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SKY SPORTS to broadcast bmibaby Elite Ice Hockey League Games

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Question - What is the best way to start the 2007/08 bmibaby Elite Ice Hockey League season?
Answer –   announce a new TV deal with Sky Sports.

Ice hockey fans the length and breadth of the UK have been waiting for the day that Elite Ice Hockey would be broadcast. The waiting is over with the announcement that Sky Sports have entered into a contract with the bmibaby Elite Ice Hockey League.

Paul Scivill, Managing Director of Televideo, in association with Neal Coupland of the Sports Channel were central to the negotiations and advised that, "We are delighted to be producing a weekly show. This is a great opportunity to showcase Ice Hockey on Sky Sports and at Televideo we have strong experience in delivering high quality sports programmes. Ice Hockey will be no different to our other programmes and we expect that the format and content of the show will be refined during the initial period of production."
  
It is planned to have 31 weekly programmes during the 2007/08 season hopefully featuring every club at some time in their home venue. The show will focus on a single game each week, however it is expected that a highlights summary of action from around the league will be incorporated into the format. The show will be broadcast initially on Thursday evenings at 5.00 pm on Sky Sports Xtra with a repeat on Friday morning.

"This is one of the most significant steps forward for the league. The exposure on Sky Sports will, I am certain, be a very positive impact on the clubs and their sponsors," reported Eamon Convery, league chairman. Mr Convery went on to advise that, "One of the biggest rivalries in the sport is between Sheffield Steelers and Nottingham Panthers. It is thrilling that the first televised game will therefore be between these great teams in Sheffield on the 12th September with the programme being broadcast the next day Thursday 13th September at 5.00"