Deciphering the new TV contracts...

[jkutswings]

So beginning next season, the NHL will be spread out between ESPN, TNT, TBS, ESPN+, HBO Max, and regional sports networks. OK, I can understand that this is a lot more revenue than the previous deal, likely with more overall national exposure for the sport.

But what on earth does it mean for a Wings fan who just wants to watch their local team? Between all the agreements and the blackout rules and all the other minutiae, I just want something in plain English for Detroit.

Let's pretend for a moment that the 2021-22 season will have 82 games. How many of those will be on each platform, and how many will be blacked out on a given platform if another one is also covering it?

There's zero percent chance I'm going back to cable, and I currently do not have a VPN. I'd love to stream at least SOME Wings games, but how do I know how many I'd be able to actually watch if I subscribed to a given platform? Inquiring Seider fans want to know...

Click to read more...

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

Sounds like the best option is going to be rolling in the Disney+, ESPN+, etc. It sounds like NHL.tv is getting shunted over into ESPN+. So that would be a place for streaming them.

I don't think this would necessarily change the regional deals anything more than the NBC deal did.

 

[Bench]

I have a question of my own... will Wings game still be primarily on Fox Sports moving forward? How long does that deal last? Sinclair broadcasting... Ugh.

And if you're willing to tolerate YouTube TV (which doesn't have Fox Sports, heh), there's a way you can get around region issues with a trick. I get blacked out from Packers games in Minnesota (yes, they are that insecure) so I have found a way to make it work.

But it's almost like these damn companies want us to pirate. It's insane. A decade ago I pirated most of my music because obtaining it legally and using it on ALL my devices was a nightmare and expensive. Today I happily pay the $15 a month for Tidal as it is economical and super convenient. The music industry went from getting little to no money from me to grabbing $180 a year like clockwork. And I'd assume many of us are in that exact same boat.

Hey Jay-Z if you're reading this could you setup an NHL streaming service?

 

[Frk It]

I get blacked out from Packers games in Minnesota (yes, they are that insecure)

 

[DetroitRed]

Well, the parent company, Warner, is the same for HBO, TBS and TNT. So, it could mean they are going to show multiple games a night, and if you have basic cable channels, then you probably have TBS and TNT. That would be cool, but if they put the big games or the local games on HBO, then you have to pay even more to see your team. Would they do something evil like that? Probably.

Who is the main carrier though, is it Warner, ESPN or the regional sports channels (of which I can only think of Bally)?

It kinda look like recent seasons, but instead of two carriers, Fox Sports and NBC, next season you basically have three: Bally, Warner and ESPN, plus the possibility of being had over a barrel for certain games on the two streaming sites, HBO and ESPN+.

I guess I would have to see how it goes, but you could subscribe to the two aforementioned streaming services plus something like Sling with TBS and TNT for less than a cable subscription that would give you your regional Bally, if push came to shove. Previously, you could stream Fox Sports on Hulu and that was the cheapest way to go. Maybe since that went away, they added a few alternatives?

Bound to be a better deal for them than it will be for us, I can tell you that.

 

[Bench]

Good, you noticed.

It's a rule here they won't show Packers games on TV at the same time as Vikings games even if they are on a completely different network and available in the region.

Do they believe this kind of thing actually works? Oh geez you blocked my team, guess I'll give up and watch whatever you force me to. Actually, nevermind, off to DopeStreamz420 to watch the game online where they block all the ads. You sure showed me who is boss.

 

[Retire91]

It's been a long time since I tried NHL streaming but I remember when I bought it and they blacked out local games and I did not have cable so even though I had the "NHL" streaming service I could not watch my local team. I just thought to myself how dumb is this. I wish the broadcasting situation would get more accessible for people. I wish there was a way for the money to work for everyone with their hand out and we could see the games without having to play twister with devices channels and services.

 

[Frk It]

Good, you noticed.

It's a rule here they won't show Packers games on TV at the same time as Vikings games even if they are on a completely different network and available in the region.

