Bruins TV changes???

["Kevin Vahey" <kvahey@mediaone.net>]

It now appears certain that Bruins telecasts will be moving to a new over
the air home for the 2000-2001 season ending 33 years at WSBK-TV.


There are a variety of reasons but this what has come out.

WSBK under present owners VIACOM do not wish to stay in the sports
television business. Even with the now rumored demise of the UPN network,
VIACOM still has virtually eliminated local programming on stations they
own. Very simply they can make more money showing programs that cost less to
produce.

WSBK does have a contract with the Bruins, but as long as the Bruins get the
rights fees that the contract calls for they will not oppose the switch, and
they feel that WHUB might help in cross promotions with other properties
that WHUB owners own ( including USA Network, Ticketmaster etc)

The problem is compounded by the fact that the CRTC ( which is Canada's
version of the FCC) that cable systems that carry WSBK MUST blackout NHL
games as CTV Sportsnet and CBC are the only ones that have contracts to
allow out of market games to be brought into Canada.

WHUB has only been on the air for 2 weeks, replacing the former channel
owned by Home Shopping Network and right now their coverage area is limited.
They know that by picking up the Bruins and some Celtics games, cable
companies will be pressured to pick them up. Also WHUB can use the same
trick of demanding WHUB be picked up in return for allowing cable companies
to carry the USA network. We have seen this used in Boston before when
Hearst was involved with the startup of ESPN2 and Continental Cable ( now
MediaOne) was forced to pick it up to keep WCVB online.

Right now what this means for Bruins fans more than 50 miles from Boston is
anyone's guess.