It’s a great time to be a sports fan these days. Between HD, mobile, and the internet, fans of every stripe can get their fix.

Of course, there can be option overload. Between league-owned networks, and out-of-market television packages, the problem could be, “Where to choose?”

For anyone looking to augment their NHL viewing options, or get started, the league’s GameCenter Live package should be worth considering. The online streaming package for out-of-market games has just about everything a fan could want if they find watching video online as an option over television, or a service that can get them watching games when a television set isn’t available, with one major exception we will get to in a bit.

Seeing Is Believing

Our review of GCL was done on a Dell Inspiron 1750 2.10GHz Dual Core system laptop running Windows 7 with 4 Gigs of RAM, a 17” monitor running at 1600x900, running WiFi over DSL. We used Mozilla’s Firefox as the browser. By default, video streaming runs at 1600Kbps, with the user being able to select lower bit rates (400Kbps, 800Kbps). We installed the NeuLion Plug-In that is an option for GCL that allows for adaptive bit rates – the system automatically detects and adjusts the bit rate depending on the connection speed.

With the ability to stream up to four games simultaneously, we were pleasantly surprised to find no buffering issues. Clicking between each pane switched audio for that given game seamlessly. For those that want to keep track of multiple games, the ability to watch four games is a key selling point of the package. (Select image in the upper right to see example).

DVR-Like

"Ice Tracker" in GameCenter Live is one of several widgets that make the streaming video package a winner

New for this year in GameCenter Live is the ability to use the system’s “DVR-like” functions. Becoming standard fare for streaming packages, users can pause, rewind, go back to “Live”, or use the handy “Go Back 10 Seconds” button.

Widgets ‘R Us

GameCenter Live’s biggest strength is the use of widgets. Once launched, the user has the ability to watch up to four games at once, by clicking from the schedule bar above the viewing field, or by clicking on a game, and dragging and dropping it into place. This is also handy for stats for a particular game you happen to be viewing. Caps playing the Bruins? Click on the stats tab for which team you want to view, and drag the transparent menu anywhere on the viewing screen, including over the action. Want to watch a game in full view, but want to check another game using Picture in Picture, there’s a small widget for that in which you can place it where ever you like.

Other great widget features include Play-By-Play, a chat window, and our favorite, the Ice Tracker which allows you to see where shots, goals, hits, penalties, occurred for the entire game, by period, for both, or each team. Mousing over a marker on Ice Tracker gives you details (see image)

Give Me The Time(line)

There’s nothing worse than watching a game, forgetting to put it on pause, walking away and coming back only to find that you missed a shot on or goal. One of GCL’s best features is a timeline with markers showing when the period ended, shots on goal, and goals. Clicking on the markers gives you several seconds leading up to the action in question. When getting into archived games, this function can act as your “highlight reel”.

Got the time? GameCenter Live's timeline bar allows you to click right to where the action happens (click to see in detail)

(select the image to see in detail)

Popout Fizzles

The only glitch we found in GameCenter Live revolved around its ability to have a “popout” window. Clicking on the “popout” button opens a mini-window that can be set in the corner of your screen to allow you to check a single game, but not have it consume a sizeable part of your screen’s real estate. We tried using this function several times, only to have it lock the browser up. This was distracting, but not a deal killer – the functionality seems a nice to have, rather than a core piece – after a couple of crashes, we simply left the “popout” testing alone, and soon forgot about it.

Time Machine (Archives)

Fall asleep on the couch, and only have a few minutes before you have to dash off to work? If you’re a NHL GameCenter Live subscriber, you can watch a 10 to 12 minute version of the game the next morning at 8am ET. And, you can watch archived games 48 hours after the games are broadcast with no blackouts. For those that live on the East Coast and are looking to see what they might have missed for Left Coast games, a great way to keep up with the action.

One of the coolest content related pieces for this year’s GCL is the ability to see a collection of select games from 1970 thru 2009 that have been selected by the NHL’s Editorial Staff.

Conclusion: Get It, But Let the Buyer Beware (Blackouts)

As online streaming sports applications go, GameCenter Live is the best one out there. It pulled out all the stops in terms of functionality, and with the exception of one hiccup, was robust enough to give a great viewing experience.

