NHL Audiences (Canada)

[Shootmaster_44]

Sportsnet West
Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers: can be seen in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

This infuriates me. There is no NHL team in Saskatchewan, ergo I don't know why games on SNet Pacific, East or Ontario have to be blacked out here. They should use the CFL rule which is a 100 mile radius around the home city (except in Saskatchewan which is an unusual case). The other night my Kings were on SNet Pacific against the Canucks, but because I live in Saskatchewan I couldn't see the game.

 

[Shootmaster_44]

Thank you for the info. I don't catch a whole lot of games on Sportsnet, wasn't sure if they ever showed games nationally, but it looks like they don't.

No they don't show any nationally. This was the deal they struck with the NHL teams when they lost the national rights back to TSN about 2000 or 2001.

I've never understood, why there can't be multiple national broadcasters. Perhaps give TSN Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Sportsnet Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. I don't see why an exclusive deal has to be made. This is one area where the NHL has dropped the ball, if multiple networks want to show games, why not take everyone's money? It would only help the NHL financially in the long run.

 

[optimus2861]

RDS is not in every home like the CBC is, nor do they have as large an audience (French speaking) like the rest: TSN, CBC, RSN.

No, but it's a very attractive option for most Canadiens fans: for the cost of a mere digital cable channel package (a French package or a sports package), or even just RDS itself, you get all 82 games. For me it comes out to less than $10/month. It's also a way for those who believe CBC and/or TSN are Leafs-biased to "stick it to them" and not watch their coverage.

There was also the fact that this season, Radio-Canada lost the rights to simulcast the Saturday night Canadiens games, which no doubt spurred a healthy number of RDS subscriptions. Did for me.

 

[bayrider]

No, but it's a very attractive option for most Canadiens fans: for the cost of a mere digital cable channel package (a French package or a sports package), or even just RDS itself, you get all 82 games. For me it comes out to less than $10/month. It's also a way for those who believe CBC and/or TSN are Leafs-biased to "stick it to them" and not watch their coverage.

Regardless if it's a cheap package or not, it's still not available to all homes like the CBC is. And that means, only people who subscribe to RDS can watch Habs games. On TSN/CBC I've watched Canucks, Flames, Sens and Leafs games even though I'm not a fan of any of those teams. Where can the casual hockey fan watch the Canadiens if not for RDS? Maybe once a month on the other stations.

And we're talking per game numbers, so if RDS carries every game or not, it doesnt matter because it's an AVERAGE per game.

There was also the fact that this season, Radio-Canada lost the rights to simulcast the Saturday night Canadiens games, which no doubt spurred a healthy number of RDS subscriptions. Did for me.

I'm pretty sure RC wasn't showing Habs games last season either.

 

[Trizent]

CBC had 17 Habs games this season.
TSN had 7 Habs games this season.

 

[optimus2861]

Most of those 17 Habs games on CBC this season were Quebec-only, the ones not against the Leafs anyway. There couldn't have been more than 10 Habs games shown out here in Atlantic Canada.

And Radio-Canada did have the Saturday night Habs games last season, or I'd have bought RDS then.

 

[Resolute]

This infuriates me. There is no NHL team in Saskatchewan, ergo I don't know why games on SNet Pacific, East or Ontario have to be blacked out here. They should use the CFL rule which is a 100 mile radius around the home city (except in Saskatchewan which is an unusual case). The other night my Kings were on SNet Pacific against the Canucks, but because I live in Saskatchewan I couldn't see the game.

That would partially defeat the purpose of Centre Ice. They want you to pay them to see those games, not get them for free on a channel oustide of your region.

 

[True_Canadiens]

The canadiens will sign a new TV deal for the 08-09 season. It is expected that Radio-Canada will have the right for saturday games.

 

[RyanM]

That would partially defeat the purpose of Centre Ice. They want you to pay them to see those games, not get them for free on a channel oustide of your region.

How are you getting them for free if you already pay for the channels?

I fail to see the point of Sportnet having 4 "regional" channels if I still have to pay more to watch want I want on the other 3 channels that are not in my region.

 

[bodybreak]

I'm pretty sure RC wasn't showing Habs games last season either.

They were bayrider. They struck a deal with RDS, which let them simulcast the games on their stations across the country EXCEPT in quebec, which is why you wouldn't have seen them. This year RDS decided not to renew that deal.

 

[Shootmaster_44]

That would partially defeat the purpose of Centre Ice. They want you to pay them to see those games, not get them for free on a channel oustide of your region.

If Centre Ice existed on the major cable services in Saskatchewan, then I could see this being an issue. However, I can't get Centre Ice on cable in Saskatoon and I'm not sure about Regina.

 

[Rusty Shackleford]

Yes, they are - thankfully

Ottawa's TV area is Kingston to the Quebec border, which is around 1.5M people, I believe. Don't know how many TV households that is, though.

Which is a scam, because Kingston is a Leafs town!!

 

[Resolute]

How are you getting them for free if you already pay for the channels?

I fail to see the point of Sportnet having 4 "regional" channels if I still have to pay more to watch want I want on the other 3 channels that are not in my region.

Because it is Sportsnet, not Hockeynet. There are other sports.

If Centre Ice existed on the major cable services in Saskatchewan, then I could see this being an issue. However, I can't get Centre Ice on cable in Saskatoon and I'm not sure about Regina.

Shaw Cable doesnt carry it in Alberta either - yet. It is carried by satellite providers in both Alberta and Sasaktchewan though. Regardless, this does not change the underlying point behind the strict regionalization of games on Sportsnet and TSN: The NHL believes it enhances the value to TV partners ($$$), and it enhances the value of Centre Ice ($$$).

The common theme is, of course, $$$.

 

[skeena1]

These are Sportsnet's (Canada) final ratings compared to last year.

Calgary Flames 131,000, + 2%

Edmonton Oilers 155,000, +11% .

Ottawa Senators 82,000, - 48%

Toronto Maple Leafs 449,000, - 7%

Vancouver Canucks 332,000, - 5%

 

[Novak Djokovic]

Sportsnet focuses on Canadian teams. Here's how it's broken down between the four Sportsnet Channels.

Sportsnet Pacific
Vancouver Canucks: can be seen in British Columbia and the Yukon.

Sportsnet West
Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers: can be seen in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

Sportsnet Ontario
Toronto Maple Leafs: can be seen in Ontario, west of a line drawn from Pembroke in the north, and Belleville in the south.

Sportsnet East
Ottawa Senators: can be seen in the Maritimes, Quebec and Ontario, east of a line drawn from Pembroke in the north, and Belleville in the south.

Those are the regions that can see the games. So if you're an Edmonton Oilers fan living in Ontario and you tune into Sportsnet West to watch the game it'll be blacked out in your area.

THat's what it says. But I can watch Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks.

I can
't watch Leafs..that's it!