Game Center, Center Ice, etc.

Postby **tifosi77** » Thu Oct 08, 2015 10:23 pm

Is there any empirical evidence that shows blackouts increase attendance? That's always been my understanding of why they exist, and that sounds really silly to me, just as a point of logic. "What? Game's not on? Oh well, pile the kids into the van; I guess we're going to have to be $400 poorer so we can watch this non-conference game in February."

Postby **dodint** » Thu Oct 08, 2015 10:29 pm

It sells Bengals playoff tickets.

Postby **DigitalGypsy66** » Thu Oct 08, 2015 10:53 pm

Yeah, blacking-out a game in Raleigh - three hours away - REALLY gets me to the PNC Arena.

Who knows why they do it, probably because it's always what was done before.

And I just subscribed to GCL. Moments ago. Yay me.

Postby **MalkinIsMyHomeboy** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 10:31 am

not only the blackouts but the several minute delay is also infuriating.

I really wish I could understand what's going on from a technical perspective that forces that delay. HS is illegal and still manages a faster feed.

also also, no playoffs? **** off

Postby **DigitalGypsy66** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 10:34 am

I've always wondered about that delay. Last night, it was almost a minute. HS uses the GCL feeds, right? And if so, how are they faster than their source?

Postby **Sarcastic** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 1:55 pm

Is there any empirical evidence that shows blackouts increase attendance? That's always been my understanding of why they exist, and that sounds really silly to me, just as a point of logic. "What? Game's not on? Oh well, pile the kids into the van; I guess we're going to have to be $400 poorer so we can watch this non-conference game in February."

lol, yeah. I don't get it. They literally keep fans who want to watch the sport from watching it. Whatever $ issue there is, they need to get together and work out an arrangement.

And what what what what is the reason for them keeping a replay of a game locked for 48 hours. By the time they open it, you've probably already lost the urge to watch it.

I paid $99 for HS. I would gladly pay $150 for the official service if they got rid of those issues. Well, that and also included playoff games in the package and maybe got rid of the NHL network requirement which I'm not sure all people get yet.

Postby **tifosi77** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 2:03 pm

I don't understand the furor over the delay.

Postby **MalkinIsMyHomeboy** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 2:15 pm

I don't understand the furor over the delay.

there's absolutely no (obvious) reason for a delay. If the NHL app can get scores updated faster than the actual goals can be shown on Gamecenter, that's a problem

Postby **tifosi77** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 2:34 pm

Postby **dodint** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 2:45 pm

Would be nice to be able to follow a GDT and watch a game without having to perform a micro time-shift.

Postby **Craig** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 2:46 pm

I dont understand the need to follow a gdt. I do like to drive by post in them though

Postby **dodint** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:07 pm

Source of the post I dont understand the need to follow a gdt.

Then it's not for you. *shrug*

Postby **Craig** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:10 pm

Yes...and the delay on the game isnt an issue.

Postby **scb147** » Fri Oct 09, 2015 4:15 pm

As I was attempting to watch my HS stream last night, I was wondering where they received their streams. I thought the GC streams didn't show the commercials and showed a screen about being in a commercial break, so this makes me think that HS doesn't use the GC streams.

I had buffering issues with my HS stream last night. Tried changing servers, etc. Didn't seem to matter. I hope it's just an early season hiccup, as it was really bad. The HS Roku app could use some fixes though. It actually reset my Roku twice during the game too. I didn't have these issues with any of the preseason or junior games I've watched with it previous to this, so I am hoping they were just having some bandwidth issues.

I have nothing to back this up, so it's just my opinion, but I think the blackout restrictions are in place because of the contracts with regional sport networks. If people stop subscribing to cable/satellite and went to GC, then it makes me think there is some lost revenue for the RSNs. Some of those RSN contracts to show NHL games are big money, and I think the RSNs want to protect their investment and not have to compete with the NHL directly via GC.

Postby **doublewinder** » Sun Oct 11, 2015 4:59 pm

I settled on getting the Game Center one team (Flyers obviously) option for $105. With NHLN and NBCSP channels, that's more hockey than I'll ever have time to watch.

WHY?

Postby **Old Baldy** » Mon Oct 12, 2015 6:51 am

I think the blackout restrictions are in place because of the contracts with regional sport networks.

Yes, that is why there are blackouts.
Sure, game black outs were originally put into effect to protect ticket sales but that motivation hasn't been the case in a decade at least.
The money in sports is in TV now. Regional TV rights fees and ad buys are a major source of revenue for NHL teams and their regional TV partners.

Postby **nocera** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 1:25 pm

I just realized that there's still another free week of Center Ice on DirecTV. I don't remember the free preview lasting two weeks in the past, but I'll take it.

Postby **Miami Vice** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 2:53 pm

The blackouts date back to the 50s or 60s, when there was a fear the "the league" would sell broadcast rights to a game, and hurt "the team" in the process. Thats how they got started originally. The teams didn't have a say in whether or not they were on tv, so Congress passed a law protecting teams from the league.

Thats still why they exist in the NFL, but in hockey it has to do with who holds the rights to show the games. For the Penguins and the greater Western PA area that means Root sports. They paid something like $18 million for the exclusive right to show the games. So if you could buy and watch on another service that would be violating Root's rights.

Postby **Miami Vice** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 3:12 pm

If I had to guess how HS works I'd say that each user that broadcasts the game has a cable or satellite box connected to their PC via Hauppauge HD-PVR (thats the same thing people use to record their video game footage). From there it goes right onto the net.

GCL needs to go back to headquarters so variable bitrates can each be created. That would give you better quality depending on your speed. They also have the ability now to mux in various cameras and audio feeds, right? So that requires gathering more input data. And they need a delay to control commercial breaks and to add in whatever crap they advertise in there.

Postby **MalkinIsMyHomeboy** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 3:53 pm

If I had to guess how HS works I'd say that each user that broadcasts the game has a cable or satellite box connected to their PC via Hauppauge HD-PVR (thats the same thing people use to record their video game footage). From there it goes right onto the net.

GCL needs to go back to headquarters so variable bitrates can each be created. That would give you better quality depending on your speed. They also have the ability now to mux in various cameras and audio feeds, right? So that requires gathering more input data. And they need a delay to control commercial breaks and to add in whatever crap they advertise in there.

it just doesn't seem like a good idea from a customer experience point of view. We live in a world of instant gratification. I could get updates on Twitter faster than in a game feed. It's just really dumb how there's a delay

Postby **DigitalGypsy66** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 4:42 pm

Interesting. I know when I used MLB.TV on the iPad, there were commercials that Apple added. Completely separate of the normal Root Pittsburgh commercials that you'd see - local car dealerships and so on. These were big national brands...and not on the PS4 MLB.TV feed of the same game...in the next room (don't ask).

Postby **MalkinIsMyHomeboy** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 6:22 pm

HOCKEYSTREAMS IS BACK UP, dodints

****...apparently I still can't renew...never mind =(

Postby **dodint** » Tue Oct 13, 2015 6:28 pm

Postby **scb147** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 8:47 am

I was watching the game last night using HS, and right in the middle of the game, a DirecTV error screen appeared. So it seems like HS uses DirecTV for the feeds. I ended up having to watch the rest of the game with the Montreal feed.

Postby **shoeshine boy** » Wed Oct 14, 2015 5:13 pm

I was watching the game last night using HS, and right in the middle of the game, a DirecTV error screen appeared. So it seems like HS uses DirecTV for the feeds. I ended up having to watch the rest of the game with the Montreal feed.

makes sense. Directv has the best feeds of all the major providers. I can't really watch hockey at my friends houses that have Comcast because the picture is so inferior.