HNIC: The Rogers era begins to mixed reaction from viewers

[McDeepika]

TSN had one night of National games a week. So yes, it happened all the time. I dislike Rogers as much as the next hockey fan, but they're showing FAR more hockey games then TSN ever did.

Maybe that's why it doesn't feel as special anymore. Watching hockey on Saturday used to feel special because the whole country was watching the same game. Kind of like in football where MNF/SNF have a special feel to them even if they aren't the best match-up of that week.

I used to watch the Leafs play the Rangers on Saturday because it felt like a big game, even though I don't care much for either team. Now I have more choices but I find myself not watching anything.

 

[rojac]

Maybe that's why it doesn't feel as special anymore. Watching hockey on Saturday used to feel special because the whole country was watching the same game. Kind of like in football where MNF/SNF have a special feel to them even if they aren't the best match-up of that week.

I used to watch the Leafs play the Rangers on Saturday because it felt like a big game, even though I don't care much for either team. Now I have more choices but I find myself not watching anything.

Interesting. I never viewed watching hockey on Saturday any different than watching it any other night. If the Leafs were playing, I watched. If they weren't I probably did something else. Why would I care about what Joe in Kamloops or Mary in Cornerbrook were watching?

 

[puckluck19]

https://twitter.com/MooreScottmoore/status/586212152282845185

Just to confirm, the Flames/Kings game tonight will be broadcast on Sportsnet West, but anyone in the country who has access to that channel through their cable package can watch the game tonight EXCEPT for viewers in Manitoba. NHL-enforced regional restrictions are in place as the Jets play tonight as well

 

[cutchemist42]

Maybe that's why it doesn't feel as special anymore. Watching hockey on Saturday used to feel special because the whole country was watching the same game. Kind of like in football where MNF/SNF have a special feel to them even if they aren't the best match-up of that week.

I used to watch the Leafs play the Rangers on Saturday because it felt like a big game, even though I don't care much for either team. Now I have more choices but I find myself not watching anything.

Less is more, if Rogers had even studied how CFB works they would have understood. Multiple conferences consisting of 120 football teams and they find a way to only have 2 real important games on at the same time. Allows more focus by fans and commentators over multiple games.

 

[GoalDeny]

https://twitter.com/MooreScottmoore/status/586212152282845185

Just to confirm, the Flames/Kings game tonight will be broadcast on Sportsnet West, but anyone in the country who has access to that channel through their cable package can watch the game tonight EXCEPT for viewers in Manitoba. NHL-enforced regional restrictions are in place as the Jets play tonight as well

Game is blacked out now. Regardless of your thoughts on other aspects of Rogers' NHL you have to admit this is bush league. Having the Sportsnet president hype the game as a national broadcast only to make it regional is just

 

[DyerMaker66*]

I appreciate being able to watch the Yanks/Jays game, even though I understand the frustration.

 

[rojac]

Game is blacked out now. Regardless of your thoughts on other aspects of Rogers' NHL you have to admit this is bush league. Having the Sportsnet president hype the game as a national broadcast only to make it regional is just

Are you basing this comment on the tweet or is the game actually blacked out on your cable system? Because here in Waterloo, ON, the game is not blacked out.

If it is blacked out on your system, could it be that Vancouver did not want it broadcast in their area either since the Canucks are also playing tonight. I am assuming that you are in Vancouver's broadcast territory based on your user name.

 

[GoalDeny]

Are you basing this comment on the tweet or is the game actually blacked out on your cable system? Because here in Waterloo, ON, the game is not blacked out.

If it is blacked out on your system, could it be that Vancouver did not want it broadcast in their area either since the Canucks are also playing tonight. I am assuming that you are in Vancouver's broadcast territory based on your user name.

I'm not in Vancouver, but I am with Bell. What provider do you have?

 

[RandR]

I'm not in Vancouver, but I am with Bell. What provider do you have?

It was blacked out for me in Ottawa on Bell Fibe. I agree with you that it is pretty bush league to advertise the game as being available nationally and then black it out. We were on Rogers for years; it is crap like that that makes me determined to never go back to them.

 

[rojac]

I'm not in Vancouver, but I am with Bell. What provider do you have?

I'm with Rogers. So perhaps, Bell decided not to drop the blackout.

 

[CBCnutcase]

Here in BC, I was at house that has Bell and the game was not blacked out.

 

[CBCnutcase]

It was blacked out for me in Ottawa on Bell Fibe. I agree with you that it is pretty bush league to advertise the game as being available nationally and then black it out.

Do you subscribe to the SN West channel? If not, then the game would have been blacked out.

