The National Hockey League on Monday unveiled a “tender process” for international media rights to live hockey games to be sold throughout Europe and the hotter, star tropics of Africa and the Middle East. The league believes hockey is already making strides overseas, as 26% of NHL players come from outside of North America, and with regular season games and exhibitions being staged in Europe. The phrase “tender process” relates to there being no ice in the Middle East, and also all the machine guns and horror and death.
From the Hollywood Reporter, which is a surprisingly good source of pro hockey news:
The NHL said Evolution Media Capital will conduct an open auction for the foreign rights to live NHL games covering the 2011-12 through 2014-15 seasons.
The open bidding process will run from May 17 to June 8.
I remember my uncle going to fight in Desert Storm and bringing me back a Coke can with Arabic writing on the front. Maybe I should’ve asked him for a Mark Messier jersey. If the NHL wants to speed up the process, they should send the Washington Capitals to the Middle East, as they are intensely familiar with tragic bombings.
