Disgusted with the NHL and its Broadcasters.

[nilan123]

First off am I bitter, YES! After watching all the ceremonies for Mr Jean Beliveau, and all the news reports and sports commentaries explaining and describing what he was to hockey and to a country, I find it so disrespectful that the actual game was not televised. Living out west as per the new television agreement, the game was blacked out. If the NHL AND ITS FELLOW BROADCASTERS FOR ONCE DO THE RIGHT THING AND FLIP THE SWITCH TO LIFT THE BLACKOUT , it would have showed some class. But out west we were left with Calgary vs Toronto. In my opinion the NHL should be ashamed.

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[Burke the Legend]

NHL & teams make a lot of money selling national & regional TV packages. Only way you can fight it is stop watching games on TV, use GCL with blackout evading proxy services or something like hockey streams.com. If enough people do that it will force them re-evaluate their business model.

 

[IglooBoy]

It's probably not that easy to lift a blackout. If I recall correctly, there were a certain number of blackout days scheduled so by changing one they would have to adjust another down the road.

Yes it would be great if that game (or every game) was available all over the country but it wasn't.

The best decision I made was to spend the extra money on Centre Ice and some extra Sportsnet Channels. I have caught every Habs game in both official languages as well as almost every other NHL game. I flip between RDS, TSN or the Sportsnet feed. Might have even watched some Habs games from a US feed this year can't remember.

Plus it's nice to watch other teams play too.

In the long run, it's a few dollars a day - probably similar to a cup of coffee. Really can't complain.

 

[sandysan]

It's probably not that easy to lift a blackout. If I recall correctly, there were a certain number of blackout days scheduled so by changing one they would have to adjust another down the road.

Yes it would be great if that game (or every game) was available all over the country but it wasn't.

The best decision I made was to spend the extra money on Centre Ice and some extra Sportsnet Channels. I have caught every Habs game in both official languages as well as almost every other NHL game. I flip between RDS, TSN or the Sportsnet feed. Might have even watched some Habs games from a US feed this year can't remember.

Plus it's nice to watch other teams play too.

In the long run, it's a few dollars a day - probably similar to a cup of coffee. Really can't complain.

I dont know about canada but here in the states I'm pretty sure the NHLN covered the ceremony as part of their live " look in". I think when it was done, I switched back to the habs on sportsnet ( im not in a blackout area).

So if my memory was right ( there were a couple of beers involved) if you wanted to see the ceremony you could. if you wanted to use the ceremony to see a habs game, that didnt work at all.

 

[GoodKiwi]

Honestly, I'm tired of people complaining about blackouts. They have been around for a long time now and they aren't going anywhere any time soon. Whether you see them as evil or you don't - we all have to learn to deal with the situation.

I'm tired of reading this mentioned not because it doesn't affect me - it does (just for a different sport/team), but because spending around $200 extra dollars over the course of 6 months to watch your favorite team isn't much no matter how you slice it. You are fan enough to post here - there should be no reason for you not to be able to muster up the money.

And please don't bring Mr. Beliveau into this - he's not a soap box I feel you can stand on.


P.S. The ceremony & the opening montage was available to everyone across Canada.

 

[Apoplectic Habs Fan]

I'm in Vancouver and I saw the game on sportsnet pacific so that confuses me

 

[GoodKiwi]

I'm in Vancouver and I saw the game on sportsnet pacific so that confuses me

Yes, those in the Habs or the Canucks broadcast regions could see the game on SNE & SNP respectively, but the OP is/was probably in Alberta or the Prairies.

 

[Prairie Habs]

I'm in Vancouver and I saw the game on sportsnet pacific so that confuses me

I believe there is some Canada in between BC and Quebec. I'll have to go check my globe to be sure though. Be right back.

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

I'm in Vancouver and I saw the game on sportsnet pacific so that confuses me

Because it was vs Vancouver. I'm pretty sure the ceremony was shown before the Leafs game...

 

[GoodKiwi]

I believe there is some Canada in between BC and Quebec. I'll have to go check my globe to be sure though. Be right back.

Did you find anything? Is there anything in-between? Anything at all? Please report back, cause I'm dying to know!

