NBC EXEC: NHL DEAL IS 'SOUND BUSINESS'.

Byline: - Tom Hoffarth

NBC's revenue-sharing scheme for getting back into covering major sporting events has to look pretty dashing with announcements this week that it not only has extended its deal with the Arena Football League through 2006 but finally convinced a major sports league like the NHL to come aboard.

``I'm only surprised it's taken six years,'' said NBC Sports chief Dick Ebersol when asked how a system that pledges fiscal sanity by splitting ad revenue after all expenses are covered finally attracted a league like the NHL after his network backed away from the NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball in recent years because of escalating rights fees.

``Money is clearly there for rights deals on the cable side. Think of how much property ESPN has collected with its treasure trove of sub-fees. The networks can't write off billions of dollars anymore. You have to come to this sense of partnership. It's just good, sound business.''

Ebersol said the network won't be investing money into tricking up the telecast, such as the glowing-puck gimmick that Fox once tried. Instead, it will work more to integrate high-definition coverage, which most industry experts say lends itself better to hockey than any other major sport.

``I'm more a traditionalist,'' said Ebersol, sounding much different than he did several years ago when he was pushing the XFL. ``I'm not big on gimmicks that may offend the base audience. I'll be slow to pull the trigger. I intend to put money into the partnership as opposed to the electricity costs to light that puck.''

You'd think with a parent company like General Electric, NBC could at least get a break in the power rates.