[Obed]

I emailed them as well and they emailed back saying that they don't have the rights this year - someone called Beln sports has the rights. This is annoying, but they seemed to only show the games on a one day delay over the last few years.

Coverage this year is very similar to past years.

Just as Setanta / Sportsnet World ($18 a month TV / $25 online) only had the rights to tape delayed broadcasts of the Six Nations, so too do beIN Sport ($20 a month online).

Live rights have been held by "Premium Sports" for many years. Premium Sports was another offshoot from the guy who was behind Setanta and was mainly for direct satellite broadcast to pubs and clubs. Obviously it was his decision originally to choose to have a separate, premium live rights package. There is still no change to this even with the loss several years ago of Setanta Canada.

The "Premium Sports" live rights can be webstreamed from this location, $120 for a season pass:
http://www.ustream.tv/6nationsseasonpass

So there certainly is a legal webstreaming service in Canada from the legitimate rightsholder. Personally, I think the $120 fee is too high and I will give it a miss. The $20 a month fee from beIN is also too high - most especially since they will only have scheduled broadcasts of their tape delay and this will not be available 'on demand' at a time to suit.

Like you, Wayne, I watched the England v France game in HD on TV5. French language rights are wonderful, pity they don't show all the games.

 

[brownstar]

BeIN sports online is free currently online but is going paid very soon, so you might be able to watch a few of the 6 Nations games before having to subscribe.

 

[Obed]

Thanks. beIN wrote to me and said the paid service started 1 Feb. I just checked and you are quite right, they do not seem to have implemented it yet.

Perhaps there is a free preview period and then it will ask for my credit card?

 

[newantenna]

Hmmm ... I just checked bein and they are looking for a $19.95 subscription for 30 days unlimited:

In order to view content on beIN SPORTS PLAY Canada you will need to purchase the 30 Day Pass. You will need to purchase a pass and associate it with your beIN SPORTS PLAY account. Creating an account is free and very easy to do. Once your account is created and you have a valid subscription you will be able to view all of the beIN SPORTS PLAY Canada content!

When I look at the schedule, it doesn't show any rugby or English football.

 

[PFD]

Not sure about rugby, but they do show English football, just not Premier League, that's the only major league they don't have the rights too....yet.

 

[Obed]

Hmmm ...

To clarify, I already had an account from when it was free. My login was still working with full video when I checked this afternoon.

A new account may not get free service right now.

 

[Torontoblue]

I'm in the same boat as Obed; original free account and still getting access to live stuff.

 

[nfitz]

So Sportsnet World has rewarded my loyalty to sticking with them despite the significant reduction in programming by asking me to pay another $1 a month starting next month.

I've cancelled ...

 

[Digital79]

I signed up today to watch the Barca and Madrid CL games this round.
Also figured some interesting PL games will be on before the season ends.

But will quickly cancel then too.

Rising prices will never end ...

 

[nfitz]

Rising prices will never end ...

True, but I'm surprised they've been combined with such a significant reduction in programming. Used to be about 5 EPL games a week. There's only 1-2 now most weeks - for example next weekend there's one, and even it is repeated later on in the day on a regular Sportsnet channel. Most of the key Champions League games are on regular Sportsnet. They've lost the rights to half the EPL games to TSN, and a lot of other leagues to BEin.

Quite frankly the only thing I've been consistently watching has been the CONCACAF Champions League playoffs ... hopefully by next year the Canadian entry will be in it, and it will land on a prime channel.

 

[PFD]

Sportsnet World has definately gone down hill. I may switch to BeIn.

 

[longjohns_mcgee]

No European Rugby

Looks like Sportsnet World won't be airing the Premier League, Pro12 or Top 14 Rugby leagues anymore. Info has been removed from their website. The downhill roller coaster keeps on going and going for this pathetic excuse of a premium channel!

 

[nfitz]

Looks like Sportsnet World won't be airing the Premier League, Pro12 or Top 14 Rugby leagues anymore. Info has been removed from their website. The downhill roller coaster keeps on going and going for this pathetic excuse of a premium channel!

I think it's day has passed. Though I'm still seeing the information at the website: http://www.sportsnet.ca/world/

And they still have programming. Isn't the England friendly on today?

 

[longjohns_mcgee]

If you click on the rugby link, you'll see that they have removed the three European leagues now. This was a good part of their fall rugby schedule. I'm not really a soccer fan but unless they have some sort of backup plan, friendlies, "classic" reruns and incessant magazine shows aren't worth $20+ a month to keep.

 

[Wayne]

As a rugby fan I agree that this is very disappointing. It looks like the English Premiership is now on beINSports - does anyone know how much it costs? beIN also started covering Six Nations last year. It looks like Rogers Sports now only have Heineken Cup in Europe and then pretty much all of the Southern Hemisphere rugby.

I didn't watch much of the Pro12 rugby but it would be nice to see Top 14, since they have signed so many top players, and the Aviva Prem.

Anyone have any ideas on where else to get these games? RTE has an online service that is viewable with Unblockus and they carry Irish international games but I am not sure about Pro 12. There are also the torrent sites but that is a legal grey area and is more work.

I really wonder how they can still charge $20 for this channel given the lack of content these days.

 

[ticky]

I will still watch SN World for rugby league and rugby union games occasionally, but I've resorted to removing it from my package during the week and only adding it every second weekend or so then removing it again. No use paying for weekdays when they show zero live programming.

 

[Wayne]

Can you do that? Don't you have to subscribe for at least a month?

 

[ticky]

I noticed beIN Sports are showing an Aviva game tomorrow afternoon. I guess they picked up the rights from SN World.

 

[longjohns_mcgee]

Looks like hockey on Rogers has claimed another casualty from Sportsnet World. Super League Rugby starts this week and I noticed it is no longer listed on their site as one of their sports, and it is not in the schedule. BPL Classics takes priority I suppose. So glad I cancelled this worthless piece of crap channel.

 

[Wayne]

It might be a case of the rights being bought by someone else. bein sports has been getting aggressive recently in acquiring rugby rights, at least RU. It started last year with the Six Nations and this year they have the rights in Canada for English RU Premiership (aka Aviva Premiership) and the Celtic RU competition (Guiness Pro 12). So the only Northern Hemisphere rugby union left on Rogers/Setanta is European Championship, FKA Heineken Cup. I am not sure who has the Super Rugby rights in the Southern Hemisphere but we will see in 11 days when the Super 15 season starts.