The NHL on ABC is a former TV show that televised National Hockey League games on the American Broadcasting Company and was produced by ABC's corporate sibling (under the Walt Disney Company umbrella) ESPN.
Before the 1992–93 NHL season
In 1979, ABC was contracted to televise Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.[1] Since the Finals ended in five games, the contract was void. Had there been a Game 7, then Al Michaels (play-by-play), Jim McKay (anchor, under the Wide World of Sports umbrella), Bobby Clarke (color commentator), and Frank Gifford (reporter, who would have been in the winning team's dressing room to interview players and coaches as well as hand the phone to the winning team's coach that that would have allowed him to talk to both President Jimmy Carter and Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau). This would have given Michaels the distinction of calling all 4 major North American sports championships, having since called the Super Bowl, World Series, and NBA Finals.
1992–1994 version
In the 1992–93 and 1993–94 seasons, ABC televised 6 weekly regional telecasts on Sunday afternoons beginning in March (or the last 3 Sundays of the regular season). This marked the first time that regular season broadcasts of NHL games were aired on American network television since 1974–75 (when NBC was the NHL's American broadcast television partner). ABC would then televise 3 weeks worth of playoff games (or the first 3 Sundays of the playoffs). They didn't televise the Stanley Cup Finals which instead, were televised nationally by ESPN and by Prime Ticket in Los Angeles (1993) and MSG Network in New York (1994). Games televised on ABC were not subject to blackout.
These broadcasts (just as the case was with the 1999–2000–2003–04 package) were essentially, time buys by ESPN. The main difference is that the graphics were ABC Sports' instead of the ones seen on ESPN National Hockey Night. In later years, the roles would be reversed as ESPN's graphical style would be used with the exception of intermission reports. ABC even used ESPN's theme music for the 1992–1994 coverage. During ABC's next stint with NHL, they had their own theme music (composed by Bob Christianson).
Announcers
Studio host
Broadcast teams (1992–93)
Broadcast teams (1993–94)
Reporters
Schedules
1993–94
Date | Teams | Start times (All times Eastern) |
---|---|---|
March 27 | Boston at Washington Detroit at Chicago New York Rangers at Winnipeg Los Angeles at Vancouver |
1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. |
April 3 | Boston at Pittsburgh Dallas at Washington St. Louis at Detroit Edmonton at Los Angeles |
1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. |
April 10 | New York Rangers at New York Islanders Boston at Philadelphia Los Angeles at Chicago Dallas at St. Louis |
1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. |
April 17, 24, May 1: Playoffs
Stanley Cup playoff commentator crews
1993
Round | Series | Games covered | Play-by-play | Color commentators |
---|---|---|---|---|
Division semifinals | Pittsburgh vs. New Jersey | Games 1, 4 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement |
Chicago vs. St. Louis | Games 1, 4 | Mike Emrick | Jim Schoenfeld | |
Calgary vs. Los Angeles | Games 1, 4 | Al Michaels | John Davidson | |
Division finals | Pittsburgh vs. New York Islanders | Game 1 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement |
Toronto vs. St. Louis | Game 4 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | |
Vancouver vs. Los Angeles | Game 1 | Mike Emrick | John Davidson | |
Conference finals | Montreal vs. New York Islanders | Game 1 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement |
1994
Round | Series | Games covered | Play-by-play | Color commentators | Ice level reporters |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conference quarterfinals | New York Rangers vs. New York Islanders | Games 1, 4 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | Al Morganti |
Dallas vs. St. Louis | Games 1, 4 | Tom Mees | Darren Pang (Game 1)
John Davidson (Game 4) |
Bob Neumeier (Game 1) | |
Conference semifinals | New Jersey vs. Boston | Game 1 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | Al Morganti |
1999–2004 version
In August 1998, ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC signed a 5 year deal worth a total of approximately $600,000,000 (or $120,000,000 per year).
This time around, ABC televised 4-5 weeks worth of regional games on Saturday afternoons beginning in January. ABC also televised NHL All-Star Game and Games 3–7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in prime time.
