October 10, 2023

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Hockey is back! ESPN gets the NHL season underway early this evening (or afternoon for you West Coasters) with a tripleheader culminating in the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights’ home opener against the Seattle Kraken. I’m lacing up skates for this morning’s newsletter to bring you all things NHL.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]]

NHL’s Salary Cap Could Climb To Nearly $90M By Next Season [[link removed]]

Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

The NHL begins the 2023-24 season primed for the consistent, sizable growth of its salary cap after breaking out of a dormant period brought on by the pandemic.

From 2019-22, the cap remained flat at $81.5 million, but last season, it increased by $1 million. It’s doing the same this year, sitting at $83.5 million — the highest in league history.

But next year, players’ remaining escrow debt owed to owners — currently $50 million — will in all likelihood be fully paid off, allowing for higher cap increases from season to season.

The NHL believes the cap could rise [[link removed]] to $88 million for 2024-25, and an early estimate for the 2025-26 season is $92 million, according to Cap Friendly [[link removed]].

The salary cap boost is a welcome sign [[link removed]] for many teams looking to spend more and up their competitiveness on the ice. Overall, the league expects to bring in $6.2 billion in total revenue this season.

Players are starting to feel the benefits of professional hockey’s ascendance. This offseason, the Boston Bruins signed [[link removed]] forward David Pastrnak to an eight-year, $90 million contract extension that represented the sixth-largest deal in NHL history.

The NHL is entering the third year of new media rights deals with ESPN and Warner Bros. Discovery Sports (formerly Turner Sports at the time they were signed), reportedly bringing in more than $600 million annually [[link removed]]. Both the deals run through 2028.

PODCAST

🎙️ They Said What?

“I think it’s good for business. You see what Ottawa sold for here recently … At the end of the day, we know that money talks, and we’ll see if there is any expansion here on the horizon.”

— Eddie Olczyk, TNT’s NHL color commentator, on adding teams to the NHL. To hear more from Olczyk about expansion, Connor Bedard, and the new broadcasting team on TNT, check out the latest episode of FOS Today.

🎧 Listen and subscribe on Apple [[link removed]], Google [[link removed]], and Spotify [[link removed]].

Blackhawks Ticket Sales Soaring With Connor Bedard’s Arrival [[link removed]]

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

The Chicago Blackhawks enter this NHL season with new hope thanks to the arrival of rookie sensation Connor Bedard, the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft — and who many project to be a generational prospect.

After winning three Stanley Cups last decade, the Blackhawks have missed the playoffs three seasons in a row and five out of the last six. But Bedard’s arrival has sparked the anticipation of improvement on the ice — with the kind of financial boosts that accompany it.

The team has nearly doubled its season ticket base from last year and is expecting a 10% increase in total tickets sold, according to ESPN [[link removed]]. Meanwhile, the team is expecting at least a 17% increase in tickets sold and 26% higher revenue growth over their initial projections for the 2023-24 season.

The Bedard hype started as soon as the Blackhawks won the NHL Draft lottery — the team sold [[link removed]] $5.2 million in season tickets in the ensuing 12 hours.

But while the anticipation is high in Chicago, local fans will have to wait to get a firsthand look at Bedard. After their season opener at Pittsburgh on Tuesday night, the Blackhawks have four more road games before their home opener against the defending champion Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 21.

At sportsbooks, Bedard is the overwhelming favorite to win the Calder Trophy (NHL Rookie of the Year), but even with the hopeful superstar, the Blackhawks are near the bottom of the league for projected points totals and in the odds to win the Stanley Cup.

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Bridging the Digital Divide in Sports Fandom

Connected devices have thoroughly transformed the way sports media is consumed, creating a digital divide [[link removed]] as viewership fragments across platforms and screens.

For sports organizations and broadcasters, understanding how, what, and where fans are consuming sports media is essential to effectively engage and adapt to constantly changing viewership preferences. As an increasing number of viewers consume media in short, snackable portions, game highlights have emerged as a preferred viewing choice, particularly among younger generations.

Delivering relevant short-form content on-demand is the key to connecting with the sports fan community. But how can stakeholders be “everywhere at once” and bridge the digital divide in sports fandom? By harnessing the power and speed of AI-powered technologies [[link removed]] to create highlights in real-time, to be consumed by fans immediately.

Download [[link removed]] to learn more.

NHL Open To Expansion, Says New Entry Fee Would Be ‘A Lot’ [[link removed]]

Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

We’ll see no expansion teams this NHL season, but speculation is growing that the league will soon explore further growth beyond its current 32 teams.

