OT: Best online package for watching games?

[Hopelesslucicfan]

I'm looking to drop my cable package, as the NHL is really the only thing I use it for these days, and am looking for a cheaper alternative.

I'm just wondering what your experiences are with the online packages like gamecenter and center ice, and any other services I'm unaware of.

Obviously I must be able to watch oilers games as well, but I live in Edmonton, so hopefully no blackouts.

I was also reading that center ice doesn't show playoff games?

If anybody has any suggestions or can share your experiences let me know!

Click to read more...

 

[backhandsauce]

Living in Edm you would get black outs with Centre Ice. Your right about the playoffs as well. All the playoff games in the NHL are on National TV so Centre Ice isn't needed.

I am unsure about game centre.

 

[The Nuge]

Gamecenter blacks out playoff games as well

 

[Paralyzer]

I would love to direct you to some sites I know but unfortunately that is a HFBoards law to not give out links to 'illegal streams'. I can only say GameCenter and Center Ice are your only option but all games are blacked out. So guess your hooped.

 

[Hopelesslucicfan]

I would love to direct you to some sites I know but unfortunately that is a HFBoards law to not give out links to 'illegal streams'. I can only say GameCenter and Center Ice are your only option but all games are blacked out. So guess your hooped.

I've had some experience in the past with these sites, but I'm hoping to find something more reliable, with better quality.

However it seems there are limited options for in market games.

It's crazy that I need to pay for a TV package, and then add the snet package as the most basic package that includes hockey.

Comes to 60 dollars a month, just to watch hockey.

 

[nightfighter]

Gamecenter also sucks donkey right now. Ever since they updated their website the streams have been so choppy it's unwatchable. YMMV but mostly the reviews have been bad.

And yes, the blackouts don't make sense to me. Living in the GTA market I can watch oilers games to my hearts content but if I were a leaf fan i wouldn't get to watch anything which makes no sense whatsoever but that's big coprorations for ya. You could use a VPN with gamecenter to get around that but I wouldn't be surprised if they took a page out of Netflix's book and locked that down tight soon.

 

[Hopelesslucicfan]

So there really is no option to legally watch oilers games without cable within the edmonton region? Even if I'm willing to pay?

Interesting...

I got excited for this "limited" cable package that shaw offers now, for 25.00 a month, but with the required hd boxes and the 8 dollars for the sports channels, I'm saving maybe 5 dollars a month.

Maybe I'll just have to frequent more bars

 

[foshizzle]

So there really is no option to legally watch oilers games without cable within the edmonton region? Even if I'm willing to pay?

Interesting...

I got excited for this "limited" cable package that shaw offers now, for 25.00 a month, but with the required hd boxes and the 8 dollars for the sports channels, I'm saving maybe 5 dollars a month.

Maybe I'll just have to frequent more bars

Wow people still pay for cable? I have a VPN and Gamecentre- had it for 2 years- works great. Your subscription covers all NHL games for a year- including playoffs.

 

[Paralyzer]

Wow people still pay for cable? I have a VPN and Gamecentre- had it for 2 years- works great. Your subscription covers all NHL games for a year- including playoffs.

That's the problem. Shelling out 200 for Gamecenter + 60/Year for VPN is quite a bit of money. If Gamecenter was 100 or less and VPN was 20-30 I'd consider it. Just way too expensive.

 

[foshizzle]

That's the problem. Shelling out 200 for Gamecenter + 60/Year for VPN is quite a bit of money. If Gamecenter was 100 or less and VPN was 20-30 I'd consider it. Just way too expensive.

260 for the year in considerably less then the 720 the OP is paying.

 

[bucks_oil]

So there really is no option to legally watch oilers games without cable within the edmonton region? Even if I'm willing to pay?

Interesting...

I got excited for this "limited" cable package that shaw offers now, for 25.00 a month, but with the required hd boxes and the 8 dollars for the sports channels, I'm saving maybe 5 dollars a month.

