Is NBC NHL coverage killing the game

[qwksndmonster]

I agree with Swamp that Doc is good when he's on, but is prone to blowing off some regular season games.

 

I was trying to listen to him in the final caps-pens games but the sound mixing was horrible. Doc's voice was getting swallowed by the crowd noise.

[Weave]

Blargh; so you're saying the exclusive rights are for the cable and satellite providers, not NBC. Still, if NBC is owned by Comcast, don't they get a cut regardless of whether you're paying Comcast or paying NBC?

Yes. I guess i didnt explain myself well enough. The cable providers are the ones with exclusive rights. They paid for them when they negotiated with NBC for distribution.

[biodork]

Yes. I guess i didnt explain myself well enough. The cable providers are the ones with exclusive rights. They paid for them when they negotiated with NBC for distribution.

Yeah, that makes more sense.  I still hate it, though.

[Doctor of Philhousley]

I agree with Swamp that Doc is good when he's on, but is prone to blowing off some regular season games.

 

I was trying to listen to him in the final caps-pens games but the sound mixing was horrible. Doc's voice was getting swallowed by the crowd noise.

This is optimal - Mike Emrick's voice being lost within the crowd noise. I would prefer he pipe it down during all games, it is his voice and maddening high word output that drives me away from whatever game he is calling. 

[North Buffalo]

I know I've said this a million times, but the issue (IMO) is that they won't give us an option to pay for it. We're not asking for it for free; we're asking for them to provide us a way to pay for that product outside of a blanket cable subscription that includes a bunch of other crap channels we don't want or need. Why is that asking so much?

Exactly which one way to get attention is to give them some negative feedback which is why I asked about hockey boards on their websites.

Yes. I guess i didnt explain myself well enough. The cable providers are the ones with exclusive rights. They paid for them when they negotiated with NBC for distribution.

Well that sucks that the providers dont provide live streaming or individual a la cart stuff but screw em not paying for till its individual. Edited May 13, 2016 by North Buffalo

[Norcal]

Last saturday the lead in to the NBC game was ruff-ruff, tweet tweet and the floogals in my area. Pretty sad.

[SwampD]

Another thing to consider is that as more of the later round games are NBC, just hooking up an antenna right to a TV with a quick scan and, hey, you can watch for free over the airwaves. Where I live I get about sixty channels. Of course, half of them are news channels from every individual eastern country (maybe two from Myanmar), but still, there free.

[biodork]

Another thing to consider is that as more of the later round games are NBC, just hooking up an antenna right to a TV with a quick scan and, hey, you can watch for free over the airwaves. Where I live I get about sixty channels. Of course, half of them are news channels from every individual eastern country (maybe two from Myanmar), but still, there free.

Ideally, yes (although there are still far too many late round games on NBCSN), and I did that in PA. Sadly, out here NBC and ABC are broadcast as high-VHF channels vs the more common UHF, which requires a stronger (rooftop) antenna than I can mount in an apartment. So the only way I can watch NBC without cable is via Hulu. :(

[North Buffalo]

Hulu allows it interesting will see how that works next during playoffs

[PromoTheRobot]

This makes no sense.

 

I was in the hospital 4 out of 5 nights last week for a chronic condition, and I streamed EVERY playoff game on my laptop.

 

The NBCSports LIve Extra feed was outstanding. And it was FREE.

 

I'm not sure what there is to complain about.

I was about to say the same thing. After beer league hockey last night, the boys and I watched SJ/NSH on my tablet is using the NBC Sports app. Every playoff game is available for free.

[LGR4GM]

I was about to say the same thing. After beer league hockey last night, the boys and I watched SJ/NSH on my tablet is using the NBC Sports app. Every playoff game is available for free.

Are you sure it is free

 

"NBC LIVE STREAM

Want to tune in while on the go? Now you can watch your local NBC station (including network programming) live in select markets. Just sign in with your TV service provider user name and password to start watching. (Also works with Chromecast!)"

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nbcuni.nbc&hl=en

[nfreeman]

Because they made a deal with cable and satellite providers saying they wouldn't do that. You are asking them to get rid of millions in ad revenue from the hundreds of millions that the cable and satellite providers distribute to so that a couple hundred thousand people can pay ala carte.

 

Sticking up for the greedy, heartless corporations, eh?

 

The worm has turned...

[Eleven]

Are you sure it is free

 

"NBC LIVE STREAM

Want to tune in while on the go? Now you can watch your local NBC station (including network programming) live in select markets. Just sign in with your TV service provider user name and password to start watching. (Also works with Chromecast!)"

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nbcuni.nbc&hl=en

 

Yeah, it's not free.  They are allowing you to watch remotely, which is nice enough (but let's face it, slingbox rendered this immaterial a decade ago) but only if you already pay for NBCSN in some other form.

[PromoTheRobot]

Yeah, it's not free.  They are allowing you to watch remotely, which is nice enough (but let's face it, slingbox rendered this immaterial a decade ago) but only if you already pay for NBCSN in some other form.

True, but's a lot less than the $149 you pay for NHL.TV. Most people have either cable to satellite TV.

