NHL Center Ice Plan?

[BamaWing 37]

Being a huge Wings fan here in Alabama and just switching over to Dish Network, I'm most definitely getting the Center Ice package. It says like 40 games a week that is usually out of my area. Someone who gets the plan, could you give me an idea of how many Wings games I'll be watching this season?

[thegerkin 189]

The one season I had Center Ice, I watched all the Red Wings games on FSN. I only used Center Ice as filler for when the Wings weren't on. And usually at the All-Star break, you can get Center Ice for half price for the remainder of the season. I know that doesn't directly answer your question, just figured I'd give my experience with Center Ice.

[Fatsyuk 1]

I lived in Florida during the 05-06 season and had the package. Very few times were wings games blacked out. You will get pretty much the entire season. When you get this package it's gonna open you up to so much more. I live back in Michigan now and I'm thinking of getting the package this coming year.

[thedisappearer 291]

You should get all of them except the ones on Vs, NHL Network, NBC, and the ones blacked out in your local area, if Alabama qualifies as having an NHL team in it's local area. Atlanta, maybe?

[creedie 2]

I am also switching over to Dish Network soon and realized that I will not have to get center ice if I get the top 250. It will include VS as well as all of the FSN networks around the country. They also said that this will come in HD. Look into this option as it is only $65 a month.

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

i've had center ice for four years now and for the most part it's been great. it used to be that between vs., nbc, and center ice i could catch every game. however, with nhl network coming along 2 years ago that is no longer the case. it's still great to have, but be aware that the nhl network will steal every 10th game or so and you usually don't know it until the last minute (at least i don't). and the nhl network costs extra! it's the ultimate "f*** you" to the fans hardcore enough to drop 160 bucks on a package thinking they'll get every game. the nhl says, "nope, you have to buy this channel, too." assholes.

lol. that said, i still think it's worth the money.

[dobbles 252]

I am also switching over to Dish Network soon and realized that I will not have to get center ice if I get the top 250. It will include VS as well as all of the FSN networks around the country. They also said that this will come in HD. Look into this option as it is only $65 a month.

it's my understanding that all those fsn channels have the games blacked out for out of market folks though.

[creedie 2]

it's my understanding that all those fsn channels have the games blacked out for out of market folks though.

Is this true? Does that mean that I cannot watch FSN Detroit in Chicago? Why would those games be blacked out? I kind of thought it was too good to be true... either way I am going to switch b/c Comcast bites and doesn't offer the games in HD on Center Ice.

[westside 0]

I am also switching over to Dish Network soon and realized that I will not have to get center ice if I get the top 250. It will include VS as well as all of the FSN networks around the country. They also said that this will come in HD. Look into this option as it is only $65 a month.

I don't think that's how it works. I have DTV and get all the FSN channels but NBA and MLB games are usually blackedout unless you have the equivalent package to Center Ice. I've had center ice as long as I've had DTV so I don't know for sure, but otherwise, why would anyone not just get the FSN package instead of paying 3 times as much?

[MadMan Mark 0]

Is this true? Does that mean that I cannot watch FSN Detroit in Chicago? Why would those games be blacked out? I kind of thought it was too good to be true... either way I am going to switch b/c Comcast bites and doesn't offer the games in HD on Center Ice.

Watch out. . . DISH does not broadcast as many games in HD as DirecTV. I've had Center Ice for 4 years. When I lived in Vegas, the Detroit feed for Kings-Wings and Ducks-Wings was blacked out, but could get the Kings and Ducks feeds for those games on Fox Sports affiliate. Somehow being 200+ miles constituted Las Vegas as being Kings and Ducks followers. I hate the Ducks announcers. . . ultimate homers who have their kneepads on regardless of whether the Ducks are down by 3 goals or not. Kings announcers are just dull, but then again, the Kings have been dull too.

I keep waiting for DirecTV to put together a Superfan pack for the NHL (I've written and asked). They do it for the NFL and on the weekends I work, I can actually sign into my DirecTV account and watch the NFL Sunday Ticket games on the computer. . . excellent quality.

[zata20 4]

Being a huge Wings fan here in Alabama and just switching over to Dish Network, I'm most definitely getting the Center Ice package. It says like 40 games a week that is usually out of my area. Someone who gets the plan, could you give me an idea of how many Wings games I'll be watching this season?

Where in Alabama do you live? I live in athens and I have center ice. Every Wings game will be on except the games that are Nationallly televised (Versus & NBC) and the games that are on NHL network.

