LEGAL Streaming Options for October 8 and beyond.

[JLP]

Question for discussion: In Toronto it seems there is no LEGAL way to stream the Oct 8 Habs opener against the leafs. Looking to discuss this.

I have no cable or satellite TV package, this is a trend, people getting content online, Netflix etc. In the past I have bought NHL Game Center Live and watched most Habs games there, and the rest were streamed on CBC. This seems to have changed, so what to do now?

Sorry for the long post but it seems incredible that an internet service provider like Rogers would not make it possible for Canadians to simply pay money to buy a service allowing them to watch Habs games online.

***Please DO NOT post about illegal streams I think everyone is well aware they exist but that would prompt Mods to close this thread.***

Click to read more...

 

[GoodKiwi]

https://gamecentrelive.rogers.com/

All national games will be blacked out. No (legal) way around this.

 

[Le Tricolore]

You could have a friend point their phone / tablet / computer at a TV and watch it over Skype!

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

Or become friends with someone who has cable and a slingbox.

 

[Le Tricolore]

Or become friends with someone who has cable and a slingbox.

Will you need that at all this season? My Slingbox is still set up on my TV but isn't plugged into the modem right now.

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

Will you need that at all this season? My Slingbox is still set up on my TV but isn't plugged into the modem right now.

Nope. I have Sportsnet. I might miss a few City Montreal games but it's like 4-5 games. I can live without those. Plus I may be in Montreal for some of those in the next couple of weeks.

 

[pine*]

Or become friends with someone who has cable and a slingbox.

What's slingbox?

 

[JLP]

Wow. If this is true maybe some Canadian media would be interested in doing a story on it. For years overseas I could watch all Habs games on Game Center, now in Canada I could watch most Habs games on Game Center Live and stream rest on CBC. I know more than a few people who don't buy cable tv anymore, who use the internet for news (many sites) and watch their TV shows and movies through for example Netflix. This is a clear trend.

So the Rogers have bought NHL rights and made it impossible for Canadians to pay money for a way to stream the Habs. I think that's plenty stupid, and a bit un-Canadian.

 

[Le Tricolore]

Wow. If this is true maybe some Canadian media would be interested in doing a story on it. For years overseas I could watch all Habs games on Game Center, now in Canada I could watch most Habs games on Game Center Live and stream rest on CBC. I know more than a few people who don't buy cable tv anymore, who use the internet for news (many sites) and watch their TV shows and movies through for example Netflix. This is a clear trend.

So the Rogers have bought NHL rights and made it impossible for Canadians to pay money for a way to stream the Habs. I think that's plenty stupid, and a bit un-Canadian.

GameCentre has always blacked out games that are available on TV in your area.

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

What's slingbox?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slingbox

 

[Le Tricolore]

What's slingbox?

http://www.sling.com/

You hook it up to your cablebox and you can watch and control your TV remotely. I bought it when I worked night shifts and I used to watch the games on my phone.

 

[JLP]

GameCentre has always blacked out games that are available on TV in your area.

Yes but last season it was possible for people in Toronto for example to legally stream all Habs games. Majority were on Game Center Live and the remainder could be streamed on CBC's website.

 

[GoodKiwi]

Wow. If this is true maybe some Canadian media would be interested in doing a story on it. For years overseas I could watch all Habs games on Game Center, now in Canada I could watch most Habs games on Game Center Live and stream rest on CBC. I know more than a few people who don't buy cable tv anymore, who use the internet for news (many sites) and watch their TV shows and movies through for example Netflix. This is a clear trend.

So the Rogers have bought NHL rights and made it impossible for Canadians to pay money for a way to stream the Habs. I think that's plenty stupid, and a bit un-Canadian.

Were you able to watch national games that were on TSN via GCL in the years past?

 

[JLP]

Were you able to watch national games that were on TSN via GCL in the years past?

While overseas yes I could watch all 82 Habs games on GCL. Last year in Toronto it was different sometimes had to go to CBC website but I watched all the games.

 

[GoodKiwi]

While overseas yes I could watch all 82 Habs games on GCL. Last year in Toronto it was different sometimes had to go to CBC website but I watched all the games.