But, before you plunk down $119 (US), GCL’s biggest issue may have nothing to do with the application, at all, but rather the NHL’s television blackout policy. Depending on your location, and national broadcasts, getting “up to 40 games a week” may fall more on the side of well under, rather than reaching that nice sounding “40 games” plateau.

Since GCL looks for where your computer’s IP address is located, your blackouts become tied to that location. But, the NHL doesn’t provide a zip code locator where you could enter in your location to see where you are currently blacked out, and to-date, no enterprising individuals have created a blackout map, such as is the case for Major League Baseball (see MLB’s blackout map). This is the biggest issue surrounding GCL, and it's most glaring weakness.

There’s nothing worse than purchasing something great, which GameCenter Live is, only to find that the games you want to see are caught up in the Blackout Blues. If you live in a location where blackouts are not an issue, such as we are, then purchasing GCL should be a no brainer. For the rest of those considering, since the NHL doesn't have the information, we suggest scouring the web throughly for information that will help you make the proper decision on your purchase. Below are the NHL’s blackout restrictions pulled from their GameCenter Live FAQ. Consider reading closely before purchasing:

1. When am I blacked out on NHL GAMECENTER LIVE?

Generally, you are blacked out of games on NHL GAMECENTER Live based on a number of factors, including:

1. 1. Your local team is televising on a local over-the-air station and you are located within that station’s signal.
   2. Your local team is televising on a local regional sports network and your cable or satellite system falls within the distribution for that local regional sports network (regardless of whether your cable or satellite system actually carries that regional sports network.)
   3. There is no local television coverage of your local team.
   4. The game is being televised nationally – In the U.S. this includes NBC, Versus, and the NHL Network. In Canada this includes CBC, TSN, and the NHL Network.

1. What if all the games I’m trying view are blacked out?

This means our system cannot identify your IP address as a valid IP address. Hotels, Universities or Colleges, using a company VPN could be connecting to proxy servers that make it difficult to locate what TV territory you are located in.

(THE BIZ OF BASEBALL)

• HICKS SPORTS GROUP COMPLETES SALE OF TEXAS RANGERS TO GREENBERG-RYAN
• Astros Agree with Pence on 1-yr, $3.5M Deal to Avoid Salary Arbitration
• Transaction Action: Orioles Bring Miguel Tejada Back
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• Over Half-A-Billion Dollars Allocated Through Salary Arbitration Contracts

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

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The National Hockey League (NHL) today unveiled NHL VideoCenter (http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/), the League’s new streaming video player that features new channels of content, significant enhancements to the user experience, and enables fans to easily share NHL video on the most popular social media Web sites.

With an enhanced user interface and expanded programming based on analytic insights into fan demand, NHL VideoCenter was developed in coordination with the NHL’s strategic technology partner NeuLion, the leading developer of IPTV solutions for content partners such as the NHL, NFL and more than 200 Colleges. NHL VideoCenter upgrades and replaces NHL Network Online, the League’s groundbreaking video environment that was launched with NeuLion in April, 2008.

“NHL.com is the first place fans look to see the best game highlights, live and feature videos, and original programming focused on the NHL,” said Andre Mika, NHL Senior Vice President for Creative. “NHL VideoCenter expands the volume of video content offered on NHL.com, and greatly enhances and streamlines the user interface, creating the Web’s best destination for NHL video.”

The new features and enhancements give NHL fans even more video content to choose from. It allows them fans to find, and interact with, NHL video more quickly, more easily and more often, as well as share that experience with online communities all over the Web. Among the new and enhanced features include:

• High-definition viewing experience
• Three new channels of content − NHL Shootout Channel, featuring all NHL game shootouts in their entirety; NHL Press Room, featuring live coverage of press conferences and other breaking news; and NHL Library, which gives fans a selection of classic and archived videos
• Click-to-share with popular social media sites such as Twitter and Digg, and the ability to share full videos that play in-line on Facebook
• Expanded screen size
• Faster page loading
• Better and expanded search results
• Streamlined, more consumable game highlights

“The must-have trend for 2010 is HD and the new NHL VideoCenter brings that HD experience to the fan. Interactivity, syndication features and multi-device delivery allows the NHL to reach fans anywhere at anytime and build a deeper relationship with them,” said Chris Wagner, EVP and Co-Founder of NeuLion.

As a result of these consumer-facing improvements that drive more fan interaction and engagement with NHL video, NHL VideoCenter will also deliver greater value to NHL partners that advertise within videos or via banner ads.