[dobbles 252]

Is this true? Does that mean that I cannot watch FSN Detroit in Chicago? Why would those games be blacked out? I kind of thought it was too good to be true... either way I am going to switch b/c Comcast bites and doesn't offer the games in HD on Center Ice.

here's a thread i started last month as i was considering switching to directv

http://www.letsgowings.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=60157

for what its worth, i did switch. and i love it so far. i am in illinois, so the only hockey i got on cable was versus/nbc and the hawks games on comcast chicago.

i have already watched more hockey on nhl network this month than i think i saw all last year on cable (minus the playoffs)

[hooon 1,089]

here's a thread i started last month as i was considering switching to directv

http://www.letsgowings.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=60157

for what its worth, i did switch. and i love it so far. i am in illinois, so the only hockey i got on cable was versus/nbc and the hawks games on comcast chicago.

i have already watched more hockey on nhl network this month than i think i saw all last year on cable (minus the playoffs)

didnt directv announce they wont be carrying versus anymore?

for what its worth, i had center ice last year and it was great. Just be sure to check in advance that the game is not one of the few put exclusively on nhlnet. Theres nothing worse then going out and buying a bunch of beers, inviting your buddies over, ording some pizzas to watch the game..... and then you find out the game is on nhlnetwork (which you dont get) and end up having to huddle around a tiny computer screen with a lo-fi stream that keeps lagging, and the only other game on center ice that night is tampa bay vs atlanta, ugh.

Edited August 27, 2009 by hooon

[dobbles 252]

didnt directv announce they wont be carrying versus anymore?

thats not really the situation. thats in another thread. i assume it will get worked out soon. just posturing in the media. i could be wrong, but i doubt anyone misses a game of hockey because of the versus/directv drama.

and personally, as someone who has traditionally only seen about 7 redular season red wings games a year, the addition of the nhl network and the ability to get center ice is a much bigger deal than versus. where it gets hairy is the playoffs. but i think the odds their fighting goes on till april is pretty slim.

[WorkingOvertime 536]

I'm going without cable this year (internet and netflix), so I'll be going with an online service for the games. Does anyone know what the deal is with GameCenter? I can't find anywhere to sign up on the website.

[thegerkin 189]

thats not really the situation. thats in another thread. i assume it will get worked out soon. just posturing in the media. i could be wrong, but i doubt anyone misses a game of hockey because of the versus/directv drama.

and personally, as someone who has traditionally only seen about 7 redular season red wings games a year, the addition of the nhl network and the ability to get center ice is a much bigger deal than versus. where it gets hairy is the playoffs. but i think the odds their fighting goes on till april is pretty slim.

I agree about the posturing. I used to work for Charter Communications a few years ago and every year they would pick a channel or two that they know they have a large viewer base and they would announce those channels as unavailable a few months ahead of time (it changed from the NHL Network, the Big Ten Network, Center Ice, Versus, etc...)

Usually around the time the season starts, a deal is in place and most of the stations are available. It's just a bunch of greed on both sides of the puck / baseball / football, etc...

[55fan 5,133]

I'm going without cable this year (internet and netflix), so I'll be going with an online service for the games. Does anyone know what the deal is with GameCenter? I can't find anywhere to sign up on the website.

I have been wondering the same thing. I had only rabbit ears until last spring when I got cable. Now I have high speed internet as well and was thinking about getting it online. If anyone does this, could you please share your experience? I would love to see the games rather than following the GTD as my sole source of game info.

[StormJH1 231]

I moved to Minnesota and can only see the Wings when they play on Versus or NBC. It kills me, but I don't want to pay for Center Ice, and I frankly don't need ALL of the out of market games, when all I want to see is the Wings.

If the Yankees can operate a business model where they charge a few bucks a month for YES network to their OWN FANS, why can't there be an arrangement where I buy only FSN Detroit (or FSN whatever city) for like a $1.99 a month or something? In 2009, I feel like I should be able to pay a small premium to watch out-of-market material, and it shouldn't even be a big deal.

[Mikeal 60]

I am also switching over to Dish Network soon and realized that I will not have to get center ice if I get the top 250. It will include VS as well as all of the FSN networks around the country. They also said that this will come in HD. Look into this option as it is only $65 a month.

That doesn't work. FSN will black out the channels if you don't have center ice(except whatever your local FSN is).

[MadMan Mark 0]

Are you certain about the # of HD games when comparing DISH/DirecTV?...As a DISH subscriber (and this being my 8th season of Center Ice) I've noticed there are usually 2 to 6 games per night that'll be broadcast in HD (not counting VS). I'm expecting a higher % of games broadcast in HD this season (or at least I'm hoping so).

