国家冰球联盟（NHL）宣布将自行制作并发行卡罗来纳飓风队、哥伦布蓝衣人队、明尼苏达野狼队和圣路易斯布鲁斯队的本地比赛转播 [1]。这四支球队在上赛季与已倒闭的Main Street Sports运营的FanDuel Sports Network有转播协议 [1]。
此举是NHL应对地区体育网络衰退的最新举措 [1]。NHL媒体部门总裁David Proper表示，"媒体领域是个疯狂的时刻" [1]。联盟计划升级本地转播质量，并有可能在赛季开始前增加更多球队 [1]。NHL主要活动与内容总裁Steve Mayer指出，"如果上赛季中期发生了什么，我们会迅速动员起来，不会失一步" [1]。NHL已新聘请Rob McGlarry为本地媒体总经理 [1]。
FanDuel Sports Network运营的15个地区频道于上赛季末停业后，其他三支球队已另觅出路：底特律红翼队转向Detroit SportsNet，洛杉矶国王队转向Angels Broadcast TV，纳什维尔掠夺者队与Scripps Sports达成协议 [1]。此外，阿纳海姆鸭队和达拉斯星队也可能加入NHL自制转播的行列，因这两队的转播权提供商Victory+流媒体服务未能按时支付转播权费用 [1]。
MLB自2023年起已开始制作本地转播，本赛季处理15支球队的转播 [1]。NBA则预计在2027-28赛季准备好集中流媒体中心 [1]。
The National Hockey League announced it will take over production and distribution of local game broadcasts for the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, and St. Louis Blues beginning with the upcoming season [1]. These four teams previously held agreements with Main Street Sports/FanDuel Sports Network, which ceased operations at the end of last season after operating 15 regional channels [1].
The move represents the NHL's latest response to the collapse of traditional regional sports networks. Steve Mayer, the league's executive vice president of media and business development, stated: "If something happens midseason, we mobilize quickly and we don't miss a beat" [1].
Three other teams that had been affiliated with the FanDuel network have secured alternative arrangements: the Detroit Red Wings shifted to Detroit SportsNet, the Los Angeles Kings to Angels Broadcast TV, and the Nashville Predators reached an agreement with Scripps Sports [1].
The NHL may expand its in-house broadcast operations further, as the Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars face challenges with Victory+ streaming service, which has failed to make timely payments on broadcast rights fees [1]. David Proper, president of NHL media, characterized the current media landscape, saying: "It's a crazy time in the media business" [1].
The league has appointed Rob McGlarry as general manager of local media to oversee these operations [1]. This initiative follows similar steps by other professional sports leagues, with Major League Baseball having managed local broadcasts for 15 teams since 2023, while the NBA plans to have its centralized streaming hub operational by the 2027-28 season [1].