How will you be watching the coming NHL season?

MrJoeSoap

Hi all,

With no sign of an ESPN Player option as yet, and I'm now hearing that ESPN America haven't got the rights for the coming season, how are people in Ireland planning on watching games this year? Is there a Center Ice option for non-North American's out there?

I know its 6 weeks away yet but I've upped my broadband speed so I could watch the best quality streams... and now I'm worried.

PS - Booked my flights and tickets for the two NHL Premiere games in Stockholm, can't wait!

Mark

cena

Have they really lost the rights. I can't find anything. Do they not show NBC and verus hockey coverage.

citytillidie

Hopefully they will sort out the rights for the season.

Seen this on another forum

According to twitter reports, ESPN Player will be replaced by NHL Gamecenter Live with registration from the last week of September.

The text is:

As of the end of the 2010-11 season, ESPN Player will no longer be covering NHL hockey in Europe. NHL GameCenter Live is now available in all regions of the world, registration should be available starting the last week of September.

Not sure how true it is, but anyway no real change on the internet side of things - ESPN player was just a European version of Gamecenter anyway.

MrJoeSoap

Thats good news, once there is little or no price increase. Last season I wasn't able to watch fluently at the highest available speed, but I've changed ISP's so that shouldn't be a problem this year.

Keep us posted!

JONJO THE MISER

Sounds great, really looking forward to the season and putting down a few bets:o

citytillidie

Keep an eye here http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1346675&page=26 for infor on ESPN America, it will usually break there 1st if they sign on to show NHL here or not

Grid.

Not far off now, hopefully ESPN continues coverage.;)

smackbunnybaby

probably a stupid question ...but... that means Sportscentre won't show highlights or give scores?
Like is it a blanket no access, or can they still say, "oh, Ottawa extend their 15 game unbeaten run?"

MrJoeSoap

smackbunnybaby wrote: »

probably a stupid question ...but... that means Sportscentre won't show highlights or give scores?
Like is it a blanket no access, or can they still say, "oh, Ottawa extend their 15 game unbeaten run?"

I guess it is all still up in the air a bit, there are probably different packages that will be up for grabs for the networks, live games, highlights, online coverage etc...

I'm getting really restless about this now, I'm checking it every single day!

citytillidie

ESPN America website is showing NHL news now so maybe they might have a deal done

COYW

citytillidie wrote: »

ESPN America website is showing NHL news now so maybe they might have a deal done

Superb!

citytillidie

COYW wrote: »

Superb!

Just have to wait and see, most of the summer they did not have any hockey news at all.

TechnoPool

on TV in canada

MrJoeSoap

First couple of posts on this page are encouraging...

http://forum.nfluk.com/showthread.php?t=17664&page=219

Also, on the Gamecenter page on NHL.com, it is now showing an option to "Register" which it hadn't shown before today. But unfortunately, when I click it it just loops back to the same page.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/gclanding.htm?intcmpid=intlrdr

If the full Gamecenter is available here I'm signing up in a heartbeat.

cena

were ye all watching the games. Myp2p seems too down

rismak7

cena wrote: »

were ye all watching the games. Myp2p seems too down

They have run into legal issues lately. I use one of wiziwig firstrowsports or atdhe1 for streaming sports.

Paula_K

Any sign of an official source streaming online yet? I'd definitely pay as I'm sick of bad quality streams for free over the last few seasons.

MrJoeSoap

Paula_K wrote: »

Any sign of an official source streaming online yet? I'd definitely pay as I'm sick of bad quality streams for free over the last few seasons.

From here:

I'm traveling abroad. Can I watch live games with NHL GameCenter LIVE™ while I'm away?

Currently, NHL GameCenter LIVE™ is fully available throughout the U.S. and Canada with limited availability internationally (everywhere except Europe and the Middle East).

Fans in Europe (except Italy and Russia) or the Middle East may watch live games with a subscription to ESPN Player. Go to: espnplayer.com and choose the NHL Center Ice package to get live games on demand.

---

But the www.espnplayer.com site still doesn't show NHL anywhere on it. I've sent an email to Gamecenter Live to see if they can answer my questions on this.

MrJoeSoap

Your request about Registration has been received at 09/30/2011 01:26 PM

Registration for GameCenter Live in Europe and the Middle East is now available. The FAQs and Terms of Service will be updated shortly to reflect this change in territorial restrictions. We appreciate your patience in this matter.

Happy days! Can't wait for the season to start now!

MrJoeSoap

I've signed up today and it looks and feels fantastic. Archives and classic matches from decades gone by, plenty of live action every night, support for iPad and PS3, HD streams...

This season is going to be great!

cena

MrJoeSoap wrote: »

I've signed up today and it looks and feels fantastic. Archives and classic matches from decades gone by, plenty of live action every night, support for iPad and PS3, HD streams...

This season is going to be great!

How much is that Joe. Also would it use alot of data too watch. We get 40gb allowance from vodafone. Would be great too watch on the ps3 through our hd tv.

MrJoeSoap

It was $160USD, or you can pay it by 8 x $20USD installments. There are different quality streams, the best ones are near enough 720p HD so they'd use a lot of data, but I don't think the lower quality ones would use nearly as much. Only problem then is that the picture quality isn't really worth spending money on.

Paula_K

Brilliant! Going to sign up this week! Thanks lads!

COYW

No sign of any NHL games on ESPN or ESPN America.

Ping Chow Chi

not yet - I hope that they do sort something out though

krissovo

COYW wrote: »

No sign of any NHL games on ESPN or ESPN America.

I recently upgraded my sports package in the hope I get to see some hockey on ESPN America:(

At least they now have good rugby coverage on ESPN so all not lost but still does not make up for missing hockey. I am not sure I can justify a subscription service either.

Will ESPN have a weekly catch up or anything running? I looked at the schedule and so far nothing I can see.

forzacalcio

Ive a feeling this is close. One of ESPN America, Eurosport or Sky. Eurosport is a strange one being thrown in the mix the last two days!

MrJoeSoap

forzacalcio wrote: »

Ive a feeling this is close. One of ESPN America, Eurosport or Sky. Eurosport is a strange one being thrown in the mix the last two days!

That would be great, as Eurosport have a HD service as well.

Izy

ineresting...

http://m.yahoo.com/w/sports/home/blogs/article?offset=3&urn=urn%3Anewsml%3Asports.yahoo%2Cyhoo%3A20050301%3Anhl%2Carticle%2Cyhoo-ept_sports_nhl_experts-wp14035%3A1&.ts=1317755242&.ysid=AkX21arJVnPsc13BIjfzOb5D&.intl=US&.lang=en

forzacalcio

Now that it is impossible to watch this on TV are we allowed discuss other means?

Izy

forzacalcio wrote: »

Now that it is impossible to watch this on TV are we allowed discuss other means?

you dont want to watch streams of live hockey games... i did it with penguins games last year and its not worth it...