FOr those who can see HDNET on 814, please post whether or not NHL HOCKEY appears on HDNET THursday, Oct 19.

I would think they are going to have to blackout NHL games just like OLN (now Versus) does.

OLN Canada is a different channel than OLN. So it's not really the same thing.

So you think they won't blackout games on HDNet?

They will since TSN has the cable rights for all of Canada.

A fact which continues to annoy me.

How is it allowed that a channel can buy broadcast / cable rights to the NHL (or any other sports league) for all of Canada, and thus they can blackout games shown on other networks that are not shown on their own network?

This makes no sense to me. How does it hurt TSN if HDNET can broadcast a game that they in fact are not showing?

I understand blacking out games that are indeed showing on your network.

TSN used to do that to wrestling as well, so I would imagine they will also do it for hockey. TSN had the Canadian rights to WWE Raw even though it was played on TNN in the US. TNN was forced to play other things in Canada, and sometimes Raw would be pre-empted for curling, dog shows, etc, and even then TNN was not allowed to play it.

The thing with hockey though, is that it is played on a number of channels, not just TSN, so I am not sure they could black it out unless the same game was on TSN.

TSN's cable deal is worth about $15-million (source http://www.cbcwatch.ca/?q=node/view/2021)
This gives the exclusive national rights to weekday games in Canada and the first few rounds featuring US teams of the playoffs. HDNet would have to subcontract from TSN (or TSN use their feed on TSN-HD only which they are allowed to do 3 hours a week).

This all comes down to not watering down TSN's investment in NHL rights. Money which is used to pay the saleries of the players et al.

If CTV-TSN has an exclusive deal, then how would services like NHL Centre Ice work out? Obviously TSN is not going to play every NHL game, so what would happen to the ones they were not airing?

Obviously I am not a network exec, but it seems to be that the fair thing would be to give TSN priority to play any game they want, but ones that they choose not to play should be open for other networks to show.

It all depends on the wording of both TSN's and HDNET's contracts with the NHL.

HD Net shows hockey on Thursday and Saturday nights. CBC has National rights for Saturday.

TSN has six Thursday Night games this year.

Thursday, Oct. 19 Philadelphia @ Tampa Bay
Thursday, Dec. 28 Carolina @ Buffalo
Thursday, Feb. 1 Montreal @ Pittsburgh (HD)
Thursday, March 1 Pittsburgh @ NY Rangers
Thursday, March 15 New Jersey @ Carolina
Thursday, March 22 Montreal @ Boston

None are the same as what HDNet is showing that night.
No games are the same on Saturday night on HDNet and CBC, but one is on RDS.

Sat Dec 30, 2006 Canadiens Lightning

It will be interesting to see what happens here.

FOr those who can see HDNET on 814, please post whether or not NHL HOCKEY appears on HDNET THursday, Oct 19.Washington Capitals @ Atlanta Thrashers, in HD on HDNet as I type this.

Diogen.

But HDNET isn't actually officially on the air in Canada yet so does that really mean the games will be available once the launch happens?

I hope so but I am skeptical.

i did hear through the grapevine that the game between kings and phoenix (i think it was) appeared on hdnet on ch.814 last saturday the 13th.

...the game between kings and phoenix (i think it was) appeared on hdnet on ch.814 last saturday the 13th.Unlikely.
Last Saturday wasn't the 13th. :p

Diogen.

HDNet is in test mode. NHL games they show now, doesn't mean they would be able to show once they are officially on air in Canada.

Games are always shown on NBC, Fox or ABC in the past. Including when they are showing the same game as TSN or CBC... why would HDNET be different.

TSN has cable rights. Those are not cable channels but Network channels.

HDNet is a cable channel.

TSN has cable rights. Those are not cable channels but Network channels.

HDNet is a cable channel.

They are all cable channels in Canada. Only CTV, CBC and Global are networks in Canada. Also WSBK used to show Bruins games, they were not blacked out.

They are all cable channels in Canada. Only CTV, CBC and Global are networks in Canada.

yeah, that would make sense. Fox, CBS, NBC, ABC ... they do not have any TV stations in Canada, let alone a network of them :-)

Star Choice's Program Internet Guide and IPG for tomorrow shows ...

HDNet (275) ... NHL Hockey at 5pm PDT ... Calgary Flames @ Minnesota Wild

Can this be right ... did HDNet finally secure a contract to broadcast NHL games in HDTV in Canada??? I went to their internet site ... this game does not show on their Canadian schedule so we can only wait and see.

I am really hoping that Star Choice's schedule is not in error because from what I have heard HDNet's PQ for NHL games is fabulous.

Check out tomorrow!

Edit - several posts moved to existing thread. Please see earlier posts in this thread.