DirecTV NHL blackouts

[Tim725]

Anybody else having issues with nhl games being blacked out on DirecTV? I'm in Ocean County NJ and both preseason games have been blacked out so far. called and nobody seems to have a remote clue... But seem to think this is going to be happening all season.. had no issues last season so apparently something changed over the summer.. wanted to see if I could find someone else nearby!

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[Inferno]

Anybody else having issues with nhl games being blacked out on DirecTV? I'm in Ocean County NJ and both preseason games have been blacked out so far. called and nobody seems to have a remote clue... But seem to think this is going to be happening all season.. had no issues last season so apparently something changed over the summer.. wanted to see if I could find someone else nearby!

same. im in atlanta. it sucks..im watching a stream.

 

[offdacrossbar]

get used to it

i watch almost all the games on my macbook.

I've got sabres games on msg most of the time.

its dumb

 

[Krams]

Gotta break the law to watch your favorite team... good business model NHL

 

[Inferno]

Gotta break the law to watch your favorite team... good business model NHL

yeah..i pay for NHL Center Ice...I pay for the Sports Package to get the MSG network..and the preseason games are still blacked out.

lame.

 

[Krams]

yeah..i pay for NHL Center Ice...I pay for the Sports Package to get the MSG network..and the preseason games are still blacked out.

lame.

Yeah, that sucks. I try to be a good boy and package cable with my internet just so I can get MSG. NHL blacks out Rangers games for NHL.tv because they decided the Albany metro area is Rangers territory, but TimeWarner/MSG give the Sabres priority in the event of a scheduling conflict. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

This is why I refuse to pay for NHL subscriptions. If I pay, I want to see the games.

 

[haohmaru]

I think it's pretty much impossible to legally see preseason games if you're out of market. Kinda silly - should be part of Center Ice.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I think it's pretty much impossible to legally see preseason games if you're out of market. Kinda silly - should be part of Center Ice.

It's not just that. Some regular season games are blocked because the Dutch Fox Sports channel shows the game. However, my provider does not carry those channels so even if I wanted to, I couldn't watch it.

Same thing with Netflix. A show like Warehouse 13 only has seasons 2 through 4, because season 1 is currently being shown on a channel called Net 5, while season 5 is on another channel called Veronica. It's ridiculous. They can ***** and moan all they want about piracy and illegal streaming or downloads, but if there is no proper alternative, you're not going to stop it from happening.

If I pay $120 to watch the Rangers, I expect to be able to watch ALL games. Pre-season is shown on MSG, so the NHL package can include them. For an organization which says to go the extra mile to promote the sport, they sure are doing a terrible job at it.

 

[Tim725]

The problem is I'm not out of Market. I'm only like 40 miles away from MSG. I'm being blacked out in New Jersey from New York Rangers New York Islanders New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia Flyers. I literally and blacked out from all local local hockey markets now. It seems like it has to be some sort of a mistake

 

[NCRanger]

I think it's pretty much impossible to legally see preseason games if you're out of market. Kinda silly - should be part of Center Ice.

Thank ******* NHL Network, Comcast, and Gary Bettman.

Before the last TV deal, preseason games were always available through DirecTV if you had the sports package, regardless of Center Ice purchase. Now, NHL Network picks and chooses which games they'll show and the others are blacked out.

The NHL was sued about this, and they knew they were completely wrong, so they turned around and "settled" by offering Center Ice at a steep discount.

Still doesn't change the bait and switch when an out of market game that has already been "paid for" gets shifted to NHL Network and a Ranger fan has to suffer through Steigerwald and Errey.

 

[NCRanger]

It's not just that. Some regular season games are blocked because the Dutch Fox Sports channel shows the game. However, my provider does not carry those channels so even if I wanted to, I couldn't watch it.

Same thing with Netflix. A show like Warehouse 13 only has seasons 2 through 4, because season 1 is currently being shown on a channel called Net 5, while season 5 is on another channel called Veronica. It's ridiculous. They can ***** and moan all they want about piracy and illegal streaming or downloads, but if there is no proper alternative, you're not going to stop it from happening.

If I pay $120 to watch the Rangers, I expect to be able to watch ALL games. Pre-season is shown on MSG, so the NHL package can include them. For an organization which says to go the extra mile to promote the sport, they sure are doing a terrible job at it.

Read my post above, and I'll elaborate here. Teams don't control their pre-season broadcasts any more as part of NHL Network.

Used to be the Rangers, Devils, Islanders, and Red Wings, among a few others, games were available on DirecTV for "free" assuming one had the Sports Pack.

Now, the "NHL" controls the pre-season out of market broadcasts, similar to the NFL's rules.

 

[nyrsteve]

I've had NHL Center Ice & MSG (sports package) through Direct TV for years, living in the philly area. Pre-season games have been blacked out as long as I can remember. However everyone out of the NY market should get all regular season games
with Center Ice.

Last spring I moved to DE and bought a month subscription to NHL TV to see the Ranger games before I got TV services reconnected. I was able to watch the pre-season games this week on the NHL TV app through my PS4. Not sure if it was because I was a past subscriber or if anyone with a login can watch through the app.