Negotiating a new contract with the CBC, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman reportedly recognized the broadcaster's financial difficulties and offered a smaller package which would have consisted of a national doubleheader on Saturday nights (as opposed to regional coverage of multiple games), reduced playoff coverage, and the loss of digital rights and the All-Star Game. Rights to the remaining properties not covered under the CBC contract would have been offered to other broadcasters. However, CBC Sports' staff (including executive director Jeffrey Orridge) continued to insist on exclusivity for every Saturday-night game involving Canadian teams. The CBC was unable to reach a deal; the league reportedly aimed for its next round of Canadian television contracts to have a total value of at least $3.2 billion. BCE (owners of Bell Media and previous cable rights-holder TSN) bid for sole national rights to the NHL, and attempted to contact the CBC about a partnership; the CBC Sports staff did not respond. Rogers Communications also made a bid of its own.
negotiating a new contract with the cbc nhl commissioner gary bettman reportedly recognized the broadcaster's financial difficulties and offered a smaller package which would have consisted of a national doubleheader on saturday nights (as opposed to regional coverage of multiple games) reduced playoff coverage and the loss of digital rights and the all-star game rights to the remaining properties not covered under the cbc contract would have been offered to other broadcasters however cbc sports' staff (including executive director jeffrey orridge) continued to insist on exclusivity for every saturday-night game involving canadian teams the cbc was unable to reach a deal; the league reportedly aimed for its next round of canadian television contracts to have a total value of at least $32 billion bce (owners of bell media and previous cable rights-holder tsn) bid for sole national rights to the nhl and attempted to contact the cbc about a partnership; the cbc sports staff did not respond rogers communications also made a bid of its own