The NHL's new plan for competitive balance: Players can't watch their opponents' games
by James Mirtle on May 25, 2009 3:50 PM CDT
32 comments
Since I'm up here in Toronto, where all of the games are freely available every night on CBC or TSN, rarely do I rag on Versus and their coverage of the NHL. But I certainly hear about it often enough from fans in the U.S.
And, lately, players, who apparently haven't been hit with a gag order when it comes to their "national" broadcast partner.
Here's Chris Osgood earlier today:
Q: Chris, how much attention do you pay to the other series going on?
A: Well that one, I haven’t even seen a game of it yet. The hotels don’t have Versus. I’ve seen a bit in the restaurant from a distance last game, but that was it so I more or less put it on my phone live and try to get the updates as it goes along so that’s what I’ve seen – I haven’t seen them, but I’ve read about them on my phone.
Oh boy.
At least the games will be on NBC soon, right?
The NHL should really come up with some sort of system so its players can watch games whenever they want, regardless of where they are or when/where the games are being played. The technology is widely available – it wouldn't be that hard.
And it'd avoid embarrassing quotes like this that are coming up more and more.
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One would think a complimentary subscription to NHLCI Online could be made available to anyone on an active NHL roster.
by emcerlain on May 25, 2009 4:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I get VS and pay for center ice
What drives me nuts is when games are on the NHL network. I don’t get that even though I’m paying for center ice… I’ve got resort to downloading games on bittorrent if I want to watch them.
by detroitnick on May 25, 2009 4:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I actually run into that issue, too. No way around the NHL Network blackout (and I don’t subscribe anymore).
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by James Mirtle on May 25, 2009 4:26 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
That is I think the biggest problem fans have. They spend a lot of money for every possible way their cable or satellite provider provides NHL hockey, and they STILL can’t watch all the games. It’s impossible.
"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams
by Baroque on May 25, 2009 4:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Why wouldn’t you just use channelsurfing.net or justin.tv?
by alexcutter on May 25, 2009 6:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sometimes the feeds aren’t available for particular games – and sometimes the buffering is an issue.
"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams
by Baroque on May 25, 2009 8:08 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Because the games on bittorrent have much higher resolution and you don’t need to deal with streaming. I can play them through my xbox on the tv instead of in a little window on my computer stream.
I’d rather just get the score later than deal with watching a stream on my computer… Unless we’re talking about a stanley cup final game.
I’m kinda surprised you would ask that. The only drawback is having to force myself not to look at all the blogs so that I don’t find out the score before I watch the game.
by detroitnick on May 25, 2009 9:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
It’s just as easy to hook a laptop up to a tv, and depending on the stream, the picture can be very watchable.
And taking into account that the pirate recording the game has to encode the video (which takes several hours, and assumes that the encoding will be done immediately following the game), make the file available online – and then the file needs to be downloaded (potentially several hours more), the likelihood is that the file won’t be available until well into the next day.
That’s a long time to hope that you don’t come across the score through the web/tv/other media. To each his own…
by alexcutter on May 26, 2009 7:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
One would think a complimentary subscription to NHLCI Online could be made available to anyone on an active NHL roster.
Or give them all a Slingbox, if they’re willing to carry a laptop around. The basic point that Versus has some work to do re: availability and placement on some cable company platforms is a fair one. I certainly didn’t notice it on my hotel TV menu when I was in Austin this March. There are rumours that Versus might want to bid on an NFL package at some point, and it would likely take that to change how cable companies perceive the value of Versus.
by Robert Cleave on May 25, 2009 4:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Versus is owned by Comcast, so naturally the network is going to want satellite and the various other cable networks to pay a premium to be able to offer the channel to their respective customers. Comcast, because it wants to increase its customer base and diminish the number of movers to satellite television, is just charging too much. Comcast rightly saw the advantage of Versus being the ‘official’ home of NHL hockey in order to help their own bottom line, regardless of ratings on Versus.
The NHL should have seen this as a problem when it negotiated rights to broadcast its brand’s games. It didn’t, or didn’t put enough emphasis on wanting more visibility for its product, and we’re all suffering the consequences of yet another short-sighted move by the league and those entrusted to run it.
by Chad_ on May 25, 2009 5:46 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
One would think a complimentary subscription to NHLCI Online could be made available to anyone on an active NHL roster.
In which case, they won’t be able to watch playoff games. At least, I can’t with my subscription.
by J. Michael Neal on May 25, 2009 6:09 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Clearly Chris hasn’t listened to his commissioner’s solution to the problem:
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=548140
SN: But the fact remains that when I was in Chicago, I couldn’t get a playoff game in my hotel because it didn’t get Versus.
Bettman: That’s changing. That’s part of the evolution. They’re now in over one million hotel rooms. What you need to do in the future, when you make your reservation, call and say, ‘Do you get Versus?’ If they say no, then you should say, ‘You should get Versus or I’m not coming,’ and go to a different hotel.
by Bosc Ulrich on May 25, 2009 6:26 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Terrific quote.
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on May 25, 2009 6:39 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Right, like I’m going to choose a hotel room based on whether or not they get a single particular channel. Stupid answer.
"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams
by Baroque on May 25, 2009 8:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Good idea Gary. When I have to submit my hotel bill to my boss for reimbursement, and he only reimburses me for the cost of the hotel with which my office has a discount rate, will the NHL reimburse me for the difference?
