Pay-television sports broadcaster ESPN has acquired exclusive rights in Europe, the Middle East and Africa for ice hockey’s American Hockey League, a feeder league to the National Hockey League, for the 2012-13 season.
Up to 90 games from the AHL will be shown live or delayed on the ESPN America channel, as the broadcaster looks to fill the gap in its schedule created by the ongoing NHL lockout.
The AHL is a professional 30-team league played across the US and Canada which acts as a developmental league for the NHL. The coverage on ESPN America will include the Calder Cup play-offs and finals which take place between April and June next year, as well as the AHL All-Star Classic in January.