Following the 2003–04 season, ESPN was only willing to renew for 2 years at $60 million per year and ABC refused to televise the Stanley Cup Finals in prime time. Disney executives later conceded that they overpaid for the 1999–2004 deal, so their offer to renew the TV rights was lower in 2004.
Announcers
Studio personalities
- John Saunders (1999–2004)
- John Davidson (1999–2002)
- Barry Melrose (2003–2004)
Stanley Cup Finals personalities
- John Saunders
- Al Michaels (2000–2002)
- Chris Berman (2002–2004)
- Barry Melrose (2000–2004)
- John Davidson (2000–2002)
Commentator Crews
- Gary Thorne-Bill Clement and John Davidson (2003–04)
- Steve Levy-Darren Pang
- Mike Emrick-Barry Melrose/Brian Engblom
- Dave Strader-Jim Schoenfeld
- Dave Ryan-Joe Micheletti
Reporters
- Brian Engblom
- Darren Pang
- Joe Micheletti
- Mickey Redmond
- Daryl Reaugh
- Tony Granato
- Erin Andrews
- Sam Ryan
- Chris Simpson
Schedules
1999–2000
Date | Teams | Start times (All times Eastern) | Commentator Crews |
---|---|---|---|
March 18 | Pittsburgh at Boston
New York Rangers at Philadelphia |
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose |
March 26 | Pittsburgh at Philadelphia
New York Rangers at Detroit |
1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. |
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Dave Strader and Jim Schoenfeld Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose |
April 1 | New York Rangers at Boston | 1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Dave Strader and Jim Schoenfeld Steve Levy and Darren Pang |
April 9 | Philadelphia at New York Rangers St. Louis at Chicago Detroit at Colorado Los Angeles at Anaheim Phoenix at Dallas |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose Dave Ryan and Joe Micheletti Dave Strader and Brian Engblom |
2000–01
Date | Teams | Start times (All times Eastern) | Commentator Crews |
---|---|---|---|
March 10 | New Jersey at Philadelphia Detroit at St. Louis Colorado at Dallas |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Steve Levy and Darren Pang |
March 17 | New York Rangers at Philadelphia Detroit at Colorado San Jose at Los Angeles |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Steve Levy and Darren Pang |
March 24 | Detroit at New York Rangers
Anaheim at Los Angeles |
1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Steve Levy and Darren Pang |
March 31 | New York Rangers at New Jersey Detroit at Philadelphia St. Louis at Pittsburgh Colorado at Los Angeles |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Steve Levy and Darren Pang Dave Strader and Brian Engblom |
April 7 | Pittsburgh at Philadelphia Colorado at Detroit Dallas at San Jose New York Rangers at Florida |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Steve Levy and Darren Pang Dave Strader and Brian Engblom |
2001–02
Date | Teams | Start times (All times Eastern) | Commentator Crews |
---|---|---|---|
January 5 | Detroit at Colorado Pittsburgh at New York Rangers Washington at Boston |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Gary Thorne and Bill Clement
Steve Levy and Darren Pang |
January 12 | New York Rangers at Philadelphia St. Louis at Pittsburgh Dallas at Detroit |
1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. |
Gary Thorne and Bill Clement
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose Steve Levy and Darren Pang |
March 2 | Philadelphia at New York Rangers Detroit at Pittsburgh Dallas at Colorado |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose
Steve Levy and Darren Pang |
March 9 | Pittsburgh at New York Rangers Detroit at St. Louis Colorado at Los Angeles |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose |
March 16 | Boston at Detroit New York Rangers at New Jersey* Colorado at Philadelphia |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Steve Levy and Darren Pang |
2002–03
