MLB Inks $600 Million Pact with NHL to Handle TV, Streaming Distribution

Major League Baseball’s media division has announced a six-year deal with the NHL, under which MLB Advanced Media will take over the hockey league’s TV broadcasting and online video on demand operations.

Under the terms of the pact, MLBAM will pay the NHL about $100 million per year for the rights to distribute the league’s out-of-market telecasts, including the NHL GameCenter Live and NHL Center Ice subscriptions services, in the U.S. and certain international markets. The NHL will receive an equity stake in MLBAM of between 7% and 10%.

MLBAM, in addition to operating the MLB.tv subscription streaming service for out-of-market baseball games, also powers the streaming infrastructure of HBO Now, WWE Network, Sony’s PlayStation Vue Internet TV service and the PGA. It has also provided services for CBS’ March Madness on Demand service and ESPN’s WatchESPN.

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