NHL's 1999-2000 Television Schedule

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Click Here To See The Complete NHL Regular-Season TV Schedule

NHL Unveils TV Sked
ESPN2 To Show 102 Regular-Season Games, ESPN 27 & ABC 4

By George Stahl

NEW YORK (AQB)--ESPN begins Disney's new five-year agreement with the NHL with an exclusive opening night telecast on Oct. 1, when Stanley Cup champion Dallas Stars hosts Hart Trophy winner Jaromir Jagr and the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7:30 p.m.

That's only 78 days from the date this story was written on July 14 and 102 days after Brett Hull's controversial Cup-clinching goal.

ABC, after a five-year layoff, returns to the NHL with the 2000 All-Star Game on Feb. 6 from Toronto. Along with the All-Star Game, ABC will televise four regular-season contests, provide weekend coverage during the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and broadcast up to five Stanley Cup Finals games in prime-time (Games 3-7).

ESPN features a 27-game schedule, which includes, for the first time, 22 exclusive regular-season telecasts. ESPN's playoff coverage includes Games 1 and 2 of the finals.

ESPN2, which is increasing its NHL coverage by 33 percent, will televise 102 regular-season games - four per week - beginning at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5 with Dallas at Detroit. ESPN2's schedule includes at least 26 games in prime-time on the West Coast.

NHL 2Night, the Deuce's NHL highlights/news program, returns for its sixth straight season. It will air generally at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday or following West Coast NHL action on ESPN2.

ESPN International will syndicate and distribute a variety of NHL programming including live games, special events, and news and magazine shows.

In addition, ESPN and ESPN2 will feature NHL Cool Shots, a weekly lifestyle/ entertainment series developed by the NHL and produced by NHL productions.

The 1999-2000 season begins the 83rd year of competition for the NHL and marks the first of a five-year agreement between the NHL and ABC/ESPN for national over-the-air and cable rights.

As reported, Disney Co., parent of ABC and ESPN, signed a five-year, $600 million deal with the National Hockey League. Over the five years, Disney is paying $350 million for the ESPN package and $250 million for ABC’s. ESPN, though, actually will buy the time on ABC for the games at a cost of $50 million-a-year, or $250 million over the contract.

The deal is 2.6 times more money than Fox Sports and ESPN paid under the current contract.

Specific highlights of ESPN's schedule include:

Nine telecasts from Jan. through March that will generally begin at 8 p.m. Sunday.

Brett Hull, Mike Modano and the Dallas Stars making seven appearances, including a couple of playoff rematches, the first in St. Louis against the Blues on Nov. 9 and the other at home against Colorado on Feb. 27.

Colorado appearing five times, and the Detroit Red Wings on four occasions. The teams will face each other on Feb. 13.

The reigning Eastern Conference champion Buffalo Sabres hosting Philadelphia on Dec. 14, the first of two Sabres' appearances.

Finally, the new look New York Rankgers skating six times on ESPN with newly acquired star Theo Fleury.

Some ESPN2 highlights include:

27 of 28 teams - including the expansion Atlanta Thrashers - appearing this season. ESPN2's first Atlanta telecast will be Oct. 7, when the Thrashers host Detroit.

a Stanley Cup Finals rematch between Dallas and Buffalo on Nov. 3.

17 appearances by Phoenix, followed by Colorado (16), Detroit (16) and Anaheim (14).

Click Here To See The Complete NHL Regular-Season TV Schedule

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