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 The partnership, which will
begin with the NHL's 2021-22 season, is
highlighted by exclusive coverage of the Stanley
Cup Final on ABC in four of the seven years of
the agreement.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed
but was widely reported to be worth between $2
billion and $2.5 billion.
In total, there will be 100 exclusive
regular-season games per season across ESPN's
networks and streaming platforms.
Additionally, the NHL's out-of-market streaming
package, with more than 1,000 games, will be
available for fans to stream only as part of an
ESPN+ subscription.
"I believe it is fair to say we were both
satisfied with the arrangement that we reached
and when I had this approved by the NHL owners
on Monday unanimously, they were satisfied," NHL
Commissioner Gary Bettman told a media call to
discuss the deal. "We think we have become more
valuable over time."
Bettman described the deal, which includes
digital, highlight and international rights, as
"groundbreaking" and one that would allow the
league to benefit from the power, reach and
influence of Disney.
"This is a win, win, win," said Bettman. "A win
for ESPN and the Walt Disney Company, a win for
the NHL and most importantly a win for fans."
The deal "puts us on the cutting edge of content
distribution," he added.
The NHL's current 10-year, estimated $2 billion
broadcast deal with NBC expires at the end of
the 2020-21 season.
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 Like other North American
sports leagues, the NHL has endured a difficult
stretch that has seen a drop in revenue due to
the COVID-19 pandemic that has kept fans out of
arenas.
A league heavily dependent on gate revenues,
Bettman said last year as it was forced into
quarantine bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton to
complete the season that it would have been
cheaper to shut doors and not play.
Under the new agreement, ESPN and ABC will have
exclusive live coverage of one Conference Final
series and half of all first-round and
second-round playoff games in each season of the
deal.
Throughout the regular season, 25 games from the
NHL schedule will be carried live, exclusively
on ABC or ESPN.
The deal will also see 75 national
regular-season games per season produced by ESPN
that will be streamed exclusively on both ESPN+
and Hulu.
ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said that while the
deal reinforced its commitment to its core
linear networks, the streaming component was the
key.
"Streaming is at the heart of this deal and this
is a reflection of its role as a critical part
of our future," Pitaro said.
(Reporting by Steve Keating and Frank Pingue in
Toronto; Editing by Peter Cooney)
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