NHL goes TVoIP

The NHL will begin testing online video this month with a total of 7 channels. No plans to offer full games were announced, but I’m sure that it’s on the minds of team owners are always looking for new ways to increase revenue.

The playoffs that begin this week will provide a bit of a test run for the player on NHL.com. The site will then be relaunched in the new format in the fall before next season. For now, the broadband media player titled “NHL Network Online” will be an option on NHL.com.

The centerpiece of the site will be “The Hockey Show,” a daily live broadcast from the NHL’s studio in New York. It will be on five times a week during the season and sporadically in the offseason.

Each day’s telecast will include news, highlights and features.

In conjunction with all 30 NHL teams, another channel called “LiveWire” will feature sights and sounds from around the league - such as morning skates, news conferences and behind-the-scenes material that would otherwise be unseen.

There will also be a channel devoted to playoff coverage during that portion of the season. (SI.com)