FloHockey for ECHL games

[Growlers]

Does anyone have any experience using FloHockey to watch ECHL games? I'm wondering if it is worth the price?

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[JMCx4]

I subscribed monthly to FloHockey starting late last season & for most of the post-season. I still have a subscription on "hold" for the summer that will restart early next month. I signed up for the original purpose of following NCAA Div I men's hockey, but I watched the ECHL action of various teams between those U.S. college games. IMO the ECHL game play product is inferior to HockeyTV (from HockeyTech, who handles the AHLTV media as well as U.S. & Canadian junior leagues) when it comes to video quality and venue-to-venue differences. But FloHockey has extensive supporting info features (stats-related content), plus it has regular original hockey news stories with good writing between games for their broadcast partners.

So I'd recommend investing in a one-month subscription to FloHockey - US$29.99 per month last season - to give it a test drive in the first month of the ECHL season (starts October 21st), then decide if you want to put more CAD into it.

 

[royals119]

I'd agree with what JMCx4 says about the variable quality. We had it last season (19-20) for Royals road games, and the occasional home game if we didn't get to the game. Some games were almost broadcast quality, and some were just awful. The quality of the equipment (cameras, etc) and the quality of the internet connection at the venue, both affect the viewing. Some games there was a real lag/stutter in the action, and the video and audio would get out of synch or crash entirely, which I assume was not enough bandwidth at the arena. Other games the lighting was too dim, or the white balance was off so the ice was over-exposed, making the puck disappear. We actually found the Royals home games to be one of the best. Not sure if that is because we are closer, or because they have better internet - or if it is the new LED lighting they put in recently. The league has made some statements that they are requiring teams to use HD equipment and to update their internet connections, so maybe the quality will be more consistent over time. I would assume most teams/buildings were spending money on upgrades over the last year and a half though. Even if they have some money to spend, supply chain issues and lack of manpower would probably interfere with any plans.

The games they did on Facebook live were much better than the "regular" quality as well, so the capability is there. I think for those "feature" games they had extra capacity and a league staff person monitoring everything. For a normal game it is often the visiting broadcaster who has to deal with any issues. He is likely the one to hear about it because it is mostly fans of the visiting team watching. Problem is, it's not his building, and he's busy actually calling the game, so he often can't do much but ask the arena staff to fix it.

Doing a trial month (sometimes they give away the first weekend of the season for free), is probably the best bet. Then you can see how the quality is for the buildings you are likely to want to see. If you are following Growlers games primarily, I wouldn't make a decision based on the quality at buildings they aren't going to play in.

 

[Growlers]

I'd agree with what JMCx4 says about the variable quality. We had it last season (19-20) for Royals road games, and the occasional home game if we didn't get to the game. Some games were almost broadcast quality, and some were just awful. The quality of the equipment (cameras, etc) and the quality of the internet connection at the venue, both affect the viewing. Some games there was a real lag/stutter in the action, and the video and audio would get out of synch or crash entirely, which I assume was not enough bandwidth at the arena. Other games the lighting was too dim, or the white balance was off so the ice was over-exposed, making the puck disappear. We actually found the Royals home games to be one of the best. Not sure if that is because we are closer, or because they have better internet - or if it is the new LED lighting they put in recently. The league has made some statements that they are requiring teams to use HD equipment and to update their internet connections, so maybe the quality will be more consistent over time. I would assume most teams/buildings were spending money on upgrades over the last year and a half though. Even if they have some money to spend, supply chain issues and lack of manpower would probably interfere with any plans.

The games they did on Facebook live were much better than the "regular" quality as well, so the capability is there. I think for those "feature" games they had extra capacity and a league staff person monitoring everything. For a normal game it is often the visiting broadcaster who has to deal with any issues. He is likely the one to hear about it because it is mostly fans of the visiting team watching. Problem is, it's not his building, and he's busy actually calling the game, so he often can't do much but ask the arena staff to fix it.

Doing a trial month (sometimes they give away the first weekend of the season for free), is probably the best bet. Then you can see how the quality is for the buildings you are likely to want to see. If you are following Growlers games primarily, I wouldn't make a decision based on the quality at buildings they aren't going to play in.

