Re: Will Att Uverse offer NHL Center Ice????

showtime48 · ‎01-16-2008

yep the only reason i have the sports package is because it's free with u400. they could change the name to the blackout package...

Dennis

robino2001 · ‎07-09-2008

mikeme99 wrote:
i see center-ice is not offered but can someone answer this?? there have been three hockey games so far this year and all three games on three different sports networks , have been blacked out on uverse? one game was on FSP and it was blacked out on uverse but my next door neighbour has direct tv and he was able to see the game. what is the sense of having all these "sports channels" if you cant actually see a game being played???

This more than likely was due to DirecTV having a free center ice preview for the first 7 days of the season (as normal), therefore he was either watching it on one of the center ice channels or DirecTV simply did not black out the regional feeds for the week because of the free preview.

Everyone blames u-verse about the regional sports network stuff - but it's like that on EVERY carrier. DirecTV doesn't worn people they'll be blacked out often with their sports package. That's simply the way the sports world works - don't get upset with the provider. Yes, you COULD get mad at them for not having center ice just yet (or league pass, etc... not sunday ticket though!), but as stated on here numerous times, they're working on pretty much adding every channel/package everyone can think of - business agreements simply don't happen over night.

mikeme99 · ‎10-04-2008

let me clarify... nhl center ice was NOt offering a preview. Moreover, the guy was watching it on FSP, the same channel than was blacked out on uverse but not on direct tv.SO.. it is not an "area" thing, it is not a "ticket sold thing", it is att/uverse not having the appropriate contracts/authority to broadcast the game OR the are incorrectly blacking out some games. Nevertheless, this can easily be interpreted as false advertising.. where you advertise a "sports package and but the end-user cant actually see any sports !!

robino2001 · ‎07-09-2008

While not DirecTV... still shows Center Ice does a free preview at the beginning of all seasons... http://www.timewarnercable.com/sanantonio/products/cable/nhldivspage.html

If you live in Penn where the game should not have been blacked out, yes, it is a u-verse issue. I can give you contact info to get to someone who will directly address your problem. Otherwise, your neighbors game was either not correctly blacked out - or DirecTV does not blackout the regionals while the free preview is on (which I kinda remember to be true when I had them).

And again, if you're claiming false advertising, it's for ALL of the providers, not just u-verse, because they all say and do the exact same thing... yes it's misleading across the board, but it's misleading from all of the providers.

(***Edit, wrote the wrong location)

Message Edited by robino2001 on 10-06-2008 07:30 AM

ronht · ‎10-06-2008

I would like that contact info as well.

I was told when I changed from Comcast to Uverse that Center Ice would be available. This was a major deciding factor for us because our neighbor kid who is the same age as my son and who spent more time living in my house than his when he was growing up was signed with the Columbus Bluejackets last year.

I have the U400 service but after reading all of this info regarding sports blackouts am very concerned that we are not going to be able to follow his games this year if we stay with Uverse. The first televised games for the Bluejackets are this weekend, and while the guide shows channels and game times for these games, I'm not sure if they will be blacked out or not.

robino2001 · ‎07-09-2008

Where exactly do you live ronht? If you are not in the Blue Jackets terroritory, then you will be blacked out of all of their games (until they play the team in your territory). As I've said, AT&T is working on it - Sean3300 might have a better date, but it's all wait and see. The contact I could give you won't have any dates for when they'll get center ice or stuff like that - I'd only want to pass him along to people who are having specific blackout issues when they should not be blacked out so he's not innudated with stuff he cannot control. For example - I was blacked out of Astros games when I lived in the Astros terroritory and he was able to help me with that.

ronht · ‎10-06-2008

I live in Chicago.

I just noticed today that my Guide which previously listed Bluejacket games now shows NHL Hockey in that time slot but no team listing as it did before so I'm assuming that means I'm going to be blacked out.

Well this is really disappointing after being specifically told by the AT&T rep that we would have no problem getting Center Ice and every Bluejackets hockey game being played. Looks like we may have to return to Comcast. :-(

robino2001 · ‎07-09-2008

Yeah, you'll obviously be blacked out due to Blackhawks games. It's unfortunate but widely known the sales people here (and other places) will say things that they either do not know or are flat out not true. I had 3 or 4 things like that told to me when I signed up that I complained about a few days after install when I realized they were not true. Even then, call up customer service, tell them you were lied to and they at least might hook you up with disounts/free service - but it will not fix the true issue at hand.