“Integrating with NHL video online is among our most important advertising activations with the National Hockey League,” said Tom Peyton, Sr. Manager, National Advertising American Honda Motor Company. “We feel that the high level of fan engagement on NHL VideoCenter makes it a great environment for targeted Honda Brand marketing."

Source: National Hockey League

OTHER NEWS FROM THE BUSINESS OF SPORTS NETWORK

(THE BIZ OF BASEBALL)

• Last Week In Bizball: 2009 In Review
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• A View of the Ballparks That Nearly Weren’t

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available as a freelance writer. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

Follow Maury Brown on Twitter

Easton Hockey relaunched their website today.

Hockey equipment manufacturer Easton Hockey today announced the relaunch of the brand’s official Web site – EastonHockey.com.

The completely re-designed and re-imagined URL will now include technology breakdowns, product news and an industry-first for hockey fans – head-to-toe product details and model numbers for every Easton-sponsored NHL player.

“If you want to know exactly which stick Dany Heatley is using, which glove Henrik Zetterberg is wearing, which helmet Jonathan Toews is sporting, we’re not only going to tell you – we’re going to tell you why,” said Ned Goldsmith, senior vice president of Easton Hockey. “More than ever, this site integrates our products and players to create an interactive experience for users.”

The site will also feature a user-friendly site experience, showcasing exclusive player and product video, including never-before-seen footage from Easton’s NHL pro camp, plus product demos featuring expert commentary from Easton’s Research and Development team.

Other site features include product and player news, access to the Easton-Bell Sports global network of sites, editorial content, promotional event details, signings and a soon-to-be customizable My Easton feature.

My Easton, which currently allows users to register and share Easton’s product offerings with friends and family via email and social networking platforms, will later expand to allow users to participate in a full-fledged community sponsored by the brand. Users will be able to connect and share experiences from the ice with other Easton users through familiar Web 2.0 features and functionality.

Source: Easton Hockey

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Click to see in larger view

NHL GameCenter LIVE is specifically designed for those avid fans looking for the most complete, in-game NHL viewing experience, as well as for the nearly 50 percent of NHL fans who live away from their favorite team’s local television market and crave more live game coverage, which is especially prevalent during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Fans who already subscribe to NHL GameCenter LIVE will be able to view these games. Non-subscribers can take advantage the new “Day Pass” offering for NHL GameCenter LIVE. Throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs, fans can watch a single night of NHL action, on-demand, for $19.95. All games are subject to blackouts and other restrictions.

The complete list of first-round games on NHL GameCenter LIVE includes (all times Eastern):

Source: National Hockey League

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Click to see in larger view

With historically tight playoff races in both conferences, The National Hockey League (NHL) today announced a new “Day Pass” offering for NHL GameCenter LIVE. Starting tonight and continuing through the Stanley Cup Playoffs, fans can now watch a single night of NHL action, on-demand, for $19.95.

The League will continue to offer its NHL GameCenter LIVE “Race for the Cup” package, which for $79 streams all available games through the Stanley Cup Playoffs, subject to blackouts and other restrictions.

NHL GameCenter LIVE streams up to 40 games per week, and is specifically designed for those avid fans looking for the most complete, in-game NHL viewing experience, as well as for the nearly 50 percent of NHL fans that live away from their favorite team’s local television market and crave more live game coverage.

A central component of the new NHL.com, NHL GameCenter LIVE surrounds hockey fans with TV-quality streaming video, multiple and exclusive camera angles, multi-games view, real-time stats, chat and much more.

NHL GameCenter LIVE has proven extremely popular with hockey fans so far this season and subscriptions to the service have increased nearly 250 percent compared to last season.

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During the digital celebration, NHL.com and NHL Mobile is providing fans with wall-to-wall coverage of Brodeur’s historic achievement, including:

• Reporting and video from the record-setting win over Chicago
• League-wide reaction from teammates, opponents and fans and others
• Exclusive video retrospectives on Brodeur’s career
• A Brodeur visit to The Hockey Show
• Shop Marty: Shop.NHL.com has the biggest selection of Martin Brodeur merchandise, including new products to commemorate his historic achievement

The NHL is inviting fans to e-mail a congratulatory note or favorite memory of Brodeur to [email protected]. NHL.com editors will share the top entries with Brodeur and
will display them on www.NHL.com/brodeur.

