Quote:
Originally Posted by dissentowner
Not only is their production poor but their shunning of out of market fans at times is criminal. Last Saturdays Flames game was a regional. Tmrw's game is only on SNW again while SN is showing the Sharks and the Kings. Why the hell am I being blacked out from watching a Canadian team but I can watch two American teams? Network is a f'n joke!
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This isn’t as simple as Sportsnet “shunning” out of market fans. The NHL and Flames also have a role to play. Sportsnet will have only bought the regional rights to the game, meaning Sportsnet can only show it in the Flames home region. If they were to show it out if region they’d be in violation of their contract and the Flames and it the NHL could sue them as they would have then owed more money to them for National rights.
It usually isn’t worth it for any network to spring for the National rights to the games they simply won’t attract enough viewers. This also isn’t unique to Sportsnet. It’s the same reason why I can see local Jets games on the guides here in Calgary for various TSN channels but if I try to watch it, blacked out.
They only way to ensure you get to watch all out of market games is to buy NHL centre ice, it’s how the NHL monatises getting regional games to other regions.