I would love to see center ice on uverse this year, but I'd think if they don't have it now, they won't have it for the season. I couldn't imagine them adding it a few weeks into the season or in the middle of the season - especially seeing how ONDemand keeps the price at the full season price until about the last month of the season. I'd never pay the full $160 if uverse got it set up in December/January.

mikeme99 · ‎10-04-2008

well, i stand corrected on ONE point, nhl center ice is offering a free preview until Oct 15th. So , the question is after Oct 15th, will directTv black out sports. Time will tell. I will get back to you in ten days

.NHL network HD work defintely ease the pain.i am suffering ;(.

andyt_1 · ‎08-01-2008

OK guys the season started last night for me (Go Sharks) and I had to watch the Ducks braodcast (totaly unacceptible) So I will tell you what. I will add $159 to my bill this month and you (ATT) will give me center ice. Deal ???? or No deal ????? (please say deal, please say deal, please say deal....)

JamesTheName · ‎06-24-2008

andyt wrote:
OK guys the season started last night for me (Go Sharks) and I had to watch the Ducks braodcast (totaly unacceptible) So I will tell you what. I will add $159 to my bill this month and you (ATT) will give me center ice. Deal ???? or No deal ????? (please say deal, please say deal, please say deal....)

I'll also take that deal. I got an email today from InDemand with their Center Ice schedule for tonight and all those games and I can't watch them.

LET'S GO AT&T! GET WITH THE PROGRAM! CRAP OR GET OFF THE POT! WHAT PART OF "WE WANT CENTER ICE" DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND! WHAT? YOU DON'T THINK ENOUGH OF YOUR CUSTOMERS TO ADD THIS OR THE NBA PKG OR THE MLB PKG? IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU THINK. WE WANT IT AND WE WANT IT YESTERDAY!

ahem, ahem. that is all.

mtell1 · ‎07-20-2009

I wouldn't be surprised if there is no Center Ice package this year unless if it's at mid-season. Otherwise I'm sure AT&T would have put out tons of literature about it like they do with everything else that costs extra. I'd love to see the Center Ice package available but at this point, I'd be happy to get the NHL Network (assuming that it won't be exclusively on the sports package.)

ronht · ‎10-06-2008

Well, there is another way but it's not cheap.

Keep AT&T and order Comcast with Center Ice and hook it up to the third input on the TV.

Like I said, not cheap but when you consider it's the whole season for about the same price of two people going to 4 games w/parking and beers I may have to bite the bullet this season.

Ron

shackk_1 · ‎10-13-2008

robino2001 wrote:
Where exactly do you live ronht? If you are not in the Blue Jackets terroritory, then you will be blacked out of all of their games (until they play the team in your territory). As I've said, AT&T is working on it - Sean3300 might have a better date, but it's all wait and see. The contact I could give you won't have any dates for when they'll get center ice or stuff like that - I'd only want to pass him along to people who are having specific blackout issues when they should not be blacked out so he's not innudated with stuff he cannot control. For example - I was blacked out of Astros games when I lived in the Astros terroritory and he was able to help me with that.

Well to stay on the NHL topic, Uverse subs in Chicago seem to be having the same problem as you were having with your Astros. Take a look at my post regarding Blackhawks home tv games: http://utalk.att.com/utalk/board/message?board.id=Uverse_TV_Programming&thread.id=20286

Looks like it falls in the same territory as your issue.

Message Edited by shackk on 10-13-2008 11:17 PM

JamesTheName · ‎06-24-2008

I talked to a CSR just a little while ago because I upgraded my service from the U-200 to the 300. While we were waiting for her computer to load the info, I asked her if she happened to know whether or not AT&T was going to be adding Center Ice. She was very nice about it but, said she hasn't seen anything that tells her that they will anytime in the near or even distant future. She even double checked to see if there were any new updates she didn't know about and there were not. However, she did say that AT&T pretty much keeps info on any updating of services in the future close to the vest and that you never know what's going to happen till it nearly does happen.

So, the way it looks, I wouldn't count on anything. And even though I just upgraded, if I can't stand not having CI anymore, I will not hesitate to drop these guys and go back to either Comcast or Directv or, maybe even WOW.

ChipBurger · ‎07-10-2008

Well, I've signed up for the GameCenter on NHL.com, there's a $20 a month deal that ends today.

The video is pretty good for internet, even when blown up to my 32" tv. That's if you need something.

andyt_1 · ‎08-01-2008

I watched the sharks via a internet sream last night,and if you dont mind not seeing the puck it was OK. NHL is sooooo much better in HD, that when you are forced to something else its a tough pill to swallow...... But I will take anything over nothing.

ronht · ‎10-06-2008

Well, I bit the bullet.......

Re-Installed Comcast service with Center Ice and added it into the 3 HMDI input on the main TV. Not cheap but my wife agreed with the rationalization that we can now watch the whole season for about the price of going to 4 games w/parking and beers.

Overall I'm very satisfied with U-verse and the features it offers, but I'm disappointed that I was originally told that Center Ice would be available, so they could get the sale, and find out later that it's not.