[LGR4GM]

True, but's a lot less than the $149 you pay for NHL.TV. Most people have either cable to satellite TV.

149$ one time is not less than 100$ a month which is what cable was costing me before I canceled it last summer.

[North Buffalo]

149$ one time is not less than 100$ a month which is what cable was costing me before I canceled it last summer.

I did the same and couldnt agree more. I get most of my movies off netflix and dont miss ESPN wash rinse repeat news cycle.

Cable wasnt worth the ever increasing cost paying for shiite i dont watch or dont need to have on. High Speed internet is fine, I just to watch hockey how hard is that to understand.

[biodork]

Hulu allows it interesting will see how that works next during playoffs

Should've clarified; I use Hulu to watch NBC shows like Chicago Fire, but they do not currently have an agreement to watch NHL games through Hulu.

 

True, but's a lot less than the $149 you pay for NHL.TV. Most people have either cable to satellite TV.

Not true.  If that were the case, this thread would probably not exist.

 

Yeah, it's not free.  They are allowing you to watch remotely, which is nice enough (but let's face it, slingbox rendered this immaterial a decade ago) but only if you already pay for NBCSN in some other form.

THIS.

[North Buffalo]

PS There appears to be an update as of last night that is going to allow NBCsports mobile app programming to be viewed for free including NHL games... NBC states the update fixes "glitches" in the app that prevented streaming. We will see???

[Eleven]

True, but's a lot less than the $149 you pay for NHL.TV. Most people have either cable to satellite TV.

 

Aside from Liger's point regarding your first sentence, the second sentence is rapidly changing.

[North Buffalo]

Still need cable authorized channels meaning you still have to pay for cable. Screw NBC, NHL and stupid no a la carte high priced kow quality comcast and cablevision they suck

Gonna be tough if Sabres make playoffs next year.. gotta figure something out.

[JJFIVEOH]

So of us can't get NHL Network either, no matter how premium of a package we buy. 

[BMWR100RT]

I moved into my house right before the Dallas SC finals. I left my wife every game night with my 1 year old and watched the game on one of those big crappy projector TVs at the local bar. Two or three beers and dozen wings and life was really good. I highly recommend this as an alternative to high cable bills. I'm not sure how my wife feel though.

[LGR4GM]

I moved into my house right before the Dallas SC finals. I left my wife every game night with my 1 year old and watched the game on one of those big crappy projector TVs at the local bar. Two or three beers and dozen wings and life was really good. I highly recommend this as an alternative to high cable bills. I'm not sure how my wife feel though.

I live somewhere where I asked if the hockey game could be put on last week and was shouted down because "basketball is better". I refuse to pay for cable plus NHL network, PLUS NHL gamecenter. Next time the Sabres make the playoffs, while I would pay for a service to watch hockey legally, I wont be given a realistic choice which means questionable streaming. 

[Eleven]

I live somewhere where I asked if the hockey game could be put on last week and was shouted down because "basketball is better". I refuse to pay for cable plus NHL network, PLUS NHL gamecenter. Next time the Sabres make the playoffs, while I would pay for a service to watch hockey legally, I wont be given a realistic choice which means questionable streaming. 

 

 

You need to find a better sports bar.

[mjd1001]

The way the game is played is killing the game, not the network it is carried on.

 

I read these forums. I want the Sabres to win. I follow stories around the league. I love to look at the stats at the end of the year.  Fantasy General manager is one of my favorite pastimes.  But you know the one thing that is different with me than it was in the past?  I hardly watch the games anymore.  

 

I find the news, the rumors and the RESULTS of the game interesting...but whenever I try to watch an actual game, I am bored with it.  Its either after all these years....I'm not seeing anything that I haven't already seen....or the game has just gotten really, really boring to watch.  I'm guessing its a bit of both, but mostly that the game is boring.

 

 Give me a 7-4 game with 70+ shots and I'll be happy.  The more goals the better, as long as it doesn't get so out of hand to resemble an NHL all star game.

 

Honestly, the only way I think I come back and start watching hockey as much as I used to is:  1.  Get the national games on network TV (at least once a week).  2.  Rule changes for a LOT more scoring  3.  Sabres need to be a playoff caliber team.

True, but's a lot less than the $149 you pay for NHL.TV. Most people have either cable to satellite TV.

I think that number is getting lower and lower.

 

Not many, but a handful of people I work with that are 'middle aged' have dropped Cable TV and are going strictly with the Netflix/Hulu/OTA mode. However, my observation is that is a LOT more common with people under 25.  I have a niece that just went to college this year, and we visited her last fall. In the Dorms where she stays, almost everyone there does the Hulu/Netflix thing. I asked her boyfriend what he does about sports (he lives in a dorm in a different building) and he says he just doesn't watch live often..just checks the scores on his phone...and if there is something they want to watch badly enough, they will find a sports bar (or someone who DOES have cable) to watch there.

 

Bottom line...a lot of those younger folks have no problem watching the NFL (most get it with a cheap antenna over the air) and can watch a good number of NBA games, but MLB and NHL they just watch less and less.