ESPN 'increasingly interested' in bidding for NHL's U.S. television, media rights?

NBC's current $2 billion, 10-year deal for the NHL's U.S. broadcast and cable television rights is set to expire after the 2020-21 campaign, and we may see a bidding war among companies who are looking to broadcast more hockey games. 

According to Michael McCarthy and A.J. Perez of Front Office Sports, ESPN is "increasingly interested" in bidding for the NHL's U.S. media rights when NBC's deal expires. The league reportedly is looking for a hefty rights increase, McCarthy and Perez add. 

NBC won't go down without a fight, however. The company is hoping to retain the NHL rights "for a long time to come," an NBC spokesman said. 

One outlet may not get the exclusive broadcast rights, though. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is believed to be interested in splitting the league's television and digital rights among multiple media partners, similar to how the NFL, NBA and MLB do things. 

ESPN used to broadcast NHL games from the 1992-93 season through the 2003-04 season. When the 2004-05 NHL lockout hit, ESPN declined to renew the rights for the 2005-06 season and wouldn't match Comcast's three-year, $200 million offer. 

Fox Sports, CBS Sports and Amazon all are reportedly interested in obtaining the NHL's rights as well, McCarthy and Perez note.