Do they believe this kind of thing actually works? Oh geez you blocked my team, guess I'll give up and watch whatever you force me to. Actually, nevermind, off to DopeStreamz420 to watch the game online where they block all the ads. You sure showed me who is boss.

Looking forward to you guys pissing off your QB some more this draft.

 

[Ezekial]

Looking forward to you guys pissing off your QB some more this draft.

By drafting a WR in the first round for the first time since Sterling Sharpe?



(I wish I actually had the confidence I post with)

 

[Hen Kolland]

Looking forward to you guys pissing off your QB some more this draft.

This aged magnificently

 

[MBH]

Gambling might be the last thing to keep television contracts so lofty.

 

[jkutswings]

This aged magnificently

Indeed.

Sources: Rodgers doesn't want to return to Pack

Should be an interesting draft night...

 

[golffuul]

Yeah....NHL TV is being operated by ESPN+, as of September. So that feels like it should be our best bet for watching games. I'm assuming that they will operate some secondary deals with regional broadcasters, like they currently do with Fox/Bally. I will be cancelling my Center Ice package, after this year, and moving to ESPN+/NHL TV, since I am not in the Detroit area.

 

[Ezekial]

This aged magnificently

Packers moved on from Favre after a 13-3 season in which they lost the NFC Championship. History is repeating itself.


And I am in complete denial

 

[Bench]

Indeed.

Sources: Rodgers doesn't want to return to Pack

Should be an interesting draft night...

Well looks like I won't have to care about the blackouts soon enough. FML.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Packers moved on from Favre after a 13-3 season in which they lost the NFC Championship. History is repeating itself.


And I am in complete denial

If you guys hurry up and commit to Jordan Love, the Lions might know what it actually means to have the best QB in the division... but not how they expected to get there

 

[Ezekial]

If you guys hurry up and commit to Jordan Love, the Lions might know what it actually means to have the best QB in the division... but not how they expected to get there

Kyle Pitts will make Jordan Love look like Pat Mahomes.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Kyle Pitts will make Jordan Love look like Pat Mahomes.

how do you plan on getting Pitts when the Lions continue to monopolize the top 10 pick TE market

 

[Ezekial]

how do you plan on getting Pitts when the Lions continue to monopolize the top 10 pick TE market

I was just making a baseless claim on the whole "SF trades 3 overall +++" rumor earlier. I don't think we can trade him like that because he has a 37 million cap hit if we do it before June 1st.

I blame Kevin King for all of this.

 

[Ezekial]

To address this thread I'm not sure about a lot of it, but I'm very sure ESPN+ will have local blackouts.

Was there a way to watch the Wings on the Fox Sports app by purchasing a subscription, or was it only included with a cable package?

 

[LeftWingLocked]

No, you needed to have the cable package.

This is starting to get more and more complicated for the average casual fan to find games. We are heading for sports ratings to further crater and less and less people caring.

 

[Frk It]

If you guys hurry up and commit to Jordan Love, the Lions might know what it actually means to have the best QB in the division... but not how they expected to get there

Lol. No

 

[WingsMJN2965]

I get blacked out from Packers games in Minnesota (yes, they are that insecure) so I have found a way to make it work.

Allow me to one-up you. I live outside South Bend and we get Blues' games blacked out. I've been here over a decade now and have never run into a single Blues fan. It's about 80% Blackhawks fans and 20% Red Wings fans. It's a 6 hour drive from South Bend to St. Louis and a 3 and a half hour drive to Detroit.

... I don't dare complain though. Knowing my luck they'd black out Detroit.

 

[jkutswings]

If you guys hurry up and commit to Jordan Love, the Lions might know what it actually means to have the best QB in the division... but not how they expected to get there

Man, that's going to be one busy locker room once they draft Kyle Trask at 62...

 

[jkutswings]

The smoke continues in Cheese Head Land...

Irate Aaron Rodgers wants Packers to trade him to one of these three teams after ugly fallout in Green Bay