NASN (North American Sports Network) will broadcast the American Hockey League (AHL) in the UK and Ireland for this first time this season. NASN has signed a two year deal with the AHL from October 2004 through to May 2006. This season, NASN will be covering at least 80 AHL games including the Playoffs and the season closer, The Calder Cup. With live AHL games every week, plus over 35 NCAA college hockey games, NASN hockey fans are in for a bumper season with over 200 hours of on-ice action.
With the ongoing NHL labour dispute, the AHL season is shaping up to be one of the best ever, and the place for hockey fans to get their hockey fix this winter. With a mixture of NHL pros and future stars doing battle over the ice, AHL promises some dynamic and exciting ice hockey. The AHL normally acts as a feeder league for the NHL, with all the teams affiliated with one of the NHL teams. However, with because of the current strike many of the young NHL pros are heading to the AHL to ply their trade and join the stars of tomorrow. Five of the top seven picks from the 2003 NHL Draft will be playing in the AHL this season and this includes the number 1 pick, Marc Andre Fleury.
The AHL has had a long and distinguished history, even prior to the influx of NHL players this season, producing some of the biggest names in ice hockey. Eighteen members of the Hockey Hall of Fame have played in the AHL including such names as Larry Robinson, Johnny Bower and Brian Kilrea. More than 100 players and coaches have won both The Calder and Stanley Cups in their careers. With those credentials the AHL is something that Hockey fans will not want to miss.
NASN Chief Executive Officer, Amory Schwartz, says the AHL deal is a very important addition to the channel.
‘While the NHL sorts out its labour troubles, we wanted to guarantee our Hockey fans the best possible alternative. We couldn’t be happier with the AHL. The AHL is one of the premier hockey leagues and is a showcase for many of tomorrow’s stars.’
With the addition of the AHL to coverage of NCAA Hockey and the Frozen Four (the NCAA Championship Game) this season, NASN has the most extensive Hockey line up around. NASN will of course continue their full coverage of the NHL, once the labour dispute is over, but this two year deal with the AHL will means that NASN subscribers get a choice from some of the best hockey action available.
In addition to its extensive ice hockey coverage, NASN broadcasts more live American sports than any other television channel in Europe with over 250 Major League Baseball games per year, top College Football games throughout the season climaxing in all the best Bowl Games live, live and exclusive coverage of NCAA Basketball and March Madness, live NFL preseason and regular live NFL magazine programming plus top quality NFL Films archive shows. Plus, there are award-winning news and sports talk shows such as ESPN’s Baseball Tonight, Pardon The Interruption, Around The Horn, Rome Is Burning and SportsDesk.
For further details contact Matthew Brocklesby by telephone on +44 (0) 207 389 0771 or by email at matthew.brocklesby@nasn.com.