OT: NHL Hockey package options

[Fixed to Ruin]

Which is really strange considering sports are a massive entertainment business, rivalling movies and music. I wonder what aspect of sports makes it so tough to get a good service going. Maybe because the vast majority of it is live?

I don't think live is the issue. If I had to take a guess its rogers who is trying to cheap out on the required infrastructure needed to provide a flawless streaming experience.

 

[Barrsy]

It’s really unfortunate because NHL Live was a far, far superior product than what they have out there now. For the most part you could watch all games, home or away feeds and you could watch it in the USA. And a decent app that was on Roku and Apple TV.
now we get the shit we get to an incredibly loyal fan base.
And btw Rogers is a joke. I was spending $400 a month on cell phone subscriptions, and then they cancelled that you got NHL TV as part of the package. i was waiting to cancel as their customer service was so f’ing bad and that provided the catalyst. That only cost them 5k a year.

 

[xoczar99ox]

It’s really unfortunate because NHL Live was a far, far superior product than what they have out there now. For the most part you could watch all games, home or away feeds and you could watch it in the USA. And a decent app that was on Roku and Apple TV.
now we get the shit we get to an incredibly loyal fan base.
And btw Rogers is a joke. I was spending $400 a month on cell phone subscriptions, and then they cancelled that you got NHL TV as part of the package. i was waiting to cancel as their customer service was so f’ing bad and that provided the catalyst. That only cost them 5k a year.

So from everything I’ve read NHL Live is what I’m looking for but it’s no longer offered….great.

 

[brentashton]

You can't tell me that major streaming services can't do this, at least from a technical standpoint. I've watched on NHL package before and I've watched on the Sportsnet app through my cable subscriber in the past. Both services were choppy, unreliable, and made me feel like I was about to have a seizure.

How can Joe Blow on a grey area stream site broadcast Oilers games with infinitely higher quality as well as dependability than the professionals?

The only answer I can imagine is that the legit streaming services are either out of touch with the consumer base to the point that they don't put any emphasis on the quality of their stream? Or that the entire business model is designed to try and steer customers towards overpriced packages that include loads of channels/options that people like me will never use/watch?

the entire business model is designed to try and steer customers towards overpriced packages that include loads of channels/options that people like me will never use/watch?

This is the answer, unfortunately.

I’ve been an active streamer for many years but I kept cable for the sports offerings simply because I couldn’t find minimal streaming options out there that was suitable for technical and content purposes. It seemed like to get access to the sports I wanted I needed 3,4,5 even additional streaming platforms to satisfy my content wants. So with my traditional provider, I would use the blue curve app for the mobility advantages it provided. However, last month I got fed up with the shear amount of cost and duplication I was getting and said enough was enough. I’ve been going to grey area sites for sports to assess what is out there (for about 3 years now) and how reliable it is and figured now is the time to cut bait from my traditional provider (ShawDirect).

When I called Shaw I knew the hard sell would be on, but I was blown away by the effort they actually put in to it. I was emphatic I was cancelling, I said DO NOT transfer me to your other ”disconnection department” (aka the marketing retention department). At the end I actually got the customer service rep honestly lamenting that I was leaving (i was a Shaw/StarChoice customer for over 30 years). She confided that they disconnect more subscribers than they connect new. That’s a losing business model and thus a reason why they are actively holding back on streaming services for live events.

Another reason why I hate monopolies and oligopolies.

Don’t get me going on cell service providers. They and traditional broadcast companies all should both have special seats in hell for all eternity

 

[Soundwave]

I guess I am going to be trying Sportsnet Now in October and see if the service is as bad as people say. Surely the stream quality must be better than so-called pirated streams?

 

[TheMustardTiger]

For years I subscribed to NHL Live and being an Oilers fan on the east coast I believe the only games I didn't get were when they played the Habs and Senators as TSN had the rights to those games. In terms of feed quality, I would watch on my OLED tv through the web browser and not the app. Didn't have any issues, the odd time the game might freeze (usually during the blacked out commercials) but would just refresh the browser and all was good. Video quality was usually pretty good with the odd time the video quality dropping for a few seconds but go back to normal.

