NHL Center Ice with NHL.TV

[rdale]

This year Dish Network had an agreement with MLB where subscribers to MLB Extra Innings on Dish could get a free MLB.TV subscription.

NHL offers the same deal, so if you sign up for Center Ice you can get NHL.TV for free (which is GREAT for a Canadiens fan - many of our games are not in HD.)

Oh wait - Dish did not agree to that part of the contract. Only DirectTV subs can get the free NHL.TV package.

 

[fbara]

With what I'm saving using Dish instead of DirectTV I can afford NHL.TV and a few Starbucks coffees each month.

I'm glad Dish's is making those deals to keep the monthly costs down while people who want those extras have plenty of other options to get them.

 

[rdale]

With what I'm saving using Dish instead of DirectTV I can afford NHL.TV and a few Starbucks coffees each month.

That's not true - Center Ice is the same price for each provider.

I'm glad Dish's is making those deals to keep the monthly costs down while people who want those extras have plenty of other options to get them.

You missed my point They AREN'T doing the deal. They do with MLB yet the same provider (MLB AM) aren't doing it with NHL. That doesn't save you a penny.

 

[dare2be]

rdale, it is you that missed the point about savings.

 

[rdale]

rdale, it is you that missed the point about savings.

Ok - explain it to me How much cheaper is your bill because Dish Network isn't allowing NHL to access the subscriber list like they do for MLB?

 

[dare2be]

He isn't saying it is cheaper just because of the NHL deal (or lack thereof). He's saying there are a combo of things and that the difference between what his total bill would be with DTV vs. Dish is enough to cover the cost of NHL.TV.

 

[fbara]

He isn't saying it is cheaper just because of the NHL deal (or lack thereof). He's saying there are a combo of things and that the difference between what his total bill would be with DTV vs. Dish is enough to cover the cost of NHL.TV.

Correct. Nothing is 'free', you're paying for it when DirectTV increases other prices to cover that cost.

 

[rdale]

Actually it IS free. It was free with MLB because Dish shared their list of Extra Innings subscribers. It is still free with NHL - but for some reason they aren't sharing the list of Center Ice subscribers.

But thanks for the discussion!

 

[dare2be]

Actually it IS free. It was free with MLB because Dish shared their list of Extra Innings subscribers. It is still free with NHL - but for some reason they aren't sharing the list of Center Ice subscribers.

But thanks for the discussion!

And you know this how? Just because it was done with MLB doesn't mean Dish didn't pay more in their contract with the MLB to allow "free" access to MLB.tv for EI subscribers.

I contend that the "some reason" that you refer to is contractual/financial. My speculation is as valid as yours, unless you have some inside contract information not privy to the rest of us.

 

[rdale]

I contacted MLB AM and asked why - their response is that Dish did not allow them access to the subscriber list. I don't know what else to say. But suggesting that if they were to allow access you would pay more for your bill doesn't pass the smell test. Or fbara suggesting that I buy both Center Ice and NHL.TV just because I use Dish doesn't fly either

 

[ttomni6]

Using the rationale in this thread, DISH customers are paying more in order to have our subscriber database shared in order to access HBOgo, SHO, PAC-12 and other networks that utilize cross authorization.
Why should NHL Center Ice subscribers not get that same cross authentication?
Especially since many of us don't get the HD broadcast that mainland folks receive.

 

[dare2be]

It has been pointed out many times here in many threads that the cross-authorization with external services is contractually-based between the MVPD and the content owner/provider. In this case, if there was a contract between the NHL and Dish to provide subscriber lists to the NHL for free access to NHL.tv for Center Ice subscribers, and Dish was not providing that, then you can be sure the NHL would be raising a stink about it and it would get rectified quickly. Complain to the NHL about not getting NHL.tv and see what they say.

