Comcast, OLN and the NHL Make Hockey History - Streaming Games Over the Web for the First Time
Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK), the nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products and services, joins the NHL and OLN to make hockey history as the first Internet provider to stream live NHL games over the Internet. Comcast's more than 7.7 million High-Speed Internet customers will be the first and only broadband users to experience hockey action live on their PCs, during the 2005-2006 season.
This exclusive agreement gives Comcast High-Speed Internet customers access to up to two live games daily, for a total of up to 300 throughout the season, up through the Stanley Cup playoffs. Beginning October 5, users can view the live NHL games in the Sports channel on Comcast.net.
Comcast.net will begin adding new NHL content to its Sports Channel next month:
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Access to archive of streamed games (for 48 hours after original
broadcast)
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Hockey Live Video Player - player used to watch live and archived
games
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Hockey Fan(TM) video player - video clips of game highlights,
previews, reviews, and interviews that are easy to watch, search for,
and organize
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Links to OLN television schedule and expert commentary
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Links to NHL full-season schedule and merchandise
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NHL Scoreboard
Content will be updated throughout the season, with future enhancements
planned. These include: scoreboards, standings, league leaders, a fantasy
hockey league, and additional community features.
Comcast is making access to these games easy and convenient for all hockey
fans - from the casual viewer to the die-hard fanatic. Comcast subscribers can
view the action from their homes or anywhere there is a broadband connection.
Hockey buffs who are out of town and miss their favorite teams will now still
be able to enjoy them on Comcast.net. Local blackout restrictions will be in
effect for all games.
"With Comcast, hockey fans can experience an entirely new level of their
favorite sport," said Greg Butz, senior vice president of marketing and
business development for Comcast Online. "We are offering our customers a
fast, reliable connection and content they can't get from any other broadband
provider - such as their favorite NHL teams, streamed live and archived for a
limited time, for added convenience."
To launch the season, Comcast.net will be hosting a live online chat with
Mike "Doc" Emrick. Doc Emrick has more than 25 years of experience calling
games for the NHL and is the main play-by-play voice for OLN's NHL coverage.
The chat will be held tonight, Tuesday, October 4 at 9:00 p.m. ET/ 6:00 p.m.
PT. He will be available to answer fan questions about:
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The impact of rules changes
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Thoughts about the introduction of the shootout as a tiebreaker
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His predictions for the upcoming season
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Much more
"Streaming live NHL games is a key element to our multi-media deal with
Comcast," said Doug Perlman, NHL Senior Vice President of Television and New
Media. "Our fans are some of the most passionate and tech savvy in
professional sports, and this is another great way for them to connect with
the NHL."
The feed will be supplied through the "Hockey Live Video Player," a
Comcast-branded Windows Media Player.
Sports enthusiasts can access the Comcast.net Sports Channel by going to
http://www.Comcast.net/sports or by clicking "Sports" on the left hand
navigation bar on Comcast.net.
This news follows the August 18, 2005 announcement of the NHL, OLN, and
Comcast partnership. It marks another step towards fulfilling the partners'
promise of redefining the sport of hockey for its viewers.
Comcast will broadcast over 25 regular season games and select playoff
games in high definition.
Comcast-owned OLN is the new cable television home of the NHL. OLN's
schedule features 58 regular-season games, wall-to-wall playoff action and the
first two games of the Stanley Cup Finals. The schedule highlights some of
the most exciting hockey match-ups, such as Boston vs. Montreal, Chicago vs.
Detroit, Pittsburgh vs. Philadelphia, Colorado vs. Detroit and Boston vs. NY
Rangers. Every U.S.-based team will be featured on OLN at least once during
the regular season, with teams like Detroit and Colorado making eight
appearances each. Mike "Doc" Emrick will be the network's lead play-by-play
announcer, John Davidson will serve as the network's lead analyst, Bill
Clement and Keith Jones will host OLN's studio show.
About the NHL
The National Hockey League, founded November 22, 1917, is the second
oldest of the four major team sports leagues in North America. Today, the NHL
consists of 30 Member Clubs based in the United States and Canada. More than
33 percent of NHL players hail from outside North America from 22 different
countries. Through the NHL Foundation, the League's charitable arm, the NHL
raises money and awareness for Hockey Fights Cancer, Hockey's All-Star Kids
and NHL Diversity, and supports the charitable efforts of all NHL players. For
more information on the NHL, fans may log on to NHL.com.
About OLN
OLN is the leader in competitive and adrenaline-charged content. Now in
more than 64 million homes, OLN is the cable home of the National Hockey
League and best-in-class events like The Tour de France, The America's Cup,
Professional Bull Riders (PBR), the Boston Marathon and USSA Skiing. The
network offers unique programming in four primary areas: Action Sports, Field
Sports, Bulls & Rodeo and Awe-Inspiring Series, and is the exclusive home of
Survivor in syndication. OLN, a wholly owned company of Comcast Corporation
(Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK), is distributed via cable systems and satellite
operators throughout the United States.
About Comcast
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (http://www.comcast.com) is the
nation's leading provider of cable, entertainment and communications products
and services. With 21.4 million cable customers, 7.7 million high-speed
Internet customers, and 1.2 million voice customers, Comcast is principally
involved in the development, management and operation of broadband cable
networks and in the delivery of programming content.
The Company's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment
Television, Style Network, The Golf Channel, OLN, G4, AZN Television, PBS KIDS
Sprout, TV One and four regional Comcast SportsNets. The Company also has a
majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the
Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball
team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia. Comcast Class A common
stock and Class A Special common stock trade on The NASDAQ Stock Market under
the symbols CMCSA and CMCSK, respectively.