Shell
08-17-2003, 06:44 PM
Canes get three ESPN2 dates
Network to show games against Boston, New York, Detroit
By LUKE DECOCK, Staff Writer
RALEIGH -- The Carolina Hurricanes will make three national TV appearances next season, all on ESPN2.
The network will televise three games: Carolina at the Boston Bruins on Oct. 23, the New York Rangers at Carolina on Jan. 8, and Carolina at the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 31. The Canes were scheduled for four ESPN or ESPN2 games last season but made only three after the network dropped one game.
ESPN offered the Canes the three slots to broker a date switch between the Hurricanes and N.C. State that would allow the Wolfpack to host Clemson in a nationally televised football game on Thursday, Oct. 16, at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Hurricanes had reserved that date for a home game at the RBC Center.
Based on what the rest of the Southeast Division got from ESPN, it's a good thing the Canes made the deal.
The division champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Washington Capitals will make three national appearances each and the Atlanta Thrashers two.
The Florida Panthers will make just one.
The usual suspects fill out the majority of ESPN's schedule: The Red Wings will make a total of 19 appearances on ESPN and ESPN2, while the Colorado Avalanche will make 17. Five more teams are in double digits.
ABC also will have five broadcast dates.
The Hurricanes expect to release their local TV schedule next week. Carolina vice president Ken Lehner said that between cable partner Fox Sports Net South and the team's HDTV operation with WRAZ-50 and Time Warner Cable, he expects 69 or 70 games to be televised locally.
"We're going back and forth to see what works for our HD partners and what works for Fox," Lehner said. "We're down to just one date that's not confirmed."
The Canes could have as many as 15 games on HDTV this season, up from 10 last season. FSNS, in the second year of a five-year contract with the team, is required to broadcast a minimum of 55 Carolina games.
Network to show games against Boston, New York, Detroit
By LUKE DECOCK, Staff Writer
RALEIGH -- The Carolina Hurricanes will make three national TV appearances next season, all on ESPN2.
The network will televise three games: Carolina at the Boston Bruins on Oct. 23, the New York Rangers at Carolina on Jan. 8, and Carolina at the Detroit Red Wings on Jan. 31. The Canes were scheduled for four ESPN or ESPN2 games last season but made only three after the network dropped one game.
ESPN offered the Canes the three slots to broker a date switch between the Hurricanes and N.C. State that would allow the Wolfpack to host Clemson in a nationally televised football game on Thursday, Oct. 16, at Carter-Finley Stadium. The Hurricanes had reserved that date for a home game at the RBC Center.
Based on what the rest of the Southeast Division got from ESPN, it's a good thing the Canes made the deal.
The division champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Washington Capitals will make three national appearances each and the Atlanta Thrashers two.
The Florida Panthers will make just one.
The usual suspects fill out the majority of ESPN's schedule: The Red Wings will make a total of 19 appearances on ESPN and ESPN2, while the Colorado Avalanche will make 17. Five more teams are in double digits.
ABC also will have five broadcast dates.
The Hurricanes expect to release their local TV schedule next week. Carolina vice president Ken Lehner said that between cable partner Fox Sports Net South and the team's HDTV operation with WRAZ-50 and Time Warner Cable, he expects 69 or 70 games to be televised locally.
"We're going back and forth to see what works for our HD partners and what works for Fox," Lehner said. "We're down to just one date that's not confirmed."
The Canes could have as many as 15 games on HDTV this season, up from 10 last season. FSNS, in the second year of a five-year contract with the team, is required to broadcast a minimum of 55 Carolina games.