Participation in the Brodeur celebration also is encouraged via 3rd-party media. Fans can visit the NHL’s YouTube site (www.YouTube.com/NHL) to submit their own video or text message to Brodeur and can post messages to Twitter using the hashtag #Brodeur.

"This is an historic moment in the NHL, and NHL.com is providing in-depth coverage of this tremendous milestone,” said Andre Mika, NHL Senior Vice President and Executive in Charge of Programming, New Media. “Not only will fans be able to respond to the breaking of the record, we are enabling a social media event around one of the greatest players in NHL history.”

Brodeur, who has played his entire NHL career with the Devils, has won the Stanley Cup three times, the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender four times, the 1994 Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year and played in nine NHL All-Star Games. He also has won an Olympic gold medal (2002) and a World Cup title (2004) for his native Canada.

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Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.

Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

NHL GameCenter LIVE streams up to 40 games per week (blackout and other restrictions apply), and is specifically designed for those avid fans looking for the most complete, in-game NHL viewing experience, as well as for the nearly 50 percent of NHL fans that live away from their favorite team’s local television market and crave more live game coverage.

A central component of the new NHL.com -- which re-launched in October to give fans a

personalized, all-access pass to their favorite NHL team and players -- NHL GameCenter LIVE surrounds these avid hockey fans with TV-quality streaming video, multiple and exclusive camera angles, multi-games views, real-time stats, chat and much more.

NHL GameCenter Live has proven extremely popular with hockey fans so far this season and subscriptions to the service have increased nearly 250 percent compared to last season.

“Already this season, thousands of fans across North America have been delighted by NHL hockey delivered through the NHL GameCenter LIVE experience,” said Perry Cooper, NHL Senior Vice President, NHL Direct + Digital Marketing and Fan Analytics. “Now that the NHL season has reached January, the playoff races are heating up and each game is important. With another free trial, more fans can get in on the excitement of these games, especially when they’re experienced through NHL GameCenter LIVE.”

NHL GameCenter Live features include:

• “Game of the Night,” featuring camera angles not available to television viewers.

• Multi-game view to watch up to four games at once.

• On-Demand Viewing of archived games.

• Chat with other fans.

• Real-time scoreboard and scoring alerts that keep track of all live NHL action.

• Tons of stats from the NHL’s own Real-Time Statistics.

• Play-by-play action tracking that shows where and when every shot, goal, hit and penalty occurred, as well links to highlights of select plays.

• Audio choice. When available, fans can choose their favorite audio feed (home or away radio) for each game.

• Game highlights. One-click access to League-wide video highlights.

• Game photos. Coming soon, fans can browse and purchase rich, dynamic Getty Images from every game throughout the League.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

From January 1-4, fans can subscribe to NHL GameCenter LIVE for the remainder of the NHL regular season at the special rate of US$109, or for five monthly installments of US$21.95. From January 5 until February 15, the rate is US$119. To order NHL GameCenter Live visit www.nhl.com/gamecenter.

Source: National Hockey League

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Streaming up to 40 games per week, NHL GameCenter Live is specifically designed for those avid fans looking for the most complete, in-game NHL viewing experience, as well as for the nearly

50 percent of NHL fans that live away from their favorite team’s local television market and crave more content and access.

“Thousands of fans are already enjoying NHL GameCenter Live and their feedback has been extremely positive,” said Perry Cooper the NHL’s Senior Vice President, NHL Direct + Digital Marketing. “We are adding another free trial date so we can show even more NHL fans how amazing it is to experience live games online with NHL GameCenter Live.”

NHL GameCenter Live features include:

• “Game of the Night” featuring camera angles not available to television viewers.

• Multi-game view to watch up to four games at once.

• On-Demand Viewing of archived games.

• Chat with other fans.

• Real-time scoreboard and scoring alerts that keep track of all live NHL action.

• Tons of stats from the NHL’s own Real-Time Statistics.

• Play-by-play action tracking that shows where and when every shot, goal, hit and penalty came from, as well links to highlights of select plays.

• Audio choice. When available, fans can choose their favorite audio feed (home or away radio) for each game.

• Game highlights. Access to League-wide video highlights at the click of a mouse.

• Game photos. Coming soon, fans can browse and purchase rich, dynamic Getty Images for from every game throughout the League.