Really? I'm surprised to hear you were able to watch TSN's Wednesday night national hockey games via GCL while in Toronto last season.

I was sure all nationally shown games were blacked out on GCL.

 

[JusticeBeaver]

If you're worried about the legality, you're going to have a hard time watching all 82 games online for free this year

 

[JLP]

Really? I'm surprised to hear you were able to watch TSN's Wednesday night national hockey games via GCL while in Toronto last season.

I was sure all nationally shown games were blacked out on GCL.

Ah you may be right, if those Wednesday games were not streamed on TSN, were they part of a "rivalry" theme on NBC or something? I might have driven down to Buffalo, virtually-speaking, for those few games Still access will be much worse this year it seems.

Think about it the Habs season opener is not available online at any price in Toronto, but is everywhere else in the world.

If you're worried about the legality, you're going to have a hard time watching all 82 games online for free this year

I'm more than willing to pay! But even at $199 the Rogers GCL service does not connect me with all the Habs games. Even if I'm prepared to pay $500 there seems to be zero legit option for complete online coverage of Habs games. That's what I find stupid and un-Canadian about Rogers' setup.

 

[GoodKiwi]

The NHL itself, not Rogers, is the entity that imposes the blackouts. Nothing Rogers could do about it. They are not to blame.

I guess you could blame them for making more Habs games available nationally than anyone before (and result in those blacked out on NHL CI/CGL), but that'd be short-sighted IMO.

 

[Bjindaho]

The NHL itself, not Rogers, is the entity that imposes the blackouts. Nothing Rogers could do about it. They are not to blame.

I guess you could blame them for making more Habs games available nationally than anyone before (and result in those blacked out on NHL CI/CGL), but that'd be short-sighted IMO.

It's naive to think that the NHL's biggest TV partner doesn't dictate their blackout policy

 

[ThaDevilGirl]

It's naive to think that the NHL's biggest TV partner doesn't dictate their blackout policy

Blackouts have been around forever. Actually with this new deal there are fewer blackouts around the league.

 

[habdynasty]

Rogers Announces ‘GamePlus’ for NHL GameCenter: Exclusive Camera Angles for Mobile Users

To ramp up GameCenter, Rogers has just announced GamePlus, a new exclusive feature for the company’s mobile and tablet customers. Essentially GamePlus will bring 6 new camera angles for customers to choose from during games, bringing video replays “in less than three minutes after the action happened.â€

Only select NHL games each week will feature GamePlus access, to go with select playoff games, the All-Star game and the Winter Classic.

Sky Cam sits at the 200 level in the Air Canada Centre and follows the puck red line to red line at six metres per second;
Ref Cam is on the referee’s helmet and puts fans on the ice to get in on face offs, breakaways and goals;
POV Cam spotlights the hustle from inside the blue lines and for the first time inside the players’ benches;
Star Cam tracks a single player throughout the game no matter where the puck goes;
Goal Line Cam provides a top-down view of the ice, directly above the offensive action;
MyReplay lets fans select multiple replay angles to analyze key plays during the game, including goals, power plays, penalty kills, and the ref’s tough calls.

 

[GoodKiwi]

It's naive to think that the NHL's biggest TV partner doesn't dictate their blackout policy

Please educate yourself on what blackouts are in professional sports of North America and you will see that Rogers has nothing to do with them. Not only do blackout provide no benefit to Rogers, they actually hurt it financially.

As ThaDevilGirl pointed out, Rogers did its best to reduce number of blackouts overall.

 

[Bob Cole]

I thought you were allowed to discuss illegal sources. I've seen planety of threads on the main board comparing GCL to an illegal source that will remain nameless for now.

 

[Lshap]

I thought you were allowed to discuss illegal sources. I've seen planety of threads on the main board comparing GCL to an illegal source that will remain nameless for now.

Discussing the legality of grey area sites is probably okay. What isn't okay is the outright promotion of illegal sites. Everybody knows they're out there; doesn't mean this board can become a source for illegal streams.

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

Why is it illegal for me to watch one of those "illegal" streams? I am not the one broadcasting it.