Maybe I'll just have to frequent more bars

I just wanted to bold the key point above for emphasis. It is really a sad state of affairs.

The CRTC and FCC are really letting us all down. The companies are engaging in anti-competitive behavior which is hurting the consumers.... and I'm sure it could be argued it is illegal.

The fact that a willing customer has NO LEGAL WAY to stream a game is just wrong.

Asking a prospective customer of a copyright to have to acquire a lease to 1000's of other unwanted copyrights per month (through a cable TV subscription) is just wrong.

The only way they get away with this is that the major networks happen to own the sports channels, so they happen to negotiate the best deal for live sports and then they happen to only offer said live sports through an outdated subscription model.

The copyright holders, especially the NHL and NFL, are either too stupid or too in-bed with the conglomerates that they refuse to distinguish the streaming rights from the cable rights, and that is what limits your choice.

Were the NHL to offer Game Center directly to you through NHL.com without blackouts... were NFL and MLB to do the same, cable TV subscriptions would disappear like the dinosaurs (since Apple has already made enough headway on per-episode/per season subscription models and netflix/Hulu have replaced "bundled" copyrights akin to monthly cable).

Some year soon, Apple is going to outbid everyone for the Superbowl, and that will be the end of these old ways and the start of true customer choice. I say that not as a fan-boy, but because they have enough of an installed user base and enough negotiation power to make it happen (and the motivation to take a loss on the initial bid which strikes the fatal blow on the old model).

I think it interesting times... and if I were a lawyer, I'd be filing a class action on behalf of well-meaning consumers like you.

 

[bucks_oil]

Just to add... you said "in edmonton". The answer is "anywhere". There is no legal option to do what you want ANYWHERE.

 

[foshizzle]

I just wanted to bold the key point above for emphasis. It is really a sad state of affairs.

The CRTC and FCC are really letting us all down. The companies are engaging in anti-competitive behavior which is hurting the consumers.... and I'm sure it could be argued it is illegal.

The fact that a willing customer has NO LEGAL WAY to stream a game is just wrong.

Asking a prospective customer of a copyright to have to acquire a lease to 1000's of other unwanted copyrights per month (through a cable TV subscription) is just wrong.

The only way they get away with this is that the major networks happen to own the sports channels, so they happen to negotiate the best deal for live sports and then they happen to only offer said live sports through an outdated subscription model.

The copyright holders, especially the NHL and NFL, are either too stupid or too in-bed with the conglomerates that they refuse to distinguish the streaming rights from the cable rights, and that is what limits your choice.

Were the NHL to offer Game Center directly to you through NHL.com without blackouts... were NFL and MLB to do the same, cable TV subscriptions would disappear like the dinosaurs (since Apple has already made enough headway on per-episode/per season subscription models and netflix/Hulu have replaced "bundled" copyrights akin to monthly cable).

Some year soon, Apple is going to outbid everyone for the Superbowl, and that will be the end of these old ways and the start of true customer choice. I say that not as a fan-boy, but because they have enough of an installed user base and enough negotiation power to make it happen (and the motivation to take a loss on the initial bid which strikes the fatal blow on the old model).

I think it interesting times... and if I were a lawyer, I'd be filing a class action on behalf of well-meaning consumers like you.

Great post. It's not the "copyright" that's the issue here- it's the Canadian cable companies and studios (Global, City, etc) have long been arguing that Canadian Content needs to be protected- that is also the reasoning used for simulcasts also) Everyone knows that the only Canadian content shown is the local news- and I am completely baffled how they have been able, and continue to, play that card. I believe it was the Rogers VP who was complaining about Netflix and the ilk- saying they should not be able to operate in Canada due to lack of Canadian representation.

Getting a VPN (which is legal) and a subscription to Gamecentre/Netflix/Hulu/Amazon is the best methodology to get the programming I want. My Cable bill is a third of what it used to be- and i'll never go back. I pay $100 a month for my Internet (thru TekSaavy- a Shaw reseller), Phone (Voip), and TV, and I could not be happier.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I just wanted to bold the key point above for emphasis. It is really a sad state of affairs.

