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bnichols_1 wrote:

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oufanindallas wrote:

 

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bnichols_1 wrote:

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texasguy37 wrote:

Actually, NHL blackout rules do not exist because of NHL Center Ice.  The blackout rules for the NHL and the other professional sports existed long before NHL Center Ice or the other out of market sports packages came into existence.  The blackout rules have always been about protecting a team's home territory and not about selling out of market sports packages.

 

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Please explain how putting a game on local cable while blacking it out for the rest of the country is "protecting a team's home territory".

 

Once upon a time home games of sports were blacked out (or did not exist) to protect home attendance. The Chicago Blackhawks hockey team was the last to get over that a couple of years ago. Only the NFL has home blackout rules to protect sellouts.

 

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Per the NHL   NHL Website

"WHY ARE THERE BLACKOUTS?
Blackout restrictions exist to protect the local telecasters of each NHL game in the local markets of the teams. Keep in mind that blackout policies and restrictions are different for every sports package that your system may carry. (NHL CENTER ICE is designed for the NHL fan who wants to see NHL games in addition to those which involve the team(s) in their local markets).

If you are located in a team's television territory, check your local listings for all locally televised games. NHL CENTER ICE is not able to televise these games.

This explanation from the NHL website refers to games blacked out on NHL Center Ice, not on Regional Sports Networks in areas outside of that region which was the subject of the discussion. The MLB information is not really relevant to the hockey discussion.

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No, this doesn't pertain to Center Ice. It is letting you know how to get around the regional/local blackouts. (Pay us money and we'll let you watch out of area games)  Read it again.  Center Ice was designed and is run by the NHL as an addition method of generating revenue.

The reference to the MLB was because the previous post mention other sports and blackouts.