Last month, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly made some surprising but supportive comments [[link removed]] about the perceived viability of professional hockey in Atlanta, sparkling new hope for the city that has twice seen an NHL team relocate for greener pastures.

Atlanta developers are considering a $1 billion project [[link removed]] that includes an arena fit for an NHL team, among other uses. One report [[link removed]] recently suggested that the project received state approvals — and that Atlanta appears to be the “leader of the pack” for NHL expansion among cities currently without a viable arena.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman wouldn’t confirm that expansion is imminent, but also wouldn’t shut down the idea. “We’re not there,” Bettman said. “We’re just getting expressions of interest.”

Bettman said a potential expansion fee would simply be “ a lot [[link removed]].” The Seattle Kraken’s owners paid a record $650 million to enter the league in 2021. Vegas Golden Knights ownership paid [[link removed]] $500 million in 2016 and debuted in 2017.

Houston, Salt Lake City, and Quebec City are other markets linked to possible NHL expansion.

North America’s Top Dog

Any further expansion would make the NHL larger than the rest of North America’s Big Five.

The NFL held that title by itself until the NHL added Seattle to make 32 teams. The NBA and MLB currently sit at 30 teams, but both are exploring expansion in the coming years.

MLS currently has 29 teams and will grow to 30 with the addition of San Diego in 2025.

Bettman: Coyotes ‘Will Finalize Something’ For Arena In Coming Months [[link removed]]

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

The Arizona Coyotes are entering their second season playing at the 5,000-seat Mullet Arena on the campus of Arizona State University — but the team and NHL are optimistic that plans for the franchise’s future home will be solidified by season’s end.

“My belief is in the next few months, they will finalize something,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said [[link removed]] recently.

In August, the Coyotes signed [[link removed]] a letter of intent to purchase a plot of land in Mesa as the possible site of a $2.1 billion sports and entertainment district featuring a 16,000-seat arena. That came after a huge defeat for the franchise in May, when a similar project was rejected [[link removed]] by voters in Tempe.

Now, the Coyotes are tasked with determining the best land option and funding sources.

Bettman added that his hope was to have something done by the end of the season and/or next summer. It would be several years before the Coyotes could move into a new venue, even if construction started in 2024.

Media Madness

Last week, the Coyotes finally got clarity regarding their media rights deal with Diamond Sports Group’s Bally Sports Arizona, which was supposed to run through the 2024-25 season. A bankruptcy judge granted permission to DSG to reject the deal, allowing the Coyotes to take over the rights.

Coyotes president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez told [[link removed]] Front Office Sports the team had planned on that outcome for several weeks, although the franchise couldn’t make any agreements until Thursday’s ruling came down. The Coyotes announced a local broadcast deal with Scripps Sports to carry 81 of 82 games.

Conversation Starters The NHL wants its Las Vegas draft to be a spectacle [[link removed]] — and the $2.3B Sphere is the perfect spot to make it one. Tiger Woods’ new mini golf concept is expanding [[link removed]] across the country. Check out the latest PopStroke location in Scottsdale, Arizona. Having a brand to sell helps win championships — and Deion Sanders has made [[link removed]] Colorado college football’s hot new brand.

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My Other Passion: Zaire Wade

[[link removed]]

Zaire Wade is mostly known as one of basketball’s most promising young players and the son of a basketball legend. But like many professional athletes – Zaire has his own passions off the court.​

​In our new series, My Other Passion, presented by Chevrolet, we hit the outdoors [[link removed]] with some of the most recognizable athletes in sports to explore their interests outside the arena.​

​Learn how biking helps Zaire Wade move forward, find peace off the court, and gain the mental freedom he needs to succeed in pursuit of his dream.​

​Watch episode three [[link removed]] now.

Editor's Picks The Top 10 Most Valuable NHL Franchises [[link removed]]by Doug Greenberg [[link removed]]A National Hockey League team's average valuation is $1.03 billion. NHL’s Flames Finalize Plans For $890M Arena, Development Project [[link removed]]by Eric Fisher [[link removed]]NHL team ownership completes development pact with city, province. New Senators Owner Andlauer Stresses Caution In Arena Pursuit [[link removed]]by Eric Fisher [[link removed]]New team owner to sell separate minority stake in Montreal Canadiens. The 25 Highest-Paid NHL Players for 2023-24 [[link removed]]by Doug Greenberg [[link removed]]The Colorado Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon is the 2023-24 season’s highest-paid player. Question Of The Day

Do you plan to watch any NHL games this season?

Yes [[link removed]] No [[link removed]]

Monday’s Answer

79% of respondents have played tennis.

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Sports Careers [[link removed]] Written by David Rumsey [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Brian Krikorian [[link removed]]

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