deals with organizations such as HBO.
The new NHL digital products will likely launch in January, the NHL said. The NHL Network will move operations from Toronto to inside MLBAM headquarters in Secaucus, N.J., in time for the start of the 2015-16 season.
The deal also gives the NHL an equity stake in a new technology company, called BAM Tech, being launched by MLBAM.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred jointly announced the deal Tuesday at NHL headquarters in New York.
"Baseball has done a great job in building up BAM as an industry leader and getting more fans to experience the game in new ways is what we do," said John Collins, the NHL's chief operating officer. "MLBAM is going to allow us, on the production and technology fronts, to be in front of the curve, because of their scale, on a lot of these opportunities as it relates to hockey."
In 2011, Philadelphia-based Comcast Corp.'s NBCUniversal subsidiary signed a 10-year, $2 billion contract with the NHL to broadcast games on its networks.
Comcast is also the parent company of Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center.
The NHL will get $100 million a year from MLBAM. Hockey players will be rooting for that, too. The NHL said revenues created by this deal will be go into calculating the salary cap in future seasons. Players benefit from a higher cap.
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