PRICING AND AVAILABILITY

Fans can subscribe immediately to NHL GameCenter Live at the rate of US$169/CAN$219 for the whole season, or for monthly installments of US$20.99/CAN$30.99. Fans who have purchased the NHL® 2k9 video game can receive a 60-day free trial of NHL GameCenter Live with proof of purchase by visiting www.nhl.com/livegames2k. To order NHL GameCenter Live visit www.nhl.com/gamecenter.

Source: NHL

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Image Courtesy - NHL

NHL.com Redesign. Games On Demand

NHL.com Partners with Yahoo! Sports for Fantasy Game

Other Features of NHL.com Relaunch

Integration of Single Sign-On (SSO) - SSO lets fans sign on once to NHL.com and have a relevant, personalized experience in every content area at NHL.com -- editorial, multimedia, images, product and service offerings, etc.

"What's next" programming - According to the NHL, "What's next" is "an approach to Web site programming that goes beyond simple content population to offer fans layer upon layer of relevant content about their favorite team and players."

A bigger editorial voice - In addition to more exclusive editorial, content will now be bundled with other relevant media such as pictures, video and statistics.

Improved Photos - Photos will now have a dedicated location, allowing fans to “flip and browse,” as well as instantly purchase photos of their favorite moments.

Richer Content - New special features such as schedule pages that tell fans where to find the broadcast of local games; ticket pages that pop-up maps of the arenas; and player pages that include photo galleries and video highlights of every active player in the NHL.

“The new NHL.com is a revolution in NHL programming, not simply the evolution of a Web site,” said NHL Senior Vice President/Executive in Charge of Programming and New Media Andre Mika. “The re-programming of NHL.com now puts the League in the same class as the top media properties on the Web, and we have an aggressive roadmap for further development and growth.”

Source: National Hockey League

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Source: The National Hockey League

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Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is contributor to Baseball Prospectus, and is available as a freelance writer.

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The Florida Panthers hockey club, based on an idea that was first put in place by NASCAR (nascarpartners.com), will create a site (Bizteamup.com) that will link every partners to a database, reported the Sports Business Journal this morning.

Bizteamup.com, which the Panthers will launch on Wednesday, offers team partners a protected, digital networking environment where they can connect with one another, share ideas and launch new business endeavors together. Yormark believes the site could be the business-to-business equivalent of what Facebook is for college students and MySpace is for teens.

"We have leveraged our resources to create a B2B tool which is so revolutionary that nothing like it exists within the sports or B2B universe," Yormark said.

Michael Yormak is President and COO of the Florida franchise and his twin brother, Brett is CEO of the New Jersey Nets. They were both featured in this two-page spread of Newsweek this past December. To get an idea of the type of executive the 41-year-old New Jersey natives are and strive to be, read this quote:

To them, teams are merely the magnetic "show" for drawing an audience of consumers. Heck, the attraction could just as well be Disney sensation Miley Cyrus, as it was recently at BankAtlantic Center, which is owned by Florida's Broward County, but managed by Michael Yormark and his executive team. Where fans see a stadium, Brett and Michael see acres of monetizable space—or, as they say on Madison Avenue, "inventory." Victory for them isn't necessarily the final score. The Yormarks' game is to help their "marketing partners," as the sponsors are known, win over new and repeat customers—the fans who are watching live (and on TV), engulfed in a blaze of logos, brand names and ads displayed on monitors, scoreboards and announcer tables.

Much like social networking sites like MySpace or Facebook, this B2B initiative will permit advertisers/partners to make a profile and make their ideas known throughout the site, so that new and better iniatives can be created.

Yormak hopes to extend this endeavor to other clubs and leagues, so that local advertisers can develop projects with national companies or any other collaborator interested in their products or services.

"Can you imagine what a powerful networking site it would be if you had this connecting all B2B organizations across professional leagues and teams?" asked Ziff, the Panthers' senior director of brand activation. "Partnerships would become national, not just local. The boundaries are exponential."

The site isn't designed to generate revenue, only to add sponsor benefit. However, Ziff and the Panthers see it opening future revenue streams if the club sells the technology behind it to other teams or allows nonsponsors to buy subscriptions to the site.

With the Panthers doing very well at the turnstiles and attracting more season-ticket holders every year, this revolutionnary idea could potentially be a windfall for the NHL and its advertisers, still trying to break through on the national stage and be treated as a major sport with its legion of fanatical supporters.