Ryan Wilson: Pros and Cons of New NHL/MLB Partnership Pros and Cons of New NHL/MLB Partnership

I'd like to be excited about another company running the gamecenter service, but local and national blackouts still make it a non-option for the cable cutter.

I don't really follow games on twitter, so maybe I'm off-base with this but, who really gives a poop about someone making GIF's? Wouldn't it be better if the league was able to grow in terms of popularity?

I don't really follow games on twitter, so maybe I'm off-base with this but, who really gives a poop about someone making GIF's? Wouldn't it be better if the league was able to grow in terms of popularity?
- BlazinMike

Better online streaming and media services wouldn't help anything's growth and popularity?

I don't really follow games on twitter, so maybe I'm off-base with this but, who really gives a poop about someone making GIF's? Wouldn't it be better if the league was able to grow in terms of popularity?
- BlazinMike

My thoughts exactly

I'd like to be excited about another company running the gamecenter service, but local and national blackouts still make it a non-option for the cable cutter.
- BulliesPhan87

Until this changes many people will still look to those "other options". Lost opportunity for the league as they still used very dated blackout policies.

I'd like to be excited about another company running the gamecenter service, but local and national blackouts still make it a non-option for the cable cutter.
- BulliesPhan87

Yep, which is why I will be streaming through 3rd parties until that changes.

Until this changes many people will still look to those "other options". Lost opportunity for the league as they still used very dated blackout policies.
- Ryan_Wilson

The soonest I can see this changing is when the big TV deals expire. There has to be language in those that protects their exclusive broadcasting rights. In other words, I'm not holding my breath.

For those of you looking to subscribe to GameCenter for your local broadcasts, some dude once told me that maybe there might possibly be a work around for that *cough*VPN*cough*

Center ice is the only way to go!

Better online streaming and media services wouldn't help anything's growth and popularity?
- Guile

I'm saying those things seem like they WOULD help with growth and popularity. I'm also saying at the same time, who gives a poop if Stephanie gif-maker cant make gif's anymore?

As long as the game is growing, then I don't care about someone who makes gif's.

What kills me and hopefully this will be addressed in the near future is that I live in the WBS area in the state of PA only 1.5 hours outside of philly and 2-2.5 hours outside of NYC/NJ yet through Directv I am in the NYC metro region. Philly games are blacked out. Pitt games are blacked out even though the Root Channel is in our package and we get all of the Pirates, Phillies, Eagles, Steelers games every week yet I have to subscribe to the Center Ice package in order to watch the Pens. I do it anyways because I like watching other games esp on off nights but the blackout regional rules are insane.

I'm in Toronto and only subscribe because I root for Columbus and Chicago mostly but will watch practically any hockey game......... easy to get out of market games, but this is a useless service for any 'home fans'.

I'm saying those things seem like they WOULD help with growth and popularity. I'm also saying at the same time, who gives a poop if Stephanie gif-maker cant make gif's anymore?

As long as the game is growing, then I don't care about someone who makes gif's.
- BlazinMike

I agree, I really have no sympathy for someone playing the opportunist role of using footage to make GIFs. That is a true non-factoring bad side to this deal

Anyone who can't pay for a VPN service and then launch gamecentre is living in the stone ages...

i can watch any game anytime on gamecentre and stream it to my t.v. I don't need any cable or anything else.

A decent VPN service will cost between 50-90$ per year. Why pay some useless 3rd party pirate when you can buy gamecentre for 99$ and pay for a VPN that lets you watch Netflix from any region and HuluPlus if you are outside the US [in addition to in market games]...

the great thing about MLBAM taking over the NHL media properties is that John Collins is in charge of that and he's the guy that made the NHL website as useful as it is... letting him take it to the next level will make it even better now that he will use the MLBAM knowledge to enhance the NHL offerings...

Your article fails to mention the impact having John on this will have...

Center ice is the only way to go!

No way dude, hockeystreams.com is WAY better. For $110 you get NHL, AHL, OHL, WHL + More!

Anyone who can't pay for a VPN service and then launch gamecentre is living in the stone ages...

i can watch any game anytime on gamecentre and stream it to my t.v. I don't need any cable or anything else.

A decent VPN service will cost between 50-90$ per year. Why pay some useless 3rd party pirate when you can buy gamecentre for 99$ and pay for a VPN that lets you watch Netflix from any region and HuluPlus if you are outside the US...
- kaptaan

Gamecenter has worse support/compatibility than many others. Some 3rd parties take "donations" in the event of being shut down and for some it is perfectly well possible to not pay anything.

GIRLS CAN'T PLAY BALL!

No way dude, hockeystreams.com is WAY better. For $110 you get NHL, AHL, OHL, WHL + More!
- j.boyd919

Plus you don't have to already have a cable subscription to buy it.

Gamecenter has worse support/compatibility than many others. Some 3rd parties take "donations" in the event of being shut down and for some it is perfectly well possible to not pay anything.
- jfkst1

I haven't had any problems streaming on gamecentre in HD... having the VPN lets me watch in market games, but I despise the leafs so never watch in market games unless the Canucks, Habs, or Sens are playing.

i don't watch the ahl, whl, etc.. etc... so hockeystreams is a waste for me... the vpn let's me watch whatever i want from any region on netflix, huluplus, amazon prime, etc...

Anyone who can't pay for a VPN service and then launch gamecentre is living in the stone ages...

i can watch any game anytime on gamecentre and stream it to my t.v. I don't need any cable or anything else.

A decent VPN service will cost between 50-90$ per year. Why pay some useless 3rd party pirate when you can buy gamecentre for 99$ and pay for a VPN that lets you watch Netflix from any region and HuluPlus if you are outside the US
- kaptaan[in addition to in market games]...

So I could pay $149-199 for GC plus a VPN, or $110 for HS? Yeah, easy decision, and that's before considering any setup GC+VPN requires versus easy chromecast support for HS.

No way dude, hockeystreams.com is WAY better. For $110 you get NHL, AHL, OHL, WHL + More!
- j.boyd919

How is the picture quality?

What kills me and hopefully this will be addressed in the near future is that I live in the WBS area in the state of PA only 1.5 hours outside of philly and 2-2.5 hours outside of NYC/NJ yet through Directv I am in the NYC metro region. Philly games are blacked out. Pitt games are blacked out even though the Root Channel is in our package and we get all of the Pirates, Phillies, Eagles, Steelers games every week yet I have to subscribe to the Center Ice package in order to watch the Pens. I do it anyways because I like watching other games esp on off nights but the blackout regional rules are insane.
- Reverend Killtaker

I live in another weird territory vortex in the Albany area. We are in the NYC market, but MSG covers Rangers, Islanders, Devils and Sabres (plus Knicks and Nets). Six teams on 3 MSG Networks. In the winter, it's not uncommon for a few of those teams to be playing on the same night.

If games are on NBCSN or NHL Network that include any of those teams, they are blacked out here regardless if they are actually on MSG or not. Pens play a lot of games against those teams, and there have been countless nights where even if the channel guide says the Pens game will be on, they often aren't, and the NBCSN/NHL Network is blacked out.

I signed up for hockeystreams late last year, and I'm going back again this season.

Wtf is a vpn? You guys are speaking foreign language.

I just get gamecenter, and if any Pens games are blacked out it'll be on Tv on either NHL Network, NBCSN or Fox Sports-Detroit