[News] Sportsnet signs 12 year $5.2 billion for NHL CDN Broadcast rights.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

CBC starts their games at 7 EST, I don't remember many times where they didn't talk about the 2nd game in the 5-10 minutes before it started

They do put them on TSN2 if nothing else is on and that's where I saw it, but there are still some people who don't have TSN2 or may not have it in HD etc.

I dont want a full pre-game as you're right I dont watch them, but some form of buildup would be nice, and all it would take is to start the eastern games at 7 EST (where the majority of them do)

You just said nobody watches pre-game including yourself so your criticism is pretty hollow here.

You don't really believe that if TSN had regional rights for Canucks or Flames broadcasts that they wouldn't do as good a job as RSN? We all know that's not true and we all know that they would do a considerably better job. That's why the deal sucks. The 3rd rate broadcaster now has their hands on everything even HNIC. It's not even debateable that RSN is inferior to CBC and TSN yet they get the gig for 12 years. I fail to see how this is good for fans.

[FBI]

I would love to watch any pre-game or post-game, unfortunately I get none of that..
Does Fan960 stream any pre-game or post-game stuff online?

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Burner

I think its going to be really interesting once the Blue Jays start playing baseball. How will NHL playoffs and baseball coverage coexist - not to mention World Series etc.

Pretty easily, actually. You can expect most games Sportsnet shows to be on the regional channels. (And if you want them all, prepare to pay for all four channels). Some national games on SN1. When the Jays start playing, you'll have the Flames or Oilers on SN West, The Canucks on SN Pacific, and the Jays on SN Ontario/East. The MLB playoffs, I expect, will be mostly on SN1 and SN360.

MLB doesn't put regional restrictions on Sportsnet - any game on any of their regional channels can be seen anywhere in Canada - and the NHL has lifted their restrictions. This effectively means that there are now six national Sportsnet channels. And if outright necessary, Rogers could always sell some MLB rights back to TSN or CBC.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by FBI

I would love to watch any pre-game or post-game, unfortunately I get none of that..
Does Fan960 stream any pre-game or post-game stuff online?

Fan960 streams everything they do online. One hour pre-game show, about an hour post-game show, then Flames fans calling in and freaking out exactly like Oiler and Canuck fans do.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Tsawwassen

The regional rights for the Leafs are with TSN for the long term. For next season, TSN has 10 regional Leafs games. It increases after that to 26 games per season. http://sports.nationalpost.com/2013/11/26/nhl-rogers-reach-12-year-5-2-billion-broadcast-deal-that-would-see-cbc-keep-hockey-night-in-canada/

There's still a handful of regional games on Sportsnet and Leafs TV that I'm sure could be pried away with enough cash.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Pretty easily, actually. You can expect most games Sportsnet shows to be on the regional channels. (And if you want them all, prepare to pay for all four channels). Some national games on SN1. When the Jays start playing, you'll have the Flames or Oilers on SN West, The Canucks on SN Pacific, and the Jays on SN Ontario/East. The MLB playoffs, I expect, will be mostly on SN1 and SN360.

MLB doesn't put regional restrictions on Sportsnet - any game on any of their regional channels can be seen anywhere in Canada - and the NHL has lifted their restrictions. This effectively means that there are now six national Sportsnet channels. And if outright necessary, Rogers could always sell some MLB rights back to TSN or CBC.

I think that the regional restrictions will still be in place for Sportsnet on days that aren't Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. It's still a bit of a grey area exactly how it's all going to work.

[Burner]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Pretty easily, actually. You can expect most games Sportsnet shows to be on the regional channels. (And if you want them all, prepare to pay for all four channels). Some national games on SN1. When the Jays start playing, you'll have the Flames or Oilers on SN West, The Canucks on SN Pacific, and the Jays on SN Ontario/East. The MLB playoffs, I expect, will be mostly on SN1 and SN360.

MLB doesn't put regional restrictions on Sportsnet - any game on any of their regional channels can be seen anywhere in Canada - and the NHL has lifted their restrictions. This effectively means that there are now six national Sportsnet channels. And if outright necessary, Rogers could always sell some MLB rights back to TSN or CBC.

except that they are now the national carrier - so how do you deal with regional channels when you have national rights. how do your sponsors like paying national prices and being shown to a regional market?

[TurnedTheCorner]

SN will be both a regional and national broadcaster. National games on specified nights can be shown on any of the regional networks - chances are a game on one of the regional networks will be on all of them at once, so it's broadcast "nationally". Other national options for them are SN1, SN360, CBC on Saturdays, City, and Omni. Six channels for national rights for seven Canadian teams. All seven won't be playing separate games at the same time in a national window, so it should go just fine.

On the non-national nights, regional games will still be played, meaning all SN has to do is only show the game on the appropriate regional network and things will act exactly as they do now. Only viewers in Ontario will see games on SN-Ontario, only viewers in Alberta and Sask (I forget if Mantoba gets this channel or not) will see games on SN-W, etc.

Shouldn't be too tough.