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by poploser on May 25, 2009 8:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
With me it’s been a case of “this is the hotel connected to the convention center, so this is where you are staying for the conference,” so I understand.
"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams
by Baroque on May 25, 2009 9:11 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I always forget about the goofy formatting tags that SBNation uses.
by matskralc on May 25, 2009 9:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Don’t cough – it’s great if that is an option for you. I don’t have that level of freedom when I’m traveling.
"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams
by Baroque on May 25, 2009 9:53 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I absolutely love the fact that even though I bought the NHL Center Ice package I can’t watch a single damn playoff game because I don’t have Vs. I spent 169 bucks and I can’t get the playoffs. Why the hell should I even buy the stupid thing next year? If the Isles made the playoffs this year and I couldn’t watch a single game because of this I would be livid. As it is I feel like it was wasted money. This is the first year that I bought it, and I have to say that I probably won’t buy it again next year. There shouldn’t be a blackout for an on-line product based on what is going on on another medium.
by DanNOLA on May 25, 2009 6:29 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Problem? What problem?
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by Bosc Ulrich on May 25, 2009 6:34 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
I love this quote:
I haven’t seen them, but I’ve read about them on my phone.
It’s like he’s talking about the Loch Ness monster or bigfoot or another mythical creature that may or may not exist – the evidence is fuzzy and the photographs are inconclusive. :D
"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams
by Baroque on May 25, 2009 8:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
What other network are you going to put the NHL on Chris? ESPN offered a pittance. Versus paid more so players could get paid. Any other network pony up money? Not that I’m aware of! The players and League are in this together now. Work together for fuck’s sake. I’m damned tired of reading and hearing all the negative Versus comments. It’s the fucking hotel’s fault. Blame management there. Tell them about it. Don’t stay there next time.
by auxlepli on May 25, 2009 8:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Sometimes a person can’t choose their own hotel – the most important consideration might be that it is connected to the convention center, or their business has a relationship with a particular chain and if they stay elsewhere they won’t get reimbursed, or possibly none of the hotels in the particular area have versus because it isn’t on their particular packages.
(And if anyone can actually get a real live human being with actual knowledge of the hotel itself, let alone what channels are on the televisions, issue a press release – because all I have ever met with is a choice of voice-mail-menu hell or blatant ignorance. Sometimes both, actually.)
"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams
by Baroque on May 25, 2009 9:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
The players really don’t see all that much cash from the deal. On average about $60,000 a player, I believe, or 3 per cent of their salaries. I guess it’s up to them if that makes a difference or not or if they’d rather be on ESPN without the rights fee. (Or realistically, a slightly smaller one.)
Blogging on hockey at fromtherink.com
by James Mirtle on May 25, 2009 11:46 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
I can’t stand all the “OMG PUT THE NHL ON ESPN” crap, but there’s no reason the league couldn’t have taken a little less money from Versus to get rid of some of the exclusivity language in the contracts. Then stick the NHL on ESPN occasionally, stick some of it on another channel (USA has been tossed around a lot), and then hey, you’ve got hockey on all week long. Or at least more often.
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Sacrifice the Body - Examining the NHL through statistical analysis, reasoned thought, and blind conjecture.
by IAmJoe on May 26, 2009 2:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
GameCenter?
As an Australian hockey fan, you can all quit complaining entirely as far as I’m concerned :P.
In all seriousness, this season, with the addition of internationally-accessible GameCenter has been a revelation; while I understand blackout restrictions apply, they certainly don’t appear to apply to me so I can watch (totally live) literally any game all season (including, so far, playoff games).
While the interface doesn’t seem to have the capabilities of the MLB online functionality (don’t ask me, baseball’s not my thing), the only thing really missing is the ability to watch multiple games full screen (you can set up full screen, and you can set up multiple games at once, but not both at the same time). I’d also like a slightly higher res feed as an option (though the default 1200kbps feed is very watchable).
It’s been really exciting to be able to watch the HNIC feed simultaneously with my mates in Canada, and I know the NHL will have my ~$80/year indefinitely while the service is around.
Now if only I could figure out a way to convince the NHL to play games in Australian primetime (roughly 5AM eastern) instead of me having to constantly chuck sickies when great matchups are on the cards.
by Kit Grose on May 26, 2009 7:51 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Try being a fan of a local team and not be able to watch any of the games on your TV at home because your cable service doesn’t have Versus. I can get by with the feeds on the ‘net, but it’s usually poor quality (bad enough that I have to do the “follow the players” trick to make sure I know where the puck is) and my connection is ~850 kbps, so anything of good quality is a slideshow.
I know, cry some more, right?
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by JustinM on May 26, 2009 8:01 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs
Pardon my ignorance, but isn’t there a local sports channel that has your local team’s broadcast rights? Like for the Pens I thought it was FSN Pittsburgh. Can’t you watch this channel?
by Habs on May 26, 2009 10:47 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
habs- in the US, Versus has exclusive coverage of the 3rd round & finals. Local coverage ends completely after round 2.
by mc keeper on May 26, 2009 10:55 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well there’s something I didn’t know… I understand that people are outraged then. It’s completely stupid.
by Habs on May 26, 2009 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs
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