NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

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Cornuck
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NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by Cornuck »

Wow - 10 more years of the same shitty coverage. :?

LINK

<rant>I know that most of you don't care, since you get to watch every game in BC, or even watch them online, but for hockey fans down here, this pretty much sucks.

NBC couldn't care less about hockey. They show one game every week or so on Sundays after the new year. They show the 'winter classic' and have added a Thanksgiving game. Whoopee! Oh - and every game must have either the Flyers, Rangers or Penguins in it. I watched part of NBC's stream last Sunday and it was by far the worst stream I have ever seen. Why do they bother?

VS is an obscure network down here, and not available to many fans. So we end up right where we were for next 10 years? Great!

The only good thing about televised games is the FOX Sports channels that show most of the games to a regional fanbase. It's too bad FOX wouldn't jump on nationally. Of course I'm nowhere near an NHL team (that's my fault). :?

Of course, now that I've tried out the NHL Center Ice package, I know that I can't get any Canucks games with the Canucks broadcast in HD. None of the playoffs - since VS is showing the series. And of course, paying for the package and, in theory, the rights to watch the games down here, I would still have to pay the same amount to watch the games online - or get a $20 nightly pass (and not know which games are available).

Sorry - it's just a rant, since I can't get the games in HD for the playoffs after getting Satellite and the CI package and I end up watching them via an illegal feed through my computer on a 65" screen. Fuck you Bettman.

</rant>
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by Puck »

10 more years. Yikes. I had really hoped that ESPN would get back on board after what seemed like a pretty bad experience with VS, but apparently ol' Gary thought it was just great. :?
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by dr.dork »

Hey Cornuck, aren't the playoffs available (streamed) on cbc.ca ? Or does that not work ?
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by Cornuck »

dr.dork wrote:Hey Cornuck, aren't the playoffs available (streamed) on cbc.ca ? Or does that not work ?
Not outside of Canada. :?
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by Broda »

to be honest i can't see them putting up the same effort towards the nhl with how big this contract is. I'm sure something will change and they will be playing games more often on NBC. From what it sounds like, NBC will be changing versus to NBC sports channel. I'm guessing there will be a better presentation quality. I guess i would just say hold tight for a bit. Hopefully this changes for you! its a crime watching in sd.
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by Cookie La Rue »

Cornuck wrote:
dr.dork wrote:Hey Cornuck, aren't the playoffs available (streamed) on cbc.ca ? Or does that not work ?
Not outside of Canada. :?
Sorry to interrupt but i can watch all playoff games in a superb quality for internet streams live and on demand afterwards just for 14,99 $US a month. It's the NHLcenter ice feed on ESPNPLayer. Strongly recommended.
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by Cornuck »

Sounds good, Cookie - but:

"ESPN Player is not currently available in your region." :(
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by Cookie La Rue »

Cornuck wrote:Sounds good, Cookie - but:

"ESPN Player is not currently available in your region." :(
Oh shit, then your region is damn lost, i now Chester... unbelievable even here in where i am you got the finest connection,as i told.
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by LotusBlossom »

Rumour is, they are going to re-brand Versus to compete with ESPN and hockey will be a good part of it. The term of the deal is to help growth borth whatever they are going to call Versus and establish the brands along the way.

Immediate change would be great, but the deal is good for the NHL overall and it will put another player in the sports networks market down in the US.

As it is now, it sucks. but like everything with potential, it takes time.
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by Fred »

Didn't they say it was going to re branded as NBC Sports
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by rockalt »

Cookie La Rue wrote:
Cornuck wrote:Sounds good, Cookie - but:

"ESPN Player is not currently available in your region." :(
Oh shit, then your region is damn lost, i now Chester... unbelievable even here in where i am you got the finest connection,as i told.
ESPN Player is fantastic but is definitely unavailable in North America. It started out as a Europe only player I believe (minus Russia and Italy for some obscure reason) but I think it's available in several countries.

It's a great service IF you have a fast enough connection. Loved it in France but since moving to the UK, the quality has been an issue. Can very rarely full screen the games.
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by Cornuck »

Cookie La Rue wrote:I can watch all playoff games in a superb quality for internet streams live and on demand afterwards just for 14,99 $US a month. It's the NHLcenter ice feed on ESPNPLayer. Strongly recommended.
Funny how they can charge $14.99 for a month, when the NHL charges $19.99 a night. :?
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by LotusBlossom »

Cornuck wrote:
Cookie La Rue wrote:I can watch all playoff games in a superb quality for internet streams live and on demand afterwards just for 14,99 $US a month. It's the NHLcenter ice feed on ESPNPLayer. Strongly recommended.
Funny how they can charge $14.99 for a month, when the NHL charges $19.99 a night. :?
That's where the NHL needs change. Make the game affordable to watch to potential fans...
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by Kel »

With NBC and VS being owned by the same company, I see some changes coming. Comcast, the mother company, already puts VS in the lowest priced package for cable customers. The problem is that DirecTV and DISH, the satellite providers, do not agree to do the same. And also not sure about the other cable providers. They still have to solve the same problem if they want to compete with ESPN.
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Re: NHL signs 10 year deal with NBC and VS

Post by ClamRussel »

LotusBlossom wrote:
Cornuck wrote:
Cookie La Rue wrote:I can watch all playoff games in a superb quality for internet streams live and on demand afterwards just for 14,99 $US a month. It's the NHLcenter ice feed on ESPNPLayer. Strongly recommended.
Funny how they can charge $14.99 for a month, when the NHL charges $19.99 a night. :?
That's where the NHL needs change. Make the game affordable to watch to potential fans...
That service is not about getting new fans, its all about fleecing current fans for all they're worth. That price point is a joke. The new TV deal that people can stumble upon is all about new fans. They know anyone willing to pay for streaming is already a die-hard fan. This is how the NHL treats their fans, Canadians and the CBC, merely a number and there to be exploited and harvested. Meanwhile they bend over backwards for people who know nothing about the game and could care less ie most Americans and NBC.
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