New viewing options next season

[hf101]

 

NHL, broadcasters settle TV blackouts lawsuit, will offer new viewing options starting with next season.  

 

With the recent settlement of a class-action antitrust lawsuit targeting the NHL’s TV blackout policy , hockey fans will be able to see their favorite team play on the road without being forced to subscribe to a league-wide content package.

 

As part of the settlement, whose details were announced Thursday, the NHL will offer a Game Center Live internet package that enables fans to buy single-team packages for at least 20 percent less than the cost of bundled packages. The new package will be available for the next five seasons, and in addition, the league is discounting “early bird” renewal and full season prices by an additional 17.25 percent next season and will pay $6.5 million to attorneys for the plaintiffs to cover legal fees and costs.

 

The NHL team defendants involved in the lawsuit included the Buffalo Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks and Washington Capitals. They agreed that, along with broadcasters Comcast Corp., DirecTV and Madison Square Garden Co., the league used blackouts to limit out-of-market game broadcasts.

 

Thursday’s settlement requires approval by a U.S. District court judge in Manhattan before being finalized. Howard Langer, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in legal documents it marked the first time any U.S. major-league sport has permitted consumers to choose between purchasing a league-wide, season-long broadcast package or only watching their favorite teams.

 

http://www.thehockeynews.com/blog/nhl-broadcasters-settle-tv-blackouts-lawsuit-will-offer-new-viewing-options/

 

I wonder if this will lower the price of Center Ice or Game Center ?

[pilldoc]

It would be nice if it lowered the price of NHL Center Ice.  Our cable bill gets quite hefty during the fall when we pay for both NHL Center Ice and NFL Game Ticket. (Thank God my wife is a sports fan!)  Plus we get the occasional blackout due to the evil empire known as Comcast. (One of my friends has called them the spawn of the devil.. LOL)

 

Though I would miss seeing the other games...I would purchase a Flyers only package just to keep the family expenses within budget.

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

It would be nice if it lowered the price of NHL Center Ice. Our cable bill gets quite hefty during the fall when we pay for both NHL Center Ice and NFL Game Ticket. (Thank God my wife is a sports fan!) Plus we get the occasional blackout due to the evil empire known as Comcast. (One of my friends has called them the spawn of the devil.. LOL)

Though I would miss seeing the other games...I would purchase a Flyers only package just to keep the family expenses within budget.

I don't get the NFL game ticket, but my DirecTV bill is also pretty hefty in the fall. It would be nice to be able to pay for only the channels that I watch on a regular basis and not have to pay for the channels that I never watch. I would still get the entire NHL Center ice package. I watch a game almost every night during the regular season and all of the playoff games I can.

[jammer2]

  I pay my cable company a buck a day, everyday for unlimited NHL, NFL, NBA, MLB, OHL, NCAA (football and hockey), NASCAR (BOOOO!!!)....it's been the same price for 7 years. Nice, safe, cheap unlimited sports for a buck a day....half the price of my morning cup of coffee...how can you go wrong??

[pilldoc]

@jammer2

 

 

(of course this is said in fun..... )

[jammer2]

@pilldoc  On top of having a great deal, they "grandfathered" my price in, so if I don't cancel it, they will not move off the buck per day....needless to say, the sports package is here to stay....LOL!