Since you can't get NHL Live anymore, I just subscribed to SportsNet Now Premium for the same price as NHL Live. I watched a bit of a Jays game and the 1st 2 periods of the Oilers vs Kraken game so far via the web browser on my 1440p computer and the video quality was good and didn't have any interruptions or video degradation while watching. I will try it out on my OLED tv tonight for the Oilers vs Flames game to see what the video quality looks like, hopefully it is just as good.

My experience so far with streaming sports is that most apps are inferior to going directly through the website if possible.

EDIT - Just checked SportsNet Now and it isn't listing the Oilers vs Flames game for tonight but can check out another game.

 

[dssource]

For years I subscribed to NHL Live and being an Oilers fan on the east coast I believe the only games I didn't get were when they played the Habs and Senators as TSN had the rights to those games. In terms of feed quality, I would watch on my OLED tv through the web browser and not the app. Didn't have any issues, the odd time the game might freeze (usually during the blacked out commercials) but would just refresh the browser and all was good. Video quality was usually pretty good with the odd time the video quality dropping for a few seconds but go back to normal.

Since you can't get NHL Live anymore, I just subscribed to SportsNet Now Premium for the same price as NHL Live. I watched a bit of a Jays game and the 1st 2 periods of the Oilers vs Kraken game so far via the web browser on my 1440p computer and the video quality was good and didn't have any interruptions or video degradation while watching. I will try it out on my OLED tv tonight for the Oilers vs Flames game to see what the video quality looks like, hopefully it is just as good.

My experience so far with streaming sports is that most apps are inferior to going directly through the website if possible.

EDIT - Just checked SportsNet Now and it isn't listing the Oilers vs Flames game for tonight but can check out another game.

I've also been using NHL.TV for many years. Not liking this change. Tried SN Now for the NYR-Bos game yesterday and the picture was horrible. Wife even asked "you're paying for this?". 480p quality at best. Tried the Nucks-flames game from Sunday. It was a little better, but still definitely not good enough. I'm using standard, not premium so the games available are limited. I have a cable package so I'm not paying extra for this service.

 

[TheMustardTiger]

I've also been using NHL.TV for many years. Not liking this change. Tried SN Now for the NYR-Bos game yesterday and the picture was horrible. Wife even asked "you're paying for this?". 480p quality at best. Tried the Nucks-flames game from Sunday. It was a little better, but still definitely not good enough. I'm using standard, not premium so the games available are limited. I have a cable package so I'm not paying extra for this service.

I will check it out tonight to see the video quality on the TV.

Hopefully with the increase in subscriptions they get from people having to switch from NHL live they invest in more hardware to improve the quality. When DAZN lost the EPL rights and we were going to have to subscribe to Fubo, I heard a lot of horror stories about the video quality but figure I would try it out as it was the only option. The 1st game we watched was awful video quality was poor, some skipping, no announcers, awful audio. I don't think they were prepared for the increase in users on their systems. After that though the feed has been good and no issues watching games, though I find their app sluggish when navigating around it.

 

[grego]

I live a few miles out of town and my internet provider has web streaming cable available to me and it seems fine. I am sure the games are on a small time delay like many live things can be but all TSN and Sportsnet events have rewind and even some channels you can go back an hour or two.

The last oil game I was late for the first period. Went back to the beginning and was barely late in finishing the game as I skip timeout and intermission.

 

[grego]

On my service I could watch on my phone or tablet too away from home and my issue tends to really be my speed of service. If I am in a city I can watch on the phone better. At home I need to be close enough to a WiFi for a speed boost as my phone alone has sluggish video speed sometimes.

 

[grego]

Was this posted yet

 

[Okanagan]

I guess I am going to be trying Sportsnet Now in October and see if the service is as bad as people say. Surely the stream quality must be better than so-called pirated streams?

Did you try it yet? I had my first experience with it last game against the Jets. TSN feed only, and when I clicked "Restart Game", it took me to live play. Then the app crashed 2x while trying to skip through the commercials.

Not a great start for me. Will connect the laptop to the TV next time and see if that's any better than the phone app.

 

[Ferda11]

Ontario Oiler fan here. I've never been more confused trying to watch a god damn hockey game in my life. So from what I am gathering here, you can purchase SN but might not get all the Oiler games? How the hell does that make sense?

