CBC News - In Canada, it’s never been more complicated — or expensive — to watch NHL hockey

[TheDoldrums]

People are being overly dramatic. TVA/RDS are French, not a concern unless you're a Habs fan. You always needed TSN/Sportsnet for the past decade. The only change is Amazon Prime, something any self-respecting middle class household should have anyways.

 

[Rob Brown]

People are being overly dramatic. TVA/RDS are French, not a concern unless you're a Habs fan. You always needed TSN/Sportsnet for the past decade. The only change is Amazon Prime, something any self-respecting middle class household should have anyways.

My big problem is with regional blackouts. It's dumb that I can't watch another Canadian team play this afternoon because I don't live in that city.

 

[Ghetty Green]

Doesn’t everyone subscribe to those anyway.

Nah we stream out here

There is no ESPN+ in Canada, unless you go for the VPN route.

If you have a VPN there's zero reason to pay for any streaming service

 

[TCNorthstars]

Many more streaming services are detecting well known VPN server addresses from companies like surf shark, ipvanish etc and are geo blocking them even if you are using your VPN. I know from experience.

I'm pretty sure they are also using location tracking of the device itself to see where you are and blocking that way too.

 

[brentashton]

I think we're finding out that it depends on where you're watching because in Australia ESPN+ most certainly has all the games.

Do they carry the TNT national broadcast games? Because they don’t in the USA. Those are on TNT only.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Nah we stream out here

That’s still a subscription, whether cable or streaming

If you have a VPN there's zero reason to pay for any streaming service

Some networks are getting smarter, and also using geo-location, or cell triangulation if using phone. That was true before though.

 

[Czechboy]

I've had Sportsnet as part of my cable sports package for years. I've also been an Amazon Prime member for years.. mostly for the free shipping which has more than paid for itself. I don't subscribe to TSN. For me, its a waste of money.

They get the Jr's, U18 and World Championships. They totally have me by the balls.lol

I do love their tennis coverage to be honest.

 

[brentashton]

I'm pretty sure they are also using location tracking of the device itself to see where you are and blocking that way too.

TSN and Sportsnet do because of the regional deals. I can be on a VPN in Canada for the region eligible to receive the game and still get blocked. It’s all this BS that pushed me to an “alternative option”.

 

[Rubi]

They get the Jr's, U18 and World Championships. They totally have me by the balls.lol

I do love their tennis coverage to be honest.

I subscribe to TSN at Christmas so I can watch the World Jr Championship. Then I cancel it in January. I don't watch tennis.

 

[Jeune Poulet]

Amazon Prime, something any self-respecting middle class household should have anyways.

Lol.

Imagine thinking like that.

 

[JianYang]

There was a time not to long ago where as a nucks fan, more often than not the games weren't on tv at all.

If people don't wanna pay for SN or Prime, the radios always free or you can always attend games.

My point is people today are so used to free shit they forget that things are way better now.

Besides, you don't even need anything but prime since you can subscribe to SN for 20 bucks a month.

If you are an out of market fan, things are not this simple, and it has gotten progressively more expensive and more complicated while somehow managing to get less functional to access out of market games than ever before.

 

[Golden_Jet]

TSN and Sportsnet do because of the regional deals. I can be on a VPN in Canada for the region eligible to receive the game and still get blocked. It’s all this BS that pushed me to an “alternative option”.

That’s what poster was mentioning to you, in the post you quoted, VPN won’t help if they are using geo-locating, or another method.

If you are an out of market fan, things are not this simple, and it has gotten progressively more expensive and more complicated while somehow managing to get less functional to access out of market games than ever before.

Out of market fans, have it the best, just need one package centre ice.

 

[Ghetty Green]

That’s still a subscription, whether cable or streaming


Some networks are getting smarter, and also using geo-location, or cell triangulation if using phone. That was true before though.

I don't subscribe to any streaming service for hockey.

 

[Leafs87]

Doesn't exactly work as an out of market fan. If I want to legally watch every Leaf game this year, I would need subscriptions to Sportsnet, TSN and Amazon that would push $350 a year. Absolutely not in a million years. If they would let me watch the games on cable...I would probably pay for that. But I can't so they get nothing from me lol

I believe centre ice may be your best bet. I had it when I was doing a relocation to another province and it let me watch all Leafs games

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

Do they carry the TNT national broadcast games? Because they don’t in the USA. Those are on TNT only.

Yep, I watch a ton of TNT games on ESPN+ in Australia

 

[Golden_Jet]

I don't subscribe to any streaming service for hockey.

Ahh ok, a pirate guy.

 

[Next Best Thing]

It’s never been more complicated, or expensive, to watch NHL hockey as the multiyear Rogers broadcast deal winds down. To watch every game of the 2024/2025 season fans will need to subscribe to Sportsnet, TSN, RDS, TVA and Amazon Prime.​

Seruously wtf is all this, I've never been more annoyed and confused. And it's impossible to stream the games either it looks like they cracked down on everything.

I'm about to ask Ai to simulate the game locally based on box score after each game.

 

[brentashton]

Ahh ok, a pirate guy.

It is the way.

 

[crowi]

Doesn’t everyone subscribe to those anyway.

Hell no, and I'm sorry if you do.

 

[jackjohnson]

For elderly people its horrible to not know where or how to watch.

I thought the elderly would just listen to their radio made in the 1960s.

Piracy is the way.

The quality has been greatly improved.

 

[crowi]

As stupidly frustrating as it is, can't help but wonder this is having a particularly negative impact on the next generation of fans.

Hard to fall i love with the sport if you can't easily watch it

Next generation of fans probably understand what a VPN is. Unlike my 76 year old father. He'd be boned if he watched NHL from Finland.

 

[jackjohnson]

No I don't? I pay $6.99 a month for ESPN+ and that has all the games. A friend of mine has NHL.tv and that also has all the games.

Yeah but Canadians dont have that option.

 

[JianYang]

That’s what poster was mentioning to you, in the post you quoted, VPN won’t help if they are using geo-locating, or another method.


Out of market fans, have it the best, just need one package centre ice.

I used to have center ice before cutting the cable. It irked me that I have to pay for all out of market games when practically speaking, I only needed it for one team.

Before rogers took over, I could subscribe to one channel and get all the games I needed for like 5 bucks a month.

Then I tried to stream gamecenter but I started getting phantom blackouts or sometimes the application just wouldn't function.

Customer service didn't care, so that was enough of that.

 

[jackjohnson]

There is no ESPN+ in Canada, unless you go for the VPN route.

Even with VPN, you cant get it unless you have a US credit card and US address

 

[MoneyManny]

It's literally never been as easy as it is today. Just own a laptop/pc, a internet connection, a hdmi cable and a TV and you can watch whatever games you want, and you don't even need the two last things if you don't want to.

That's old school!!

You can just pair a phone/tablet with your tv with bluetooth, even easier!