Date | Teams | Start times (All times Eastern) | Commentator Crews |
---|---|---|---|
January 11 | Colorado at Dallas Detroit at Philadelphia New York Rangers at Pittsburgh |
1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. |
Gary Thorne and Bill Clement
Steve Levy and Darren Pang Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom |
February 8 | Pittsburgh at Boston Colorado at Detroit New York Rangers at Philadelphia |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom
Steve Levy and Darren Pang |
March 15 | Colorado at Detroit New York Rangers at New Jersey* Philadelphia at Pittsburgh |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Gary Thorne and Bill Clement
Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom Steve Levy and Darren Pang |
March 22 | New York Rangers at Philadelphia Chicago at Colorado Detroit at St. Louis |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Gary Thorne and Bill Clement
Steve Levy and Darren Pang Mike Emrick and Barry Melrose |
March 29 | Detroit at St. Louis New York Rangers at Boston Phoenix at Colorado |
1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. 6:00 p.m. |
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
Steve Levy and Darren Pang Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom |
2003–04 season
Date | Teams | Start times (All times Eastern) | Commentator Crews |
---|---|---|---|
January 10 | Detroit at Boston Colorado at Dallas New York Rangers at New York Islanders |
1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. |
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom |
February 14 | New York Rangers at Philadelphia | 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom |
March 13 | Dallas at Detroit New Jersey at Philadelphia Los Angeles at San Jose |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. |
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
Mike Emrick and Eddie Olczyk Steve Levy and Darren Pang |
March 20 | New York Rangers at Philadelphia St. Louis at Dallas |
3:00 p.m.
3:00 p.m. |
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson
Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom |
March 27 | New York Rangers at Philadelphia
Los Angeles at Calgary |
1:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. |
Steve Levy and Darren Pang
Gary Thorne, Bill Clement, and John Davidson Mike Emrick and Brian Engblom |
Stanley Cup playoffs 2000–2004
Year | Round | Teams | Games | Play-by-play | Color commentators | Ice level reporters |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2000 | Conference quarterfinals | Washington-Pittsburgh | Game 2 | Mike Emrick | Barry Melrose | Joe Micheletti |
St. Louis-San Jose | Games 2, 6 | Dave Strader (Game 2)
Gary Thorne (Game 6) |
Brian Hayward (Game 2)
Bill Clement (Game 6) |
Brian Engblom (Game 6) | ||
Colorado-Phoenix | Game 2 | Steve Levy | Darren Pang | Daryl Reaugh | ||
Detroit-Los Angeles | Game 2 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | Brian Engblom | ||
Conference semifinals | Philadelphia-Pittsburgh | Games 2, 5 | Steve Levy (Game 2)
Gary Thorne (Game 5) |
Darren Pang (Game 2)
Bill Clement (Game 5) |
Daryl Reaugh (Game 2)
Brian Engblom and Darren Pang (Game 5) | |
Colorado-Detroit | Game 2 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | Brian Engblom | ||
Conference finals | Philadelphia-New Jersey | Game 1 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | Brian Engblom | |
Dallas-Colorado | Game 4 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | Brian Engblom | ||
2001 | Conference quarterfinals | Washington-Pittsburgh | Games 2, 5 | Dave Strader (Game 2)
Gary Thorne (Game 5) |
Jim Schoenfeld (Game 2)
Bill Clement (Game 5) |
Chris Simpson (Game 2)
Brian Engblom (Game 5) |
Philadelphia-Buffalo | Games 2, 6 | Mike Emrick | Barry Melrose | Mickey Redmond | ||
Detroit-Los Angeles | Games 2, 5 | Steve Levy | Darren Pang | Joe Micheletti | ||
