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Mon Sep 21, 2009 7:11 pm EDT

No deal yet for NHL Center Ice, Time Warner; no panic, either

By Greg Wyshynski

This is usually the time of year when panic sets in amongst puckheads who are caught in the crossfire between a cable provider and a network carrying NHL games.

Sometimes, it becomes full-on warfare, like in the prolonged dispute between DirecTV and Versus (nothing new to report there, unfortunately). Other times, it's concern that "negotiations" between two sides may bleed over into the regular season and deprive you of some puck that counts.

Puck Buddy Jeff S. of Beavercreek, Ohio had those latter concerns after attempting to purchase the NHL Center Ice pay-per-view (part of the inDemand family) for the season. He writes:

"When I tried to order the NHL Center Ice package on Time Warner Cable, I was told it was unavailable due to contract negotiation and the best I could hope for was the first or second week in October. Translation: As a Pens fan I get to miss the banner raising and the first four games of the season. Could you bring some attention to this so one side will pull their heads out of their [expletive] and get a deal done?"

If this was true, it's a total bummer: There are few joys in life greater than those first few nights of Center Ice when you're watching every game like it's your last until 1:30 a.m. (at least for us East-Coasters).

So we put our crack investigative staff I contacted both Time Warner and the NHL, and found out that there isn't yet a deal in place between TWC and the League for this season's Center Ice package.

That said, if others are getting the same "best you could hope for" scenario as Jeff did, put down the pitchforks and torches: "There is no contract dispute," according to Maureen Huff, senior director of public relations for Time Warner. "We haven't finalized an agreement yet, but we fully expect to do so before Oct. 1."

The NHL shared the same sentiment, saying the sides were "really close to a deal," although it hasn't been completed yet. So exhale, Time Warner-havin' hockey fans.

DirecTV fans waiting for their NHL on Versus ... well, don't hold your breath, either.

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25 Comments

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  1. Runnin up on ya !
    1. Posted by Runnin up on ya ! Mon Sep 21, 2009 7:36 pm EDT

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    how about a deal for verizon fios to get MSGHD?
    .
    No? didn't think so, f***ng greedy Dolans
  2. Matt S
    2. Posted by Matt S Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:03 pm EDT

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    Is Center Ice really much of a good thing? You maybe get a handful of your team's games a month. Avoiding the internet and catching replays isn't always fun, but it's worth the close to $200 price tag and you get to see every game if you have some kind of DVR.
  3. Alex B
    3. Posted by Alex B Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:14 pm EDT

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    Too rich for my blood. My other team is the Sharks. Being a Sabres fan first living in Buffalo, their games aren't until 10 or 10:30 at night for me. Paying almost $200 dollars to have to stay up till about 1:30 AM isn't worth it for my second team. I got my text updates anyway.
  4. Frisby
    4. Posted by Frisby Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:56 pm EDT

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    I never really thought about the possibility that this could happen. I didn't even have to order Center Ice on TW last year because when I ordered it the season before, in the fine print it said something like, "subscription renews automatically ever year unless TW is notified in writing at least 30 days in advance". I also have it so the cost broken up over four months to help prevent sticker shock.
  5. JeffreyL
    5. Posted by JeffreyL Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:03 pm EDT

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    Not as bad as At&t uverse which isn't even negotiating... apparently indemand programming isn't very important to them...
  6. Joe J
    6. Posted by Joe J Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:34 pm EDT

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    I think its worth every cent, however TWC sucks and devotes 1 channel to HD. As a Red Wings fan they are normally in HD but as a TWC customer I am furious. Anyone know the number for Dish Network or DirectTV.
  7. Ben D
    7. Posted by Ben D Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:44 pm EDT

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    As someone who has, in the past, dealt with Charter Communications on the Center Ice issue, I can relate. A few years back, Charter was so reluctant to make a deal that they weren't even going to carry it.
    Sure, they offered me NASCAR in-car every time I called to order Center Ice, but I wanted hockey! They finally relented and offered Center Ice......two weeks into the season.
    Center Ice is AMAZING if you are a hockey fan, or a superfan of some team that isn't in your local area. Wholeheartedly recommended if you are one or the other.
  8. straightAntics
    8. Posted by straightAntics Mon Sep 21, 2009 11:44 pm EDT

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    are you serious? TW CABLE?!! how can you watch there poor excuse for HD... SOME SPORTS FAN, DIRECTV is the only way too go!!
  9. Richard B
    9. Posted by Richard B Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:31 am EDT

