CALGARY – Shaw Communications-owned Star Choice issued a press release this morning entitled " Star Choice Customers Denied NHL Hockey" and said that due to a Rogers Sportsnet court order, the DTH company had to now black out certain hockey games on the sports channel’s regional networks.
"Star Choice had stopped conducting blackouts in an effort to address subscriber frustration and confusion resulting from Sportsnet’s frequent blackouts of NHL games," reads the press release from Star Choice.
"Sportsnet blackouts make it impossible for Star Choice subscribers to see games of the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks outside the local markets of those teams."
All true. However, this is a National Hockey League rule, supported by all league teams, that the local rights for hockey games be seen in local markets only. It’s the reason why LeafsTV, for example, can only be distributed in Ontario (and not in the Ottawa region). Sportsnet’s agreements with all Canadian BDUs (cable or satellite) stipulates that out-of-market local games must be blacked out.
"The court order obtained by Sportsnet means that the blackouts must now be reinstated. For example, a Star Choice customer in Prince George, B.C., 442 miles from Edmonton, would not be able to see an Edmonton Oilers game or Calgary Flames game. A Vancouver Canucks fan in Red Deer, Alberta would not be able to enjoy any of the 45 Canucks’ games on Sportsnet Pacific. By the same token, an Ottawa Senators fan in Thunder Bay, Ontario would not get any of the Senators’ games on Rogers Sportsnet East."
All true. But again, it is a part of the contract with between the NHL and Sportsnet, supported by the league and all the teams mentioned above.
"We’re very disappointed with the actions of Rogers Sportsnet and the NHL. Hockey is thriving in Canada, every arena is sold-out and advertising is at an all time high. It doesn’t make any sense to us why Canadians should be denied access to their favourite teams," said Peter Bissonnette, president of Shaw Communications.
Star Choice customers are also directed in the release to contact Sportsnet and the NHL directly via phone or e-mail.
More to come.