 

[Apoplectic Habs Fan]

I believe there is some Canada in between BC and Quebec. I'll have to go check my globe to be sure though. Be right back.

Thanks. No need to be a dick, maybe that's par for the course for you.

Don't complain about "out west" as it was more the Flames or Oilers region, and shocking, yes I know it's shocking that they would play a Flames game in Alberta. What a concept. If you live in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, I'm not sure on situation but could also get center ice

If people want to complain, shell out some cash. Find it online. Many many ways to see the game.

 

[IglooBoy]

Did you find anything? Is there anything in-between? Anything at all? Please report back, cause I'm dying to know!

There is one place shaped like a trapezoid....

 

[Rumcajs]

Last night the announcers from the LA side of the LA-Ottawa bout insulted the Senators jerseys. Have your own opinion, but comeone.

Honestly, never listen to any announcers but you own. Occasionally listen to other announcers so you can test you hommerisms but man its bad

 

[digmor crusher]

Game was blacked out here in Manitoba. Going to have to live with it, won't pay for CI as I'd end up paying for a bunch of games I have no interest in watching, and won't stream as I have no interest in watching on a 23 inch screen, its my 55 inch screen in HD or nothing. I'll survive, I actually end up watching more Jets games this year than Habs games as we get almost all the Jets games here this year.

 

[Habsrule]

I am one that agrees with the OP. I live in Ontario and the game was blacked out. Now I can understand that some games get blacked out but I just wish that the prevgame ceremony was televised notionally. If you ask me the people to be at all the sports networks really dropped the ball there.

As for buying Centre Ice it is just not worth it for me in Ontario. Every Saturday night game is televised on City. The Habs have been on Hometown Hockey Sunday nights a few times already this year. Plus at least for me Centre Ice is always a free preview for all of October. Sprinkle in some other games on TSN, The Score and CBC a lot of Montreal games are televised. I figured it out at the start of the season that approx 50 games will be televised. Now I am as big if a Habs fan as many but I refuse to pay $300 to watch around 30 games. At $10 a game it is just too costly. Plus Rogers TV is expensive to start off with.

Back to my original point. Everyone should have had the opportunity to watch the Jean Beliveau pre game ceremony.

 

[Runner77]

I know it's not something that will please everyone, but there was a viable stream that we used for both the ceremony and the game and it worked perfectly well. I guess for those of you who otherwise have access to most games, could have helped you get through.

 

[Kriss E]

You couldn't go to a bar to watch it if it meant that much to you?..
I mean you should know if it's going to be blacked out or not. It's not because it's a hockey great that they're going to change everything. There are probably rules, regulations and contracts in place that makes it a lot more complicated than ''turn the switch on'' for you to have access to this sole game.
I'm pretty sure the NHL as the ceremony on their site as well.

But come on man, disappointed, okay, I can live with that. Disgusted? That's a bit much.
If you were talking about the officiating though, 100% agree.

 

[GoodKiwi]

I clearly remember Bartlett saying "this concludes our coverage for out of region fans" after the pre-game ceremony ended. I assumed that meant it was available to everyone across Canada.

Am I wrong?

 

[Runner77]

But come on man, disappointed, okay, I can live with that. Disgusted? That's a bit much.

If you were talking about the officiating though, 100% agree.

No pro sport is worth feeling disgusted over, however, I can also understand that there are times in a fan's life where pro sports have a greater hold. Of course, I also appreciate what you're saying -- they're just first world problems, in the end.

 

[Habsawce]

I clearly remember Bartlett saying "this concludes our coverage for out of region fans" after the pre-game ceremony ended. I assumed that meant it was available to everyone across Canada.

Am I wrong?

At the end of they day, Rogers is giving an inferior product while monopolizing and breaking the law. So any criticisms they get, whether as small as this one, or not; they deserve. **** them.

 

[Garnet]

Didnt Rogers and Bell buy the Maple Leafs from the teachers union? If so how can Rogers hold all the Canadian TV rights? Seems shady. I watch all habs games for the last 10yrs. Ive watched half the games this year because they are no longer show on my tv. Im not chasing it. I will stop watching and have less interest. Blackouts make no sense to me!!

 

[GoodKiwi]

At the end of they day, Rogers is giving an inferior product while monopolizing and breaking the law. So any criticisms they get, whether as small as this one, or not; they deserve. **** them.