The CRTC and FCC are really letting us all down. The companies are engaging in anti-competitive behavior which is hurting the consumers.... and I'm sure it could be argued it is illegal.

The fact that a willing customer has NO LEGAL WAY to stream a game is just wrong.

Asking a prospective customer of a copyright to have to acquire a lease to 1000's of other unwanted copyrights per month (through a cable TV subscription) is just wrong.

The only way they get away with this is that the major networks happen to own the sports channels, so they happen to negotiate the best deal for live sports and then they happen to only offer said live sports through an outdated subscription model.

The copyright holders, especially the NHL and NFL, are either too stupid or too in-bed with the conglomerates that they refuse to distinguish the streaming rights from the cable rights, and that is what limits your choice.

Were the NHL to offer Game Center directly to you through NHL.com without blackouts... were NFL and MLB to do the same, cable TV subscriptions would disappear like the dinosaurs (since Apple has already made enough headway on per-episode/per season subscription models and netflix/Hulu have replaced "bundled" copyrights akin to monthly cable).

Some year soon, Apple is going to outbid everyone for the Superbowl, and that will be the end of these old ways and the start of true customer choice. I say that not as a fan-boy, but because they have enough of an installed user base and enough negotiation power to make it happen (and the motivation to take a loss on the initial bid which strikes the fatal blow on the old model).

I think it interesting times... and if I were a lawyer, I'd be filing a class action on behalf of well-meaning consumers like you.

This.

I'd go even one step further and say that geographical restrictions are going to be a thing of the past. Why are we stopping a willing and paying customer from accessing content just because they live somewhere's else.

If i want to pay X$ for Hulu. I should be able to. Why is Netflix US different than Netflix Canada or Netflix Sweden. All these restrictions might have made sense before streaming became so widely used. However, in 2016, these walls should be broken down so that the consumer can pay for what they want and not what the CTRC allows them to access.

 

[bucks_oil]

Well... Couple points to add:

1) I live in the US. It is the same story here and has nothing to do with "Canadian Content". That just happens to be the card played by the conglomerates so they can avoid the more fundamental antitrust issue. Nobody wants to *just sell pipe and bandwidth. The first move (in the eighties) was to bundle copyrights/content in channel packages.
2) the solution and the problem lies in the copyrights and who holds them. Netflix is different in country X vs Y because they need to come to separate license agreements for the same content in a given country. Perhaps this is due to the govt regulations on broadcasts? Not sure... But that's how rights are divided now. And it is a shame, because a content owner could choose to slice their copyrights by modality... Say give NBC exclusivity to the Super Bowl on traditional TV but sell streaming rights to Apple. The very existence of blackouts tells you all that you need to know: that modality was either not considered (fire the guy!!!) or was included (fire the guy!!!) in the NHL negotiations for exclusive rights with NBC/Rogers. Funny that both NBC and Rogers own internet bandwidth companies, isn't it!

What's gonna get more interesting is all the companies now trying to fund their own "exclusives". I'm not sure that becomes a good thing for the consumer in the long run...

 

[Evil Ernie]

This.

I'd go even one step further and say that geographical restrictions are going to be a thing of the past. Why are we stopping a willing and paying customer from accessing content just because they live somewhere's else.

If i want to pay X$ for Hulu. I should be able to. Why is Netflix US different than Netflix Canada or Netflix Sweden. All these restrictions might have made sense before streaming became so widely used. However, in 2016, these walls should be broken down so that the consumer can pay for what they want and not what the CTRC allows them to access.

The Netflix/Hulu thing has nothing to do with the CRTC. It's licensing from the studios who make the shows and movies.

The best combo for reliability and legality is GameCentre combined with unblockus. That way I can watch the Oilers games. It costs $200/year plus $5/mth for unblockus. So $21.66 for 12 months (including off season). Or if you're on a Rogers Share Everything plan it's included for free (just pay for unblockus).

