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Semiannual How to Stream the Sabres chat


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The season is upon us. Right off the git go, the first two games are on NHLN.

Streaming services with NHLN that might have a free trial?

Then the bulk of the season. MSG Plus vs ESPN Plus. ESPN plus while in market with the needed VPN would be a little cheaper.

MSG Plus doesn't offer a stored replay right after the game (and perhaps not until the next morning). Not sure about ESPN Plus.

Edited by PASabreFan
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FUBO has the first two games and I watched a few last year on there too. The rest I watched on ESPN Plus with some national games on HULU. 

Years ago NHLN was an actual service on NHL.com. Now it’s theoretically a package some streaming services offer. If you are watching games on ESPN Plus, that’s the NHLN package. Despite what NHL.com leads you to believe you cannot watch all out of market games on the artist formerly known as NHLN.

You can order Center Ice but I think you need an actual cable provider not a streaming service.

Bottom line is I recommend FUBO and ESPN Plus if you are out of market. You’ll see most games but not all.

This might help but really it’s just to emotionally prepare everyone for inevitable let down because someone thought it’s a good idea to restrict viewership for a sport that claims it’s trying to expand its market.

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ESPN+ is a great value for out of market games.  I'm already paying for YouTubeTV for NFL purposes, and they don't have NHL Network, so I'm out of luck for those handful of games that NHLN broadcasts.  Already paying for YTTV, it's not worth it to me to pay for FUBO for a few additional games.

I agree that restricting NHLN to a few cable or streaming services is a bad idea for a league that's trying to increase viewership!  Obviously, they're asking too much in rights fees for services to add the channel and that's just silly, as they are competing for viewers' attention.  Even leagues like the WNBA are getting very popular these days, so the NHL should fight for turf.  This sort of poor decision making for the NHL is anything but new.

Edited by msw2112
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I cannot speak for PA and his situation, but I am in-market (ROC). This is the nuance needed to have the discussion. 
In market, my options appear simple:

1) cable for MSG.

2) MSG GO+ online (which is not cost competitive when comparing other markets) at $30/month. PA has articulated his issues with quality in the past…

3) Yo ho ho (🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️). This is a hard stop for me. I need to rely on 1080 high def on my tv to enjoy it.  


So yea, I’m local and I get absolutely pounded for the cost of cable each month for this team. YOLO I guess? ::sigh::

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If you have gmail you can just keep adding a "." at various points of your email address (gmail treats them all the same, but many systems are set up to think they are different!) to keep getting Fubo trials 🙂 That will take care of NHLN and TNT games. Just make sure to cancel because you have to opt for the "pay quarterly" package to get NHLN which could cost you like $300 if you forget!

Beware of ESPN+, they are very good at detecting VPN and not allowing you to watch.

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ESPN+ since I’m out of market. For NHL network games, I role-play as a privateer in the 1600s and my letter of marque is the absolute idiocy that I need multiple streaming services to watch hockey. Enough is enough. I don’t want 30 different streaming apps.

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I was hopeful that MSG plus would be an acceptable solution when it was announced.  The lack of an option to stream games at a price that I value has definitely contributed to my reduced interest in watching this team.

Between the price and PA’s reports on the quality of the stream itself (and of course the quality of the content being streamed), MSG plus hasn’t been a good value option.

Being in market I am left with pirated streams or not watching.  Pirated streams have been a pain in the ass IME and often too frustrating to pursue.

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10 hours ago, ska-T Chitown said:

Beware of ESPN+, they are very good at detecting VPN and not allowing you to watch.

Yep. I spent a decent buck on a well-regarded VPN last season and then tried to pair it with ESPN+.

That was a big "nope."

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27 minutes ago, That Aud Smell said:

Yep. I spent a decent buck on a well-regarded VPN last season and then tried to pair it with ESPN+.

That was a big "nope."

Yup.  I got dinged by this 2 seasons ago.

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MSG it is! If pirating had ever worked in the past the few times I tried, I would be tempted. But among other issues there's always a guy up in the corner who is either making hummus or preparing a surprise for the local consulate.

I didn't want to go the VPN route bc that's cheating too. Good to know that might not work anyway.

FTR down here I am in both the Pens' and the Sabres' broadcast market.

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5 hours ago, #freejame said:

It’s crazy to me that in exchange for moving to Buffalo, I’m having to give up paying $9.99 (or whatever) for ESPN+ to instead stream illegally. Maybe there is a problem with the telecom industry…

I wouldn't blame the telecom industry.  It's a content holder and rights holder issue. They are the ones who determine who and where a broadcast can be viewed.

Sorry if some of this was covered already, but I am also watching CNN right now hoping we don't end up in a larger world war soon.

Viewing Sabres Games:

  • MSG Games
    • Cable - if local
    • Fubo - anywhere
    • DirecTV Satellite and Stream - anywhere
  • TNT Games
    • Cable
    • DirecTV
    • YouTubeTV
    • Sling
  • NHL Network
    • Pretty much all services with some level of additional subscription.

ESPN+ is fine if you are out of market and the game is not on NHLN or TNT or any other national broadcast the NHL dreams up.

MSG+ is clearly an option.  Good luck with it!

The only two sources I am aware of where you can get ALL the games is cable and DirecTV.  Everywhere else you are going to miss some games.

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15 hours ago, ska-T Chitown said:

If you have gmail you can just keep adding a "." at various points of your email address (gmail treats them all the same, but many systems are set up to think they are different!) to keep getting Fubo trials 🙂 That will take care of NHLN and TNT games. Just make sure to cancel because you have to opt for the "pay quarterly" package to get NHLN which could cost you like $300 if you forget!

Beware of ESPN+, they are very good at detecting VPN and not allowing you to watch.

This is a very clever hack that I might use for some of the NHLN games.  It's risky, as I could forget to cancel and end up with a large bill, so I might wait to use it until late in the season when there are (hopefully) critical games being played.  

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