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NHL & MLB Networks in Canada

7K views 26 replies 17 participants last post by  Viper550 
#1 ·
Just a quick couple of questions: does anyone know when or if the MLB Network will be available on Bell TV and what will happen to NHL Network Canada this season? Will Bell carry it on or will Rogers take control of it, so far I haven't anything on it. Also the American NHL network has HD but no HD for the Canadian Channel, whats up with that?
 
#10 ·
The NHL Net in Canada is barely a consideration anymore, if it ever was. The lack of HD is perhaps the biggest negative for many hockey fans (including me). The way Bell has buried the service can't help but result in stagnation, by sending the message that Canada's greatest sporting obsession is on par with something like darts. (No offense meant to fans of darts).
 
#11 ·
I believe for this year, Bell is still running the network as there wasn't enough time in the summer to get it transferred over to Rogers... I presume come next season, Rogers will be running the station and will put a renewed emphasis on utilizing the station. No reason NHL Network can't show a game every night of the week.
 
#13 ·
The only reason I can see that makes any sense for HD in the U.S. and none in Canada is this: the NHL is still trying to sell the game below the 49th parallel. To do so, that version has to look its best to attract the guy sitting on the fence. A SD broadcast wouldn't do that. (Remember, below the 49th parallel, NHL Net carries live games).

Canada, on the other hand, doesn't require that kind of push. The country views the league as an inseparable part of daily life, kinda like breathing. There's nothing to sell, per se, other than the network itself. As such, I believe there's little incentive to throw money at it when the end result wouldn't bring in enough new and regular viewers to justify the expense.

I believe the disparity between the two networks comes down to economics, as per usual. And yes, assuming Rogers takes control of Canada's NHL Network next season, it will be subject to lots of revisions in both content and appearance. I certainly don't see it continuing with the same format next season.

Say what you want about Rogers' handling of the league this NHL-year. The investment and commitment it made over the next decade-plus clearly shows they've gone all-out to corner the market in this country. In which case, I expect they'd bump the video definition of NHL Net in Canada from SD to HD. Or ... they could call it quits and fold the thing entirely. There's so much NHL content on the various Sportsnet channels as it stands that a 24-hour network could be seen as superfluous and unnecessary.
 
#16 ·
Golf, Basketball, NFL, Fight, Wrestling, all have dedicated sports channel ! When are they going to give Baseball the same dedicated channel..it is out there and on Rogers...we only have one team in Canada and the Baseball Network would give us access to all teams and news from all of baseball 24 hours a day! Bob Costas one of the finest baseball people out there and we do not have access to his great analysis and history of the game.....keeping my fingers crossed it will happen soon!!!
 
#17 ·
The NHL Network is not showing any games this year. Until they start showing games we really don't need this channel in HD. Bell Satellite now offers this channel as a pick and pay channel and it is no longer part of The Sports 2 theme pack that I subscribe to.

Bell Satellite has little if any bandwith left and I would not like to see them add NHL Network in HD. I would much more prefer The MLB Network in HD.
 
#22 ·
Found something of interesting regarding the Canadian Operations of the NHL Network via David Shoalts on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/dshoalts/status/605470627458215937

Bad news last week for about 20 staffers at NHL Network Canada. They were told league is closing Canadian operation Sept. 1..

And more....

NHL spokesman: "Can confirm NHL Network will undergo significant change for 2015-16 season." NHL will "share plans" in "near future."


Thinking it could be a retool of the US network and made available in Canada as just one entity instead of the American and Canadian version.
 
#23 ·
Rogers has got almost all the rights to hockey in Canada. They offer NHL Centre Ice and Gamecenter Live for out of market games and use their channels for the Canadian teams. Anything leftover goes to TSN for now. There's almost nothing for an NHL Network other than background features, highlights, hockey fluff shows. Bell is dropping it completely at the end of this summer. I doubt if it will be continued anywhere in Canada. What is its purpose?
 
#26 ·
@mismag: Do you have inside information or are you just hoping? I gave up on Rogers doing the right/logical thing years ago. As I've already asked, what is left for the NHL Network to show that isn't filler? All live NHL games are covered off one way or another on one Rogers service or another. How much background on the NHL does anyone really need? AHL would be a nice bonus if they could get it but it can't substitute for the main event, live NHL Hockey.
 
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