 

[Ogopogo*]

Android TV box

 

[Bangers]

Gamecenter also sucks donkey right now. Ever since they updated their website the streams have been so choppy it's unwatchable. YMMV but mostly the reviews have been bad.

And yes, the blackouts don't make sense to me. Living in the GTA market I can watch oilers games to my hearts content but if I were a leaf fan i wouldn't get to watch anything which makes no sense whatsoever but that's big coprorations for ya. You could use a VPN with gamecenter to get around that but I wouldn't be surprised if they took a page out of Netflix's book and locked that down tight soon.

Say what? I use a VPN (Hola) with Netflix all the time. As long as you're paying them, Netflix only makes a cursory attempt in regards to regional blocking.

 

[I am the Liquor]

I'm looking to drop my cable package, as the NHL is really the only thing I use it for these days, and am looking for a cheaper alternative.

I'm just wondering what your experiences are with the online packages like gamecenter and center ice, and any other services I'm unaware of.

Obviously I must be able to watch oilers games as well, but I live in Edmonton, so hopefully no blackouts.

I was also reading that center ice doesn't show playoff games?

If anybody has any suggestions or can share your experiences let me know!

I have CI but oddly enough still miss 5-10 games because they are in channels I don't get like city or Sportsnet 360. Its a joke. Won't be reupping next year.

Your best bet would be gamecenter while using an IP proxy in order to get around the mind numbingly stupid blackouts.

The NHL isn't doing itself any favours when it comes to servicing those who want to access content. Its almost like they don't want subscribers. Just bizarre.

 

[The Nuge]

I have CI but oddly enough still miss 5-10 games because they are in channels I don't get like city or Sportsnet 360. Its a joke. Won't be reupping next year.

Your best bet would be gamecenter while using an IP proxy in order to get around the mind numbingly stupid blackouts.

The NHL isn't doing itself any favours when it comes to servicing those who want to access content. Its almost like they don't want subscribers. Just bizarre.

Ya, I did the same thing last year. It was nice having CI so I could just record it on the TV in HD, but it's ridiculous how many channels you actually need to watch all of the games. I'm back to GC now

 

[bucks_oil]

I have CI but oddly enough still miss 5-10 games because they are in channels I don't get like city or Sportsnet 360. Its a joke. Won't be reupping next year.

Your best bet would be gamecenter while using an IP proxy in order to get around the mind numbingly stupid blackouts.

The NHL isn't doing itself any favours when it comes to servicing those who want to access content. Its almost like they don't want subscribers. Just bizarre.

Like I said, the VP in charge of signing the deals with the major networks royally screwed up. I mean I'm sure there was significant pressure on the guy to not slice out streaming rights from broadcast rights... which he could easily have done, keeping the rights for NHL.com... but he obviously chose to keep them bundled into the deal.

I think that was short-sighted and I certainly hope that the additional economics were worth it... I somehow doubt it.

I think what was missing in his calculus was the very real threat of online piracy, which rises up with customers can't get what they want legally... there will always be some piracy, but how can you defend yourself against it when you don't provide the legal alternative?

Forcing Napster-generation turned iTunes-generation (and younger) individuals to continue cable subscriptions is mind-numbingly short-sighted.

I think pro-sports don't realize the power they hold in these negotiations. The writer of "Orange is the New Black" has little choice but to sell to the highest bidder (Netflix), but the holder of sports copyrights has a brand of their own online... people come to their website... they have an established distribution network.

Why not keep the rights for themselves (which would mean no blackouts), charge direct to consumer and make the consumer happy? The advertisers would then be paying them directly too. What is it I'm missing? (other than fear for upsetting the status quo?)

 

[nightfighter]

Say what? I use a VPN (Hola) with Netflix all the time. As long as you're paying them, Netflix only makes a cursory attempt in regards to regional blocking.

They have to take care of different services separately, but they do intend to eliminate all VPN's as a way of side stepping their regional controls.

blog post from their CEO:
https://media.netflix.com/en/company-blog/evolving-proxy-detection-as-a-global-service