[News] Sportsnet announces mutli year regional media rights deal with the Flames and Oilers

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Magnum PEI

Hrudey is literally the best color guy. He's un-annoying and I can completely tune him out. All the other ones drive me nuts, except maybe Debrusk.

I love Kelly the person but to me he can be a little annoying during broadcasts. I can see why Oilers and Canucks fans think he's terrible even if their guys are 100x worse.

[skeena1]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but usually they announce the announcer names with the deals. I wonder if there are changes coming in either deal.

[You Need a Thneed]

Yesterday when I was looking things up related to this, I found that the Fan960 contract for broadcasting games was up at the end of last season too, has anything been announced for an extension for that?

[Knees22]

FYI ... Sportsnet 960 radio broadcasts as well as Flames and Oilers regional TV rights were renewed for 4 more seasons. Wills and Lou we also extended on SN960. Timelines make sense with the new arena scheduled for 2024.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Yesterday when I was looking things up related to this, I found that the Fan960 contract for broadcasting games was up at the end of last season too, has anything been announced for an extension for that?

Not sure if it was formally announced but Derek Wills retweeted the original Flames announcement saying he would be calling games again this year with Loubardias and Steinberg:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1346909402519855111

[agulati]

Easily one the best sports personalities I have met. Ran into him at a timmies in Canmore and I was wearing a flames hat and hoodie. Just made a comment about looking forward to the season starting and he ended up having a 10 minute conversation with me. Genuinely curious of what I thought of the moves made, and how the team would perform.

My grand-uncle was visiting from India, and not really much into hockey. He was absolutely shocked to know that this random guy I was talking to was actually a hockey analyst and an ex-player with a successful career. Such a down to earth fellow.

[shniper]

Kelly is easily the best in the business, and anyone who thinks differently is wrong and their opinions don't mean squat. Now who wants to share a SN Now account??

[Hockey-and_stuff]

I'm torn between my desire to watch the Flames and my resistance to paying for really poor quality streaming from SN Now.

I'm not asking for 4K but a solid 1080p stream would be worth the money. You don't get that from the Flames broadcasts right now.

[Purpdust]

Originally Posted by Hockey-and_stuff

I'm torn between my desire to watch the Flames and my resistance to paying for really poor quality streaming from SN Now.

I'm not asking for 4K but a solid 1080p stream would be worth the money. You don't get that from the Flames broadcasts right now.

That is because the Dome is still connected to the web using a 14.4 dial up

[Ducay]

Hruds is awesome aside from all the botox he got. Looks ridiculous, like a girl who gets giant lip fillers - but let's be honest, I'm here for his insights and calling, not his looks.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Hockey-and_stuff

I'm torn between my desire to watch the Flames and my resistance to paying for really poor quality streaming from SN Now.

I'm not asking for 4K but a solid 1080p stream would be worth the money. You don't get that from the Flames broadcasts right now.

I am asking for 4K. In fact, I am demanding it.

Why is it so hard, in 2021, to give us 4k? When we a PAYING for the coverage. If you are in business to provide sports coverage, and people are paying for said coverage, you should be providing state of the art, or at least close to SOTA, service.

This 'game through a potato' garbage is beyond insulting.

[Finger Cookin]

Rick Ball, pbp with what, probably close to 20 years of experience? A future star. And I love Rick, but it's a problem when a ~20 year vet is looked upon as an up and comer.

God, hockey coverage in this country needs fresh voices. I would take TheScorpion and ricardow on a game at this point. At least it would be different.

[Ragnar]

Was there any hope of TSN acquiring the rights? Not too pleased to be in the hands of Sportsnet again. Rick and Kelly do a decent enough job but every other game there seems to be an audio or visual issue, plus Cassie makes my ears bleed.

[djsFlames]

If I could choose any one it would be cool to have the Capitals PBP for a season.

His voice makes everything sound extreme and awesome. Like if a monster truck show and hockey collided.

[JD]

Ryan Leslie hasn't been mentioned yet, just want to say he's become excellent at his role too. You can see he has a rapport with the players.

[browna]

Ball is top class.

Hrudey in the last few years seems to go out of the way to focus and fawn over opponents, with the Flames an afterthought. I understand objectivity to a point, but he goes too far the other way (*cough Cale Makar cough*), as if he is worried about being and or the perception he is a homer when he goes and does his Saturday night gigs out east. Instead he wants to appear well rounded and all knowing, or, thinks he is auditioning to be the analyst for the HNIC games and thus takes the analysis of the opponent further than the analysis of the team he is paid to cover.

Maybe this season, playing the limited number of teams many more times he backs off on his nightly showcasing of Flames opponents.

Still better then 80% or more of the color guys in the league, but it is something I've noticed from him.

[FireGilbert]

Bittersweet news. I had hoped for a switch to TSN for higher quality HD and improved production of pre/post/intermission shows but am happy Ball is staying on. He is the best Flames TV PBP since Whalen.

[Snuffleupagus]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I am asking for 4K. In fact, I am demanding it.

Why is it so hard, in 2021, to give us 4k? When we a PAYING for the coverage. If you are in business to provide sports coverage, and people are paying for said coverage, you should be providing state of the art, or at least close to SOTA, service.

This 'game through a potato' garbage is beyond insulting.

It's quite amazing one can watch 4k movies/docs/sports on Amazon,Netflix and even YouTube but Rogers Media won't buy 4k camera's and bandwidth for 6 stadiums. (of course Toronto has them)

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by Hockey-and_stuff

I'm torn between my desire to watch the Flames and my resistance to paying for really poor quality streaming from SN Now.

I'm not asking for 4K but a solid 1080p stream would be worth the money. You don't get that from the Flames broadcasts right now.

TSN direct streams are much worse

720/30

On cable TSN is better though depending on the provider

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by ballin

I would have been cheesed if Cuthbert came from TSN to sportsnet just in time for the Flames to go from Sportsnet to TSN

Oh right, I forgot all about that! I feel the Oilers get repped a lot more on SNET than Flames, so my initial feeling was disappointment at this thread title as I wanted us to go to TSN. Thanks for the reminder why its good they didn't.

And Ball/Hrudey of course. I'm shocked we've had Ball this long, he's way too good to just be a regional guy. Good for us anyway