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    Think the Center Ice situation is bad. Comcast SportsNet California just got the rights to show the San Jose Sharks games and Charter Communication does not have this network in their lineup. Local Sharks fans with Charter Communications will not get any Sharks games unless Charter negotiates with Comcast SportsNet California and so far.....nothing.
  10. Kyle
    10. Posted by Kyle Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:42 am EDT

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    http://www.timewarnercable.com/Carolinas/learn/programming/sports/packages/nhlcenterice.html
    hopefully its coming very soon.
  11. Mr Joshua
    11. Posted by Mr Joshua Tue Sep 22, 2009 10:20 am EDT

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    Yeah, I've got a suggestion, Jeff. Jump of the band wagon and route for your local team!!! Then you wouldn't have this problem.
  12. Free Candy
    12. Posted by Free Candy Tue Sep 22, 2009 12:37 pm EDT

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    I have Time Warner and they sent me an email to order now for the Early Bird special...Which isn't all that special....Better have more games in HD this year...
  13. Free Candy
    13. Posted by Free Candy Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:17 pm EDT

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    Just talked to em...there is no problem and they will be offering it
  14. puckhead
    14. Posted by puckhead Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:57 pm EDT

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    Help, I think I'm having a heart attack! Oh, thank god, I get comcast sportsnet california on my Dish Network. I'm not going to miss any Sharks games this year. I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. This whole NHL programming issue is absolutely ridiculous. Bettman should walk the plank for this. Everyone needs to make some noise. Seriously, all hockey fans need to unite on this issue. Call, write, make yourself be heard.
  15. puckhead
    15. Posted by puckhead Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:36 pm EDT

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    Listen to straightantics, Dish or DirectTv is the only way to go for sports fans. Way more HD channels and sports options for the same price or better.
  16. puckhead
    16. Posted by puckhead Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:36 pm EDT

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    Listen to straightantics, Dish or DirectTv is the only way to go for sports fans. Way more HD channels and sports options for the same price or better.
  17. Harvey M
    17. Posted by Harvey M Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:41 pm EDT

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    If you have Directv, order the sports pack and get a DVR. Record the replays. They are free. For someone like myself who is a Bruins fan, the replays come on after work. They cut out the intermissions et al and the game is done in two hours. If you TIVO it like I do, you can watch the entire game in 90 minutes.
  18. glenn
    18. Posted by glenn Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    does directv signal get affected by bad weather? i live in the northeast, but won't get satellite because of the worry about crappy signal when it rains or snows
  19. glenn
    19. Posted by glenn Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    does directv signal get affected by bad weather? i live in the northeast, but wont get satellite because of the worry about crappy signal when it rains or snows
  20. glenn
    20. Posted by glenn Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:00 pm EDT

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    does directv signal get affected by bad weather? i live in the northeast, but wont get satellite because of the worry about crappy signal when it rains or snows
  21. glenn
    21. Posted by glenn Tue Sep 22, 2009 4:01 pm EDT

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    does directv signal get affected by bad weather? i live in the northeast, but wont get satellite because of the worry about crappy signal when it rains or snows
  22. The Canuck Fan
    22. Posted by The Canuck Fan Tue Sep 22, 2009 5:04 pm EDT

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    Glenn: ask the guys at your local sports bar (one that has sunday ticket, so you know its DirecTV). Ask them if they have signal issues when the weather is bad. I'm in the Bay Area of California, so i rarely get satellite issues (never snows at my elevation by the Pacific, our rain 'storms" are more like a light steady rain).
  23. Smitty
    23. Posted by Smitty Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:29 pm EDT

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    @ Mr. Joshua....not all Pens fans are bandwagon jumpers. I suffered through the AHL version of the team after the great sell-off of 2001 and am proud to say I have been a Pens fan since High School (BEFORE the first two Stanley Cups). When I was growing up, Pittsburgh was the closest hockey team, so how does not jumping to Columbus make me a bandwagon Pens fan?
    Jeff S.
  24. Leafsfan1967
    24. Posted by Leafsfan1967 Tue Sep 22, 2009 10:17 pm EDT

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    does directv signal get affected by bad weather? i live in the northeast, but wont get satellite because of the worry about crappy signal when it rains or snows
    Once in a while a heavy rain storm will knock out the signal but not very often....
  25. sabresrule_30
    25. Posted by sabresrule_30 Wed Sep 23, 2009 8:37 pm EDT

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    I switched from DTV to TWC and saved a boatload of $$$ but am now realizing that I screwed myself cuz now I only have ONE HD channel on TWC. DTV has alternate HD feeds for every single CI channel.
    Only ON HD CHANNEL?!
    FML

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