NHL to go global.

Here is a story that was posted on sportsbusiness.com The NHL is looking to go global, great it's about time. The first thing the NHL should do is get the greatest game in the world hooked back up with ESPN so more people can be exposed to NHL hockey. I still know quite a few people that don't have versus.

NHL looking at global television rights offering
The National Hockey League is looking to be the first US league to offer a global rights offering, according to its Chief Operating Officer John Collins.

The NHL drew record crowds, greater television viewers and new sponsors this season through marketing strategies borrowed from the National Football League. The league’s current focus is to attract sponsors that will ultimately lead to more television money, says Collins.

“If we grow our share of the sports advertising marketplace, I think somebody will step up,” Collins said as quoted on Bloomberg. “We can be the first domestic league that looks at a global rights offering.”

“By 2013 the digital, web and mobile audience will be sufficiently larger so the NHL will be able to combine those users with their TV audience to attract sponsorships that will support a major TV deal. I see so many similarities to the NFL. They know how to lift their passion for a game to a level that is bigger than just their local team.”

The NHL projects revenue will grow 4 per cent this year to $2.7 billion, with around $675 million coming from national and local television. The NFL received about $3.7 billion in national television revenue this year.

Current television partnerships for live NHL coverage are with the Versus cable network and NBC, the latter’s agreement including rights to five games of the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Final.