Canucks & Beyond
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Good News to Wake Up To
by Alanah McGinley on 08/08/07 at 03:34 PM ET
Comments (4)
First, Canucks training camp starts on September 7th (going to the 16th, it appears) in Victoria. Great news when you live on this island, seldom able to catch the guys in person.
Today’s other piece of news is even better—though liable to cost me every dime I have. Shaw Cable has finally, finally come to some deal with the NHL and will be carrying the Centre Ice package for customers in British Columbia. I don’t think most fans across Canada and the US realize that most of us in BC have never been able to access that NHL package.
Here are the basic details of this deal that, when the costs are decided, will likely guarantee I live in poverty the rest of my life. (Damn, but I’m happy about it, though...)
Shaw Communications Inc. announced that it will offer the NHL Centre Ice package to its Shaw Digital Cable and Star Choice Direct-to-Home satellite customers beginning with the 2007/08 hockey season. The NHL Centre Ice package consists of at least 1,000 regular season and selected play-off games from the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Centre Ice customers will have access to over 40 games per week drawn from a variety of regional and national networks in Canada and the U.S. In addition, over 200 games in the Centre Ice package will be available in high definition television (HDTV).
The we’re finally getting this package is a small miracle. The NHL even went so far as to issue a press release back in March, making their battle with Shaw Cable even more public than before. God only knows why Shaw has held out on this deal for so many years. They’re simply going to make piles of money on it.
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note: I used the wrong quote above earlier. fixed now.
Filed in: hockey media, vancouver canucks | Canucks and Beyond | Permalink
Comments
Now, can the NHL make public the fact that Guangdong Cable does not have the Center Ice Package? Let’s get something going here!!!
Posted by GZ Expat from Chiner on 08/08/07 at 05:46 PM ET
James - I hope you’re right that the cost is similar out here, but I’ll believe it when I see it. Remember, Vancouver (and Shaw Cable) is a market that charges me just shy of $200 a year just to get the 15 (or so) PPV Canucks games. Such fun.
Expat - Hmm. That might be a problem, but that reminds me… the new CI online is being launched this season. I know your internet connection can be finicky, but I’m wondering if foreign IP addresses are allowed to access the service. I should find out more about that, actually.
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 08/08/07 at 06:32 PM ET
This deal is frickin manna from the heavens!
The thought of being able to watch the Pens in 07/08 is hardening my nipples. Priceless.
Posted by Youngblood from Vancouver on 08/10/07 at 07:38 PM ET
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About Canucks & Beyond
Alanah McGinley has been blogging hockey since 2003, sharing opinions, rants and not-so-deep thoughts with anyone who will listen. In addition to writing Canucks & Beyond and helping manage Kukla’s Korner, Alanah is one of the founders and co-hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast, as featured at Canucks.com.
She has contributed pieces to FoxSports.com and the New York Times Slapshot blog, as well as other stray destinations in cyberspace.
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It’s honestly not that expensive (and I know of people back home who were getting Centre Ice via satellite, etc.). I think I’m paying less than $200 for the entire year of CI, which gets me every single game except for those on Leafs TV.
Posted by James Mirtle from Toronto on 08/08/07 at 04:25 PM ET