The NHL has had a tough time since NBC Sports bought the broadcast TV rights deal in 2004 with a lockout that canceled a season, followed by low ratings on NBC and cable
net Versus. However, it has lately been showing some signs of improvement with regular-season household ratings up 11% this year, or 33% among men 18-49, according to Nielsen Media Research.
NBC Sports chairman Dick Ebersol says ad sales aren't bad either: "We believe this is a sport that will continue to grow."
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