9 7 9 ▁through ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁N HL ▁Network . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁the ▁Hugh es ▁broadcast ▁network ▁sim ul cast ▁C BC ' s ▁feed ▁before ▁the ▁series ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁cable . ▁During ▁its ▁time ▁on ▁cable ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁rights ▁to ▁the ▁series ▁was ▁held ▁at ▁various ▁times ▁by ▁USA , ▁Sports Channel ▁America ▁and ▁ESP N , ▁but ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁exclusive ▁coverage ▁of ▁games ▁and ▁thus ▁local ▁broad c aster s ▁could ▁also ▁still ▁te lev ise ▁them ▁region ally ▁as ▁well . ▁In ▁, ▁Fox ▁signed ▁on ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁exclusive ▁national ▁broadcast ▁network ▁of ▁selected ▁games ▁of ▁the ▁final ▁round , ▁splitting ▁it ▁with ▁ESP N . ▁This ▁splitting ▁of ▁exclusive ▁national ▁coverage ▁on ▁cable / bro ad cast ▁networks ▁remains , ▁first ▁being ▁passed ▁to ▁ABC ▁and ▁ESP N ▁in ▁, ▁and ▁then ▁N BC ▁and ▁Vers us ▁( now ▁N BC SN ) ▁in ▁. ▁ ▁Tim eline ▁of ▁national ▁broad c aster s ▁ ▁Series ▁format ▁ ▁The ▁championship ▁series ▁began ▁with ▁the ▁inter le ague ▁' World ▁Series ' ▁played ▁in ▁one ▁city . ▁The ▁series ▁altern ated ▁between ▁a ▁r ink ▁of ▁the ▁N HA ▁and ▁later ▁the ▁N HL ▁and ▁a ▁r ink ▁of ▁the ▁P CH A ▁and ▁later ▁the ▁W CH L / W HL . ▁It ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁the ▁dem ise ▁of ▁the ▁WH L , ▁that