St. Louis-San Jose | Games 2, 6 | Gary Thorne (Game 2) Dave Strader (Game 6) |
Bill Clement (Game 2) Jim Schoenfeld (Game 6) |
Brian Engblom (Game 2)
Chris Simpson (Game 6) | ||
Conference semifinals | Buffalo-Pittsburgh | Games 2, 5 | Steve Levy (Game 2)
Gary Thorne (Game 5) |
Darren Pang (Game 2) Bill Clement (Game 5) |
Joe Micheletti (Game 2)
Brian Engblom (Game 5) | |
Colorado-Los Angeles | Game 2 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | Brian Engblom | ||
Conference finals | New Jersey-Pittsburgh | Game 4 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | Brian Engblom | |
Colorado-St. Louis | Game 1 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | Brian Engblom | ||
2002 | Conference quarterfinals | Boston-Montreal | Game 5 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | Brian Engblom |
Carolina-New Jersey | Game 6 | Mike Emrick | Barry Melrose | Chris Simpson | ||
Toronto-New York Islanders | Game 2 | Steve Levy | Darren Pang | Joe Micheletti | ||
Colorado-Los Angeles | Games 2, 6 | Gary Thorne (Game 2) Steve Levy (Game 6) |
Bill Clement (Game 2)
Darren Pang (Game 6) |
Brian Engblom (Game 2)
Joe Micheletti (Game 6) | ||
San Jose-Phoenix | Game 2 | Dave Strader | Jim Schoenfeld | Tony Granato | ||
St. Louis-Chicago | Game 2 | Mike Emrick | Barry Melrose | Chris Simpson | ||
Conference semifinals | Detroit-St. Louis | Games 2, 5 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | Brian Engblom | |
Colorado-San Jose | Games 2, 5 | Steve Levy | Darren Pang | Joe Micheletti | ||
Conference finals | Detroit-Colorado | Games 1, 4 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement | Brian Engblom | |
2003 | Conference quarterfinals | Tampa Bay-Washington | Game 2 | Mike Emrick | Brian Engblom | |
Philadelphia-Toronto | Game 5 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement and John Davidson | Chris Simpson | ||
Detroit-Anaheim | Game 2 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement and John Davidson | Chris Simpson | ||
Colorado-Minnesota | Games 2, 5 | Steve Levy | Darren Pang | |||
Conference semifinals | Ottawa-Philadelphia | Game 5 | Steve Levy | Darren Pang | Joe Micheletti | |
New Jersey-Tampa Bay | Game 2 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement and John Davidson | Chris Simpson | ||
Dallas-Anaheim | Games 2, 5 | Steve Levy (Game 2)
Gary Thorne (Game 5) |
Darren Pang (Game 2)
Bill Clement and John Davidson (Game 5) |
Joe Micheletti (Game 2)
Chris Simpson (Game 5) | ||
Conference finals | Ottawa-New Jersey | Game 4 | Steve Levy | Darren Pang and John Davidson | Joe Micheletti | |
Minnesota-Anaheim | Game 1 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement and John Davidson | Brian Engblom | ||
2004 | Conference quarterfinals | Tampa Bay-New York Islanders | Game 2 | Steve Levy | Darren Pang | Erin Andrews |
Philadelphia-New Jersey | Game 5 | Steve Levy | Darren Pang | Erin Andrews | ||
Detroit-Nashville | Games 2, 6 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement and John Davidson | |||
San Jose-St. Louis | Game 2 | Mike Emrick | Brian Engblom | |||
Colorado-Dallas | Game 5 | Mike Emrick | Brian Engblom | |||
Conference semifinals | Detroit-Calgary | Games 2, 5 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement and John Davidson | ||
San Jose-Colorado | Games 2, 5 | Mike Emrick (Game 2)
Steve Levy (Game 5) |
Darren Pang | Erin Andrews | ||
Conference finals | Tampa Bay-Philadelphia | Games 1, 4 | Gary Thorne | Bill Clement and John Davidson | Sam Ryan (Game 1)
Joe Micheletti (Game 4) |
Nielsen ratings
References
- ↑ Associated Press. "NHL, ABC-TV Agree", May 13, 1979, p. 89.
- ↑ "1999-2000 NHL Schedule", Washingtonpost.com, October 1, 1999.
- ↑ ABC's 2002-2003 NHL schedule. ABC Sports. ESPN.com.
External links
- ABC Sports announces its hockey broadcast teams
- NHL, ESPN-ABC Seek Viewers
- NHL on ABC - Google Search (timeline)