Our neighbor kid whose my son's age and spent more time living in my house than his as he was growing up was signed with the Columbus Bluejackets last year and not being able to follow him throughout the season was simply unacceptable.

Hopefully AT&T will eventually provide Center Ice for others here who are not willing to go to the lengths we have to get this great programming.

JamesTheName · ‎06-24-2008

ronht wrote:
Well, I bit the bullet.......

Re-Installed Comcast service with Center Ice and added it into the 3 HMDI input on the main TV. Not cheap but my wife agreed with the rationalization that we can now watch the whole season for about the price of going to 4 games w/parking and beers.

Overall I'm very satisfied with U-verse and the features it offers, but I'm disappointed that I was originally told that Center Ice would be available, so they could get the sale, and find out later that it's not.

Our neighbor kid whose my son's age and spent more time living in my house than his as he was growing up was signed with the Columbus Bluejackets last year and not being able to follow him throughout the season was simply unacceptable.

Hopefully AT&T will eventually provide Center Ice for others here who are not willing to go to the lengths we have to get this great programming.

You should've read Sean3300's post on the thread about about the 123 HD channels coming. He said he got info that AT&T and InDemand are supposed to have agreed on InDemand providing all of their services to Uverse, among them, the sports pkgs like Center Ice, NBA League Pass, etc. True? Who knows but, it sounds like it could be coming in the hopefully near future.

ChipBurger · ‎07-10-2008

JamesTheName wrote:
ronht wrote:
Well, I bit the bullet.......

Re-Installed Comcast service with Center Ice and added it into the 3 HMDI input on the main TV. Not cheap but my wife agreed with the rationalization that we can now watch the whole season for about the price of going to 4 games w/parking and beers.

Overall I'm very satisfied with U-verse and the features it offers, but I'm disappointed that I was originally told that Center Ice would be available, so they could get the sale, and find out later that it's not.

Our neighbor kid whose my son's age and spent more time living in my house than his as he was growing up was signed with the Columbus Bluejackets last year and not being able to follow him throughout the season was simply unacceptable.

Hopefully AT&T will eventually provide Center Ice for others here who are not willing to go to the lengths we have to get this great programming.

You should've read Sean3300's post on the thread about about the 123 HD channels coming. He said he got info that AT&T and InDemand are supposed to have agreed on InDemand providing all of their services to Uverse, among them, the sports pkgs like Center Ice, NBA League Pass, etc. True? Who knows but, it sounds like it could be coming in the hopefully near future.

I'd rather they not go through InDemand and just get it right from the NHL like DishNetwork and DirecTV do. They get more feeds, and they actually get games in HD. I hated having it through InDemand.

toxnorak · ‎10-30-2008

I most definately agree!

I will cancel my service if they do not have it before next season. Simple as that...

SteveW_1 · ‎12-29-2008

Very disappointed!!! I love U-verse but will change back to Time-Warner if NHL Center Ice is not offered soon.

dadzx · ‎01-18-2009

I agree. I will switch but not until they have NHL Center Ice. Hopefully that will happen soon because Directv customer service and latest hardware SUCKS! I have been with them since 1995 and didn't have any problems until the this last year.

sabre09 · ‎01-19-2009

I sure hope they offer nhl center ice soon!! They black out all of the nhl games unless you have center ice! Doesnt make sense, they dont offer but yet they still black out the games that are on other sports chs!!

randyl · ‎10-25-2007

sabre09 wrote:
I sure hope they offer nhl center ice soon!! They black out all of the nhl games unless you have center ice! Doesnt make sense, they dont offer but yet they still black out the games that are on other sports chs!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackout_(broadcasting)#MLB.2FNHL_blackout_policies

JamesTheName · ‎06-24-2008

I know all the pro games shown on the Sports Pack channels are blacked out, even the replays, if any. But, a few nights ago, I got to see some of the replay of the Penguins-Ducks game on both Fox Pittsburgh, Ch 730 and, Fox Prime Ticket, Ch 774. So, they can show replays of the games if they want.

Message Edited by JamesTheName on 01-19-2009 06:38 PM

wadewalk · ‎09-14-2009

This is the only thing that is keeping me from switching from Directv.

Fix it! Season is here.

HockeyDude_1 · ‎09-16-2009

I too asked about Center Ice availability and was told it would be available. I think customer service thinks on demand is the same as in demand. If I don't find out it is available within about 2 days I'll be cancelling. Hockey is the reason I bought an HD TV.

winegiggles · ‎07-08-2008

Thats why I stayed with Directtv

sportsman_1 · ‎03-30-2008

Those of you who said you are leaving if you don't have Center Ice:

Don't you see the linup before you sign up for U-verse?

Anyways bye don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Please do noy create a petition thread, and/or 5 other new threads about this channel. We know you want it, you don't have to be annoying about it though.

Message Edited by sportsman on 09-16-2009 11:26 PM