NHL sets deals with TSN, Anheuser-Busch

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The National Hockey League announced two deals on Tuesday, one covering broadcast rights in Canada and another a marketing deal with Anheuser-Busch Cos Inc, believed to be worth $275 million combined.

The league said it signed a six-year broadcast and digital rights deal in Canada with sports cable network TSN, which is owned by CTV Inc and Walt Disney Co's ESPN network, that media reports said is worth at least $200 million.

The NHL is coming off its third consecutive year of record attendance following a lockout by owners that eliminated the 2004-2005 season. But it has struggled to build a national TV audience in the United States.

Its TV ratings are among the lowest of North America's major professional sports leagues.

The NHL's U.S. broadcast rights are held by Comcast Corp's Versus network and General Electric Co's NBC.

The agreement with TSN, Canada's No. 1 cable network, starts with the 2008-2009 season and runs through the 2013-2014 season, the NHL said.

Under terms of the deal, TSN secures exclusive Canadian TV rights for national English-language broadcast and digital coverage of NHL games.

TSN, whose relationship with the NHL dates back to 1987, will air 70 regular-season games annually, and all televised games will include at least one Canadian team.

TSN also will air the first three rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and its digital rights include high-speed broadband, wireless and video-on-demand.

Audience levels on TSN have increased 32 percent in the last five seasons, according to the NHL.

TSN previously owned the NHL national package from 1987-1988 to 1997-1998, and from 2002-2003 to 2007-2008.

The NHL also said it has renewed its marketing agreement with Anheuser-Busch for Bud Light to remain the league's official beer through the 2010-2011 season. That deal is worth an estimated $75 million, according to media reports.

The deal includes simultaneous renewals with Anheuser-Busch and Labatt, which distributes Bud Light in Canada.

Bud Light has been the league's official beer since 1998, and sponsors 21 of the league's 24 U.S. teams.

(Reporting by Ben Klayman; editing by Ted Kerr)