I'd say 70% - 80% of Red Wing games on Center Ice (via FSN) were in HD thru DISH; only a few here, and there were not in HD.

I would say that just about every American feed had home and away feeds in HD. I noticed the only SD games were usually when it was being broadcast out of Canada, and not on VS. I can't tell you how many times I switched to an Ottawa game and was amazed at how fuzzy the feed was because it was SD. Late games with the Canucks/Flames was the same situation. I've never been a fan of DISH, nothing to back it except my opinion and that I have been with DirecTV since 1995.

[Frozen-Man 144]

You should get all of them except the ones on Vs, NHL Network, NBC, and the ones blacked out in your local area, if Alabama qualifies as having an NHL team in it's local area. Atlanta, maybe?

Yeah that's right I get center Ice every year and you get basically every game for every team unless they are on VS, NBC, or local area black out. So almost every Wings game.

I am also switching over to Dish Network soon and realized that I will not have to get center ice if I get the top 250. It will include VS as well as all of the FSN networks around the country. They also said that this will come in HD. Look into this option as it is only $65 a month.

FSN blacks out those games unless you are in their local area i.e. the Detroit area. You get pre and post game but not the game itself. Sorry, sucks I know but I tried that a few years ago and no dice.

[BamaWing 37]

Where in Alabama do you live? I live in athens and I have center ice. Every Wings game will be on except the games that are Nationallly televised (Versus & NBC) and the games that are on NHL network.

sorry took so long to respond, went to lake for the weekend. I'm in Gardendale which bout 20 miles north of B'ham. I was hoping the Center Ice plan would cover all of the games of course with the exception of the ones on NBC/VS/etc. Seems like that's the case so now I'm even more pumped for the season

[Dimaline312000 51]

Anyone know what NHL packages Charter cable offers??

[heretic69 10]

I have been wondering the same thing. I had only rabbit ears until last spring when I got cable. Now I have high speed internet as well and was thinking about getting it online. If anyone does this, could you please share your experience? I would love to see the games rather than following the GTD as my sole source of game info.

Gamecenter Registration

It says in the FAQ that the price can vary by location, for me in FL it is $159.99. You can split that up into payments as well.

I used it last year, the idea was that I would be able to watch games and not disturb my girlfriend. She ended up watching most of them with me however, so this season I'm gonna go with Center Ice. It looks good enough on the computer monitor, but it loses quite a bit when ported to a bigscreen tv (although it is still very much watchable).

In my experience the playback was pretty smooth, with little stuttering. It was much much better than the various user streams I have tried. Cox internet bandwith is top notch here though, so your miles may vary on that.

You can choose to listen to audio from the tv broadcast (one feed only), or from the radio broadcast (either city usually). The times I tried the radio feed it seemed a little out of sync. So I usually just stuck with the tv feed, which means you don't always get Ken and Mick

Bottom line is I feel it is a pretty solid option. If it was between gamecenter or watching feeds on justin.tv or myp2p I would pay the money for gamecenter in a heartbeat. But if you have a digital tier already on your cable plan, a decent tv, and no household conflicts I'd probably go Center Ice.

[55fan 5,133]

Gamecenter Registration

It says in the FAQ that the price can vary by location, for me in FL it is $159.99. You can split that up into payments as well.

I used it last year, the idea was that I would be able to watch games and not disturb my girlfriend. She ended up watching most of them with me however, so this season I'm gonna go with Center Ice. It looks good enough on the computer monitor, but it loses quite a bit when ported to a bigscreen tv (although it is still very much watchable).

In my experience the playback was pretty smooth, with little stuttering. It was much much better than the various user streams I have tried. Cox internet bandwith is top notch here though, so your miles may vary on that.

You can choose to listen to audio from the tv broadcast (one feed only), or from the radio broadcast (either city usually). The times I tried the radio feed it seemed a little out of sync. So I usually just stuck with the tv feed, which means you don't always get Ken and Mick

Bottom line is I feel it is a pretty solid option. If it was between gamecenter or watching feeds on justin.tv or myp2p I would pay the money for gamecenter in a heartbeat. But if you have a digital tier already on your cable plan, a decent tv, and no household conflicts I'd probably go Center Ice.

Thank you so much for answering my question. Centre Ice is not an option here. They cancelled it in 2004 since only 2 people signed up for it. Yes, I told them about 2004-5.