The NHL lockout could cost the league its partnership with ESPN.
The Los Angeles Times reported in its Saturday edition that ESPN will decline its $60 million option to pick up the cable broadcast rights for next season.
The NHL lost the entire 2004-05 campaign to a labor struggle with its players' association, but the league plans to resume play next season. Negotiations have heated up recently, particularly with rumors that the NHL could lose major sponsors if a new collective bargaining agreement is not reached soon.
The Times, citing a source close to the situation, added that an official announcement could come Tuesday, although both ESPN and the NHL declined to comment.
Despite the move, the paper said ESPN could still negotiate a new contract with the league for less money.
The cable network aired NHL games in its first year of 1979 and continued through 1988 before Sportschannel took over. ESPN regained the cable broadcast rights again in 1992.
ABC's contract with the league expired after the 2003-04 season and the NHL negotiated a new United States broadcast deal with NBC last May.
The two-year revenue-sharing agreement, which will go into effect once the league begins play again, calls for NBC to televise seven regular-season games beginning in January and six Stanley Cup playoff contests in regular Saturday afternoon time slots. In addition, NBC will broadcast Games 3 through 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in primetime.
