The National Hockey League announced a tender process Monday for international media rights to live NHL games throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa.

The open bidding process will run from May 17 to June 8 and the foreign rights would run from 2011-12 through 2014-15 seasons.

According to the NHL, 26 percent of its players come from outside of North America. Since 2007, the NHL has staged more than 35 exhibition and regular season games in Europe attended by over 400,000 fans.