 

[Warden of the North]

Game is blacked out now. Regardless of your thoughts on other aspects of Rogers' NHL you have to admit this is bush league. Having the Sportsnet president hype the game as a national broadcast only to make it regional is just

I was watching it in middle of nowhere Ontario on SNW. I also watched Wings/Habs on SNE, and another game on SN360 (Sharks/Oilers?).

Three out of region games were NOT blacked out for me. I live in the SNO region.

 

[GoalDeny]

I'm with Rogers. So perhaps, Bell decided not to drop the blackout.

I'm on the east coast, but oddly enough I was able to watch the Canucks game yesterday on Sportsnet Vancouver hockey. I guess there must have been some technical glitch.

 

[ExpatHabsFan]

It was blacked out for me in Ottawa on Bell Fibe. I agree with you that it is pretty bush league to advertise the game as being available nationally and then black it out. We were on Rogers for years; it is crap like that that makes me determined to never go back to them.

My guess is, they had to black it out in Ottawa (Sens region), at least while the Sens game was ongoing, as they had to black it out in Manitoba. Waterloo is Leafs region, so viewers there could see the game. Can anyone in Quebec or the Maritimes confirm whether it was blacked out?

On an aside, was it just me, or was this broadcast better than most of this year's "HNIC"? The blacked-out gaffe notwithstanding (it seems Rogers has a hard time understanding and advertising blackouts...)

 

[Inkling]

My guess is, they had to black it out in Ottawa (Sens region), at least while the Sens game was ongoing, as they had to black it out in Manitoba.

The Sens game was already over and the Flames/Kings game was not blacked out in Ottawa if you had Rogers Cable. I assume that any mess ups would be due to the cable or satellite company; Rogers and the NHL lifted the blackout outside of Manitoba but the distributors of Sportsnet West actually had to implement it. If you were on Bell Fibe and it was still blacked out, then it's on Bell.

 

[RandR]

Do you subscribe to the SN West channel? If not, then the game would have been blacked out.

Yes we get all 4 regional SN channels (East, Ontario, West, Pacific) as well as SN1 and SN360.

The Sens game was already over and the Flames/Kings game was not blacked out in Ottawa if you had Rogers Cable. I assume that any mess ups would be due to the cable or satellite company; Rogers and the NHL lifted the blackout outside of Manitoba but the distributors of Sportsnet West actually had to implement it. If you were on Bell Fibe and it was still blacked out, then it's on Bell.

You are probably right.

BTW, one thing I noticed that changed just in the past week.... when a game on one of the SN regional channels was blacked out it would only be blacked out for us on Bell Fibe until the scheduled time for the game was over. Since the scheduled time for games has been 2 1/2 hours and games almost always run past that, I have frequently gone to a blacked out SN regional channel after that 2 1/2 hour window and watched the last couple minutes (+ overtime). That stopped on the weekend. So last night when I switched to SN West at 11:31 hoping to watch Calgary try to clinch a playoff spot, the screen was still black.

I suppose this all illustrates how each cable/satellite company enforces restrictions (or their lifting).

 

[MSZ]

I'm from Toronto, I can confirm that the Flames/Kings game was on SNW last night, I have Rogers cable.

Looks like Rogers are taking the blackouts away on Saturday too. Tons of games to watch on different Rogers channels.

 

[SilverPlaqueVII]

Rogers amended the Sens/Flyers game. Will air on SNO/SNW/SNP.

Could they at least have some Habs commentators call the game? At least Sportsnet would have to create the Sens logo intro like the new regional intros. Talk about the Sens on Sportsnet East days.

Otherwise, this game along with the CGY/WPG would have to use the HNIC intro.

 

[Inkling]

For everything that Rogers did wrong this year, they deserve credit for really laying on the hockey today. It was wall to wall on almost every channel they had at their disposal, including a bizarre situation here in Ottawa where we had both the Flyers feed (on Sportsnet) and Sens feed (on TSN) available this afternoon at the same time, which was probably a mistake but appreciated nonetheless. They certainly treated us to more hockey on Saturdays than the CBC ever did. It was like the first round of the playoffs come early.

 

[JoehWild]

While I didn't notice a lot of difference with Rogers being the broadcaster, I will miss Bob McKenzie and the guys doing intermissions during the playoffs on TSN.

 

[Fenway]

Sportsnet announced last night that Don Cherry will be on every night and also will work the late games.

Cherry himself broke the news during the Jays pregame last night.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/cherry-a-canadian-team-could-go-all-the-way/

 

[Fugu]

Okay, since the first season is over, I think we can close the thread about Rogers 'beginning.'

Ratings talk for the playoffs can continue in the Ratings thread.