Why Does NHL TV Have Blackouts?

Have you ever wondered why NHL TV has blackouts? Well, there’s actually a pretty simple explanation. Here’s everything you need to know.

What are blackouts?

An NHL TV blackout is a broadcast restriction that prevents a game from being televised in the local viewing area of one or more teams. Blackouts are enforced based on two criteria: geographic location and team affiliation.

For example, if you live in Chicago and you want to watch a Blackhawks game on NHL TV, you would be subject to a blackout. The same would be true if you lived in any other market where the Blackhawks have a local television rights holder (like Comcast SportsNet in Chicago). If you lived outside of those markets, however, you would not be subject to a blackout and would be able to watch the game.

The second criterion for blackouts is team affiliation. If you live in a market that is home to an NHL team, you will be subject to blackouts for all games involving that team, regardless of whether or not the game is being televised locally. So, if you live in Pittsburgh and want to watch a game between the Penguins and the Los Angeles Kings, you would be subject to a blackout because the Penguins are an NHL team.

How do blackouts work?

In order for a game to be blacked out on NHL TV, the league has to have agreements in place with both the local broadcaster who owns the rights to air the game in that market, and with the arena itself.

The local broadcaster has what are called “territorial rights”. These are exclusive rights to air games within a certain market or territory. In order for NHL TV to show a game that is being broadcast locally, they would need to purchase the rights from the broadcaster, which would be cost prohibitive.

The agreement with the arena is slightly different. Most arenas have what are called “building contracts” in place with a regional sports network (like NBC Sports Network or FOX Sports West). These contracts give the regional sports network exclusive rights to all of the content produced by that arena – including games, concerts, and other events.

NHL TV does not have agreements in place with either the local broadcasters or the arenas, so they are unable to show games that are subject to blackout.

Why does the NHL have blackouts?

There are a variety of reasons why the NHL has blackouts. The most common reason is that the game you want to watch is not being televised in your area. Another common reason is that the game you want to watch is being televised on a network that you do not have access to.

How can I avoid blackouts?

There are a few ways to avoid blackouts. If you live in the U.S., you can subscribe to NHL.tv, which lets you watch any game except for those that are televised in your local market. You can also buy a single-team package, which lets you watch all of the games for a specific team. If you live outside of the U.S., you can subscribe to NHL GameCenter Live, which gives you access to all out-of-market games. Finally, if you have a cable or satellite TV subscription that includes NBC Sports Network or TSN, you can sign in with your provider information and watch those channels online.

What are the alternatives to blackouts?

There are a few alternatives to blackouts that allow you to watch your favorite team no matter where you are.

One option is to purchase an NHL Center Ice package from your cable or satellite provider. This will give you access to out-of-market games that are not subject to blackouts.

Another option is to find a bar or restaurant that is showing the game you want to watch. Many bars and restaurants have satellite or cable packages that allow them to show out-of-market games.

Finally, you can always listen to the game on the radio. Although you won’t be able to see the game, you will still be able to follow along and cheer on your team.