Hockey fans who subscribe to Dish no longer have to fret. The satcaster yesterday began selling the NHL Center Ice package of regular-season out-of-market games, one day prior to the opening of the Covid-shortened 2020-21 season.
Dish’s cost is $115, which is the same as what Verizon and DIRECTV are charging. Charter’s Spectrum TV service is selling the Center Ice package for $99.99 while Comcast is charging $100 in four installments of $25. The Center Ice plan normally costs $160 for the season, but the reduced cost reflects the shorter campaign.
The 56-game NHL 2020-2021 season will start tonight with a 5:30 p.m. ET matchup between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers. The season is scheduled to end on May 8 with a 16-team playoff to follow. You can learn more about the upcoming season here at NHL.TV.
The NHL Center Ice plan offers up to 40 out-of-market games a week, not including national and home team broadcasts, which are blacked out.
Charter’s $99.99 rate is the same that the NHL is charging for its NHL.TV ‘All Access Pass’ plan, which offers the out-of-market game package via streaming devices. You can also purchase NHL.TV monthly for $24.99. A single-team option costs $84.99. Center Ice does not include the single-team or monthly options.
In related news, Dish is also selling the NBA League Pass package of out-of-market games for $199, as well as other sports packages such as its Multi-Sports Pack. You can learn more about Dish’s sports offerings here.
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This is better than paying for an RSN. Only those who care about hockey or the NBA pay to watch and the rest of us don’t. I paid for the telecasts of the regional pro team, which I wasn’t a fan of, for years when I had cable and sat. I save $ each month now that I’m just streaming. Heck, I don’t even miss espn and their pompous studio hosts. Bringing on alacart tv. Hurray.