[sureLoss]

IT BEGINS... Sounds like Kypreos will be on HNIC tomorrow:

Nick Kypreos ‏@RealKyper 22m
Pumped for #HNIC this weekend. Especially 2nd intermission! @Sportsnet @SportsnetPR @hockeynight @CoachsCornerCBC

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

IT BEGINS... Sounds like Kypreos will be on HNIC tomorrow:

Nick Kypreos ‏@RealKyper 22m
Pumped for #HNIC this weekend. Especially 2nd intermission! @Sportsnet @SportsnetPR @hockeynight @CoachsCornerCBC

I wonder how Don Cherry feels about this? I assume we will find out as he's not one to hold anything back.

[trackercowe]

Maybe Kypreos will take over Coaches Corner once Cherry retires in a couple years!...

"contemplates suicide"

[albertGQ]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

I think that the regional restrictions will still be in place for Sportsnet on days that aren't Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. It's still a bit of a grey area exactly how it's all going to work.

This is 100% how I interpreted it as well.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

IT BEGINS... Sounds like Kypreos will be on HNIC tomorrow:

Nick Kypreos ‏@RealKyper 22m
Pumped for #HNIC this weekend. Especially 2nd intermission! @Sportsnet @SportsnetPR @hockeynight @CoachsCornerCBC

[hwy19man]

Originally Posted by Burner

except that they are now the national carrier - so how do you deal with regional channels when you have national rights. how do your sponsors like paying national prices and being shown to a regional market?

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

SN will be both a regional and national broadcaster. National games on specified nights can be shown on any of the regional networks - chances are a game on one of the regional networks will be on all of them at once, so it's broadcast "nationally". Other national options for them are SN1, SN360, CBC on Saturdays, City, and Omni. Six channels for national rights for seven Canadian teams. All seven won't be playing separate games at the same time in a national window, so it should go just fine.

On the non-national nights, regional games will still be played, meaning all SN has to do is only show the game on the appropriate regional network and things will act exactly as they do now. Only viewers in Ontario will see games on SN-Ontario, only viewers in Alberta and Sask (I forget if Mantoba gets this channel or not) will see games on SN-W, etc.

Shouldn't be too tough.

Manitoba does get Sportsnet West but the Flames and Oilers games are blacked out. From 1998 to 2002 Sportsnet had the national rights along with their regional rights and there were no problems. The national night was on Tuesday and when the Flames played on the West channel, everyone would see it on their regional channel. The only difference was the commentators and ironically they were Hughson and Simpson.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Thanks, I kind of thought they did get SN-W, but Manitoba is always in East/West no-man's land it seems when it comes to Canadian sports.

So Flames and Oilers games on SN-W that are broadcast as part of the regional deal (Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri) will continue to be blacked out there.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

I think that the regional restrictions will still be in place for Sportsnet on days that aren't Wednesday, Saturday or Sunday. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. It's still a bit of a grey area exactly how it's all going to work.

I'm not so sure about that. NHL.com was pretty adamant about this:

The agreement also guarantees there will be no further regionalization of games or local blackouts.

Certainly Sportsnet would not be permitted to show a Flames-Jets game in Manitoba if TSN is covering it regionally, but I take that to mean that regional telecasts that don't clash with TSN's rights could well be fair game.

Regardless, what I was trying to say was that if Rogers has the right to nationally broadcast a Flames game, that does not mean it can't be put on one of the regional channels. But it does mean that anyone who gets Sportsnet West - anywhere in Canada - would be able to watch that game.

And this is where I expect to see Rogers try to gain some money. Right now, you can get all four regional channels with Telus for $2 extra. I recall Shaw used to offer similar, but all I can see now at a glance is a package that includes Sportsnet Pacific. I would say to expect to see Rogers offering up its regional network as a package to Telus, Shaw and Bell, but at a higher cost. They will want you buying all of their channels, and with the NHL in their pocket, you're probably paying $10+ per month for the package.

Incidentally, not sure if this has been posted yet, but an interesting "sample schedule" from a National Post article:

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2013/...ichard-peddie/

[Resolute 14]

Actually, I just noticed they have a "Sportsnet NHL" channel listed there too. That's interesting.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Regardless, what I was trying to say was that if Rogers has the right to nationally broadcast a Flames game, that does not mean it can't be put on one of the regional channels. But it does mean that anyone who gets Sportsnet West - anywhere in Canada - would be able to watch that game.

After all of the talk about eliminating regionalization of national broadcasts in the press conference and announcement, I'd be quite surprised if this came to be. In the sample schedule you posted, you'll note that games on the regional networks in the sample are on all regional networks at once. I understand your skepticism, and share it to a degree, but I don't think it will ultimately unfold that way. We'll see how it goes.

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Actually, I just noticed they have a "Sportsnet NHL" channel listed there too. That's interesting.

That's probably the same as the current NHL Network, but who knows for sure.

[GirlySports]

they should have a power play channel (ala Red Zone). When any team in the league is on a PP switch over to it live.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

they should have a power play channel (ala Red Zone). When any team in the league is on a PP switch over to it live.

The Ice Surfing show is supposedly going to be like the NFL Red Zone. I'm not sure how it's going to work.