Do you happen to remember what ones were awful?

 

[jabberoski]

I'd agree with what JMCx4 says about the variable quality. We had it last season (19-20) for Royals road games, and the occasional home game if we didn't get to the game. Some games were almost broadcast quality, and some were just awful. The quality of the equipment (cameras, etc) and the quality of the internet connection at the venue, both affect the viewing. Some games there was a real lag/stutter in the action, and the video and audio would get out of synch or crash entirely, which I assume was not enough bandwidth at the arena. Other games the lighting was too dim, or the white balance was off so the ice was over-exposed, making the puck disappear. We actually found the Royals home games to be one of the best. Not sure if that is because we are closer, or because they have better internet - or if it is the new LED lighting they put in recently. The league has made some statements that they are requiring teams to use HD equipment and to update their internet connections, so maybe the quality will be more consistent over time. I would assume most teams/buildings were spending money on upgrades over the last year and a half though. Even if they have some money to spend, supply chain issues and lack of manpower would probably interfere with any plans.

The games they did on Facebook live were much better than the "regular" quality as well, so the capability is there. I think for those "feature" games they had extra capacity and a league staff person monitoring everything. For a normal game it is often the visiting broadcaster who has to deal with any issues. He is likely the one to hear about it because it is mostly fans of the visiting team watching. Problem is, it's not his building, and he's busy actually calling the game, so he often can't do much but ask the arena staff to fix it.

Doing a trial month (sometimes they give away the first weekend of the season for free), is probably the best bet. Then you can see how the quality is for the buildings you are likely to want to see. If you are following Growlers games primarily, I wouldn't make a decision based on the quality at buildings they aren't going to play in.

2019-20 was the last year with Neulion. The 2020-21 season was the first with FloSports.

 

[Royalsflagrunner77]

Do you happen to remember what ones were awful?

To be honest it usually the older venues that have the most issue Adirondack, Fort Wayne , Norfolk , Rapid city . Where the ones I can remember having blurry or fuzzy feeds

 

[JMCx4]

... Doing a trial month (sometimes they give away the first weekend of the season for free), is probably the best bet. Then you can see how the quality is for the buildings you are likely to want to see. If you are following Growlers games primarily, I wouldn't make a decision based on the quality at buildings they aren't going to play in.

x2. Though I don't recall Flo offering free games early last season.

 

[Growlers]

Can you get home and away audio feeds for this? Looking at getting it for the Growlers away games, but with some in Trois-Rivières (French) I'm hoping I can get the Growlers audio feed for away games

 

[JMCx4]

Can you get home and away audio feeds for this? Looking at getting it for the Growlers away games, but with some in Trois-Rivières (French) I'm hoping I can get the Growlers audio feed for away games

IIRC, last season there were some games/matchups offering home & away audio on Flo. But it was an odd year where many away teams didn't broadcast & others who had remote play-by-play. So while the home/away feature is there, I cannot predict what percentage of teams & games will offer it for 2021-22. Probably better to contact your team & inquire.

ETA: I find it kinda fun to listen to the French language play-by-play. At least the player names are recognizable.

 

[SemireliableSource]

Yes, you can choose between home and away audio.

 

[JMCx4]

Well, I haven't been able to find the "English" button for Game #1 Growlers @ Lions.

ETA: Listening to the French Canadian play-by-play wasn't bad. And now I know why French is considered a "romance language" ... I've fallen in love with the TVA Sports Lions broadcast hostess Justine St-Martin.

 

[JMCx4]

I pulled up tonight's Newfoundland @ Trois-Rivieres game on my phone using the Flo app. There are choices of Home and Away streams. So that's either an add since the season opener, or the app has different features than the PC version.

 

[royals119]

I've watched a couple games, one from Adirondack and one from Norfolk, and I have to say the video quality is great, with loss of synch between video and audio or freezing/stuttering like we had with the previous provider. Unfortunately the Royals broadcaster has an equipment problem so we've had to rely on the home team audio. Due to Covid and/or budget he isn't traveling with the team, but he will be doing play by play while watching the video feed in Reading. I suspect they need different equipment to deal with the delay, or it just might be the old equipment is just worn out, or got lost during the shutdown and change over in staff.