HoCkEy Is FoR eVeRyOnE

 

[K1984]

This is our family exactly. We pay for pretty much every streaming service available but we are against a wall when it comes to finding a reasonably priced and reliable quality streaming service for Oilers hockey.

If there were a service that cost me even $30-$40 a month and offered high quality streams of all Oiler games that were available on every platform (smart tv, phone, laptop, PC) I wouldn't hesitate to subscribe. I wouldn't even care if the package was only for Oiler games and no other teams. I don't miss a single Oilers game during the season so I need to know with 100% certainty that every Oilers game will be available to me and that the stream will be fast and reliable.

I need to be able to watch in the parking lot on my phone when I'm waiting for my kids to finish swim lessons, I need to be able to watch at home on my MacBook laying on bed, etc.

I'm in the same boat.

I still suck it up and pay for Telus pretty much exclusively to watch sports (hockey, golf, football for me in that order).

Optik on the Go is an awesome service that gives reliable streams on any device. It sucks how expensive it is, but Telus is the only option that checks all the boxes reliably.

 

[DaGap]

I'm in the same boat.

I still suck it up and pay for Telus pretty much exclusively to watch sports (hockey, golf, football for me in that order).

Optik on the Go is an awesome service that gives reliable streams on any device. It sucks how expensive it is, but Telus is the only option that checks all the boxes reliably.

It sucks but rogers and bell are successfully sending people back to regular cable subscriptions

 

[brentashton]

It sucks but rogers and bell are successfully sending people back to regular cable subscriptions

I believe that is their true business model. Offer shitty legitimate stream avenues, frustrate subscribers and then those people reluctantly come back to subscribe for cable/sat live programming and load up those packages with a bunch of other garbage channels that no one wants but you are forced to purchase with your live sports. It pushes people to the grey market streams.

 

[Vagabond]

I live in Rural Alberta and I'm using Shaw Direct. They were decent up until this year. Now they've changed my package where I need multiple packages to get my sports channels! Now I'm looking to subscribe to an online NHL subscription. From what I've read through this thread is.. there really are no good options! Has anyone had success with an online subscription in Alberta. I only had Shaw during the winter months for NHL games. Now they've pissed me off where I want to cancel with them!

 

[DaGap]

I live in Rural Alberta and I'm using Shaw Direct. They were decent up until this year. Now they've changed my package where I need multiple packages to get my sports channels! Now I'm looking to subscribe to an online NHL subscription. From what I've read through this thread is.. there really are no good options! Has anyone had success with an online subscription in Alberta. I only had Shaw during the winter months for NHL games. Now they've pissed me off where I want to cancel with them!

Your goign to pay more on the satellite side but you will get every game you need to have

NHL Center Ice
Sportsnet
Tsn
Basic package

For online your going to need

Sportsnet Now Premium
TSN

 

[Vagabond]

Your goign to pay more on the satellite side but you will get every game you need to have

NHL Center Ice
Sportsnet
Tsn
Basic package

For online your going to need

Sportsnet Now Premium
TSN

I'll look into Sportsnet Now Premium. Thanks.

 

[DaGap]

I'll look into Sportsnet Now Premium. Thanks.

Heh youd be better off sticking with NHL Center Ice and Sportsnet tv packages

 

[The Moose]

I got PikTv from Telus, to which I added the Sports package that has Sportsnet and TSN.

 

[Vagabond]

Heh youd be better off sticking with NHL Center Ice and Sportsnet tv packages

Why's that? It's only 150 bucks for Sportsnet Now Premium per year. The other way would be closer to that per month. As long as I get all the Oil games, I'm golden.

Upcoming Changes for Sportsnet NOW Subscribers

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[DaGap]

Why's that? It's only 150 bucks for Sportsnet Now Premium per year. The other way would be closer to that per month. As long as I get all the Oil games, I'm golden.

Upcoming Changes for Sportsnet NOW Subscribers

www.sportsnet.ca

Oh if your interested just in oilers then yes that will be a good deal

 

[Vagabond]

I got PikTv from Telus, to which I added the Sports package that has Sportsnet and TSN.

I literally cannot get Telus in my area. I can't even get Telus Hub. Lol I'm stuck with Xplornet and Shaw Direct. How much for your entire package tho just for comparison sake..

 

[DaGap]

Try for starlink it is awesome in alberta for speeds