 

[ttomni6]

First, I'd like to point out that many years ago when I first started accessing this site, folks were a lot more benevolent. Folks who read every single thread every single day assume anyone who comes along later have read and committed to memory everything that has been previously posted.
Please, give the rest of us a break.
So please, folks like dare2be , rather than take the antagonistic attitude that I detect in your post, I would find it more constructive to offer a suggestion as to how to present this argument to NHL.tv when contacting them. You make it sound as if you know what a constructive approach would be.
I'm not trying to create an argument. What I'm trying to say is that when I've made communications with companies and need a resolution, I explain my situation and then give an idea of what I expect in return. In a retail environment, I can deal with this very well.
Since I'm not familiar with the way that media works, it's helpful if folks who have that knowledge can offer a suggestion rather than allude to what they already know.

 

[rdale]

I have. They have pushed this solely on Dish. 2016 is the first year MLB and NHL have done this - and it appears Dish missed the memo

 

[ttomni6]

How this becomes difficult for me is that tonight 10/30/2016, I needed to get the Islanders game on my iPad via DISH anywhere and not on my TV.
The game was on channel 578. In Hawaii, we get it only SD. But DISH anywhere was expecting that this feed was available in HD and did not give access to the SD feed. As a result, this game was not available for access to a subscriber to NHL Center Ice on DISH anywhere.

 

[fbara]

Or fbara suggesting that I buy both Center Ice and NHL.TV just because I use Dish doesn't fly either

Yes, it does because that's how Dish set it up right now. You have other options to watch TV, Center Ice, and NHL.TV. If it's that important to you then you should take advantage of those options.

And adding a at the end of your posts doesn't make the post any nicer or cover the passive-aggressive tone.

 

[rdale]

You've added nothing to this thread except cause confusion. Sorry if that comes across passive or aggressive but that's just how it works out.

 

[dare2be]

So please, folks like dare2be , rather than take the antagonistic attitude that I detect in your post, I would find it more constructive to offer a suggestion as to how to present this argument to NHL.tv when contacting them. You make it sound as if you know what a constructive approach would be.

Duly noted.

I should have stayed out of it. I don't have any suggestions other than to contact both Dish and the NHL and try to find out what the disconnect is. I suspect that each side will point fingers at the other, though.

 

[ttomni6]

I think we all got a bit sidetracked after this earlier comment:
=============
"people who want those extras have plenty of other options to get them."
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The original poster didn't necessarily sound as if he wanted "those extras" - he was saying that it would be nice to see his Montreal Canadiens games in HD. If DISH chooses to not broadcast the NHL Center Ice games in HD, an arrangement similar to what, apparently, DTV did with NHL Center Ice/NHLtv would help fill in the gap.

Of course, this entire discussion would be rendered moot if DISH provided HD feeds.

This year, at least in Hawaii, it seems that DISH has designated ch 574 as an HD feed. In my guide, ch574 shows up "sometimes" as being an HD feed. Many times, ch574 will show in the guide as HD but there won't be a game on that channel. The games would all be in SD on the other designated Center Ice channels. Most times ch574 is listed only in SD.

HOWEVER, it appears DISH is making strides - at least during the free preview month - by "sometimes" mainly on Saturday - having two or three standard Center Ice channels provide an HD feed. There have been occasions where there have been a few standard channels listed as HD but contain no actual programming.

Also, I have found that on occasion there are 4 channels in the 9546 range that have been showing HD feeds. Sometimes these channels in the 9546 range show up in the guide and sometimes they do not. These channels appear and disappear. Sometimes they show up but contain no programming. When there IS a game on one of these 9546 range channels, it's a crapshoot as to whether they are duplicates of games already showing in HD on the standard Center Ice channels or if they are HD feeds of games available only in SD on the standard channels.

Personally, I'm happy to be able to get the games at all. But, as I mentioned in a different thread, seeing the games in SD quality reminds me of watching games back in NY around 1968 on our 19" black and white TV. The difference is that now the games are in "living color".

Oh, and now we can see stop action, slow motion replays too!

 

[rdale]

Spot on ttomni6! I didn't want an extra - I wanted to watch my game in HD, or get the next day condensed game, just like I get with Dish and MLB Extra Innings -> MLB.TV. I just want to know who/how to get this happening for us...