About as blanket and uneducated of an opinion as there could be. Won't comment on it further.

 

[DJ Breadman]

It's probably not that easy to lift a blackout. If I recall correctly, there were a certain number of blackout days scheduled so by changing one they would have to adjust another down the road.

Yes it would be great if that game (or every game) was available all over the country but it wasn't.

The best decision I made was to spend the extra money on Centre Ice and some extra Sportsnet Channels. I have caught every Habs game in both official languages as well as almost every other NHL game. I flip between RDS, TSN or the Sportsnet feed. Might have even watched some Habs games from a US feed this year can't remember.

Plus it's nice to watch other teams play too.

In the long run, it's a few dollars a day - probably similar to a cup of coffee. Really can't complain.

I would never spend extra money, it's up to them to deliver a product, if they can't I will go to other means to get what I want, and paying more doesn't come into the equation.

 

[nilan123]

Honestly, I'm tired of people complaining about blackouts. They have been around for a long time now and they aren't going anywhere any time soon. Whether you see them as evil or you don't - we all have to learn to deal with the situation.

I'm tired of reading this mentioned not because it doesn't affect me - it does (just for a different sport/team), but because spending around $200 extra dollars over the course of 6 months to watch your favorite team isn't much no matter how you slice it. You are fan enough to post here - there should be no reason for you not to be able to muster up the money.

And please don't bring Mr. Beliveau into this - he's not a soap box I feel you can stand on.


P.S. The ceremony & the opening montage was available to everyone across Canada.

Actually I didn't think I was bringing Mr Beliveau into this, nor was I using him as a soap box to discuss blackouts, after listening to all the stations give there 5 minutes about the importance and greatness of the man, I found it odd that they would not televise it nationally.

$200.00 bucks is a lot of money considering I paid 18.00 last year, Its about greed, and I am sick of it, so if you would like to " muster" up $ 200.00 u can send me an e money transfer, Richie Rich, must be a Westmount Kid.

 

[Devourers]

I actually cancelled cable as a result of this. Does Videotron or Bell honestly believe Quebecers are paying for SNET to watch their "amazing" analysis? No, I paid for those channels because I wanted to see games.

I won't be bullied into paying for center ice either. Went with hockeystreams.

Game was blacked out here in Manitoba. Going to have to live with it, won't pay for CI as I'd end up paying for a bunch of games I have no interest in watching, and won't stream as I have no interest in watching on a 23 inch screen, its my 55 inch screen in HD or nothing. I'll survive, I actually end up watching more Jets games this year than Habs games as we get almost all the Jets games here this year.

Buddy, this isn't 1995 anymore. You can stream to your 55" TV, I do so with my 42" and 60" in HD.

Actually I didn't think I was bringing Mr Beliveau into this, nor was I using him as a soap box to discuss blackouts, after listening to all the stations give there 5 minutes about the importance and greatness of the man, I found it odd that they would not televise it nationally.

$200.00 bucks is a lot of money considering I paid 18.00 last year, Its about greed, and I am sick of it, so if you would like to " muster" up $ 200.00 u can send me an e money transfer, Richie Rich, must be a Westmount Kid.

I agree 100%, the blackouts are nothing more than greedyness, they want to basically make you pay for center ice if you don't like it. Well I don't pay for sports channels to have the very sports they air blacked out. I pay to see those sports. Unfortunately there are way too many people out there who are complacent in all of this and will just pay up. Personally to me it's a matter of principle. I ended up cancelling cable cause I can get all my shows online without ads in HD and I can get all hockey games off of hockeystreams or other free streaming sites. Like I said this isn't 1995, we have options and the more people who choose to use those options as a result of these blackouts the more likely they are to start rethinking it.

I told videotron straight up when I cancelled it's nothing against the customer service people, but I don't pay for channels to be told I cannot watch a game. If I pay for that channel I do feel entitled to watch games aired on it, otherwise the channel has no use for me. Rogers and the NHL have decided I'm not entitled and that's fine, but their 3rd party businesses will lose my money as a direct result of their actions. Think about it, you pay x$ a month for internet, you pay x$ a month for TV, in reality internet can do both if you're patient and know how to use google.