It's due to the way the games are provided to DirecTV by the respective league offering the out-of-market package. Both satellite and cable systems offer MLB:EI, so the league broadcasts their own set of feeds to each of their distribution partners offering the package via their own transponder space. So cable companies and DirecTV get reception hardware from the league to be able to pick up the MLB:EI games in HD.
Satellite transponder space is limited, so what DirecTV typically does is take the RSNs they already have uplinked to the satellites and authorize MLB:EI subscribers to be able to tune out-of-market RSNs while the game is taking place. DirecTV doesn't currently have an agreement to carry CSNhilly, so they use the feed they get from the league just for those games.
The NHL does the same thing with Center Ice, but they only have the capacity to distribute the content in SD. So normally you get to watch the game on a HD Regional Sports feed that DirecTV already has uplinked, but in the case of CSN Philly they don't carry the channel, and the only feed they get from the NHL is standard def.
The cable co in canada have the room for more HD I think some have like 5-8 HD feeds for NHL CI + they have NFL ST. I think rogers has like 25-30 part time HD feeds for there super sports pack / NHL CI / NBA LP / MLB EI.I can see why the NHL hasn't invested a ton of money into upgrading their distribution facilities, considering the majority of the CI providers using the feeds are cable companies that don't have the capacity to broadcast the games in HD anyway. Most cable systems still have a single HD channel that is shared between Center Ice and NBA League Pass. Even Dish can only air 8-10 HD feeds on any given night, and that capacity is split up between Center Ice and League Pass.
It's easy to get spoiled with DirecTV's HD coverage if you don't look at the market and see how dismally poor every other company is doing.
They remap some of the movie HD PPV channels and 2-3 Center Ice channels to do Sunday Ticket, and the 8 channels for Center Ice aren't as impressive as they sound. In most cases, 5 of those channels are really remaps of SportsNet Pacific, West, Ontario, East, and One. So there are only 2-3 channels of HD to show any non-Canadian games.The cable co in canada have the room for more HD I think some have like 5-8 HD feeds for NHL CI + they have NFL ST.
Watch closely -- not all the clips for On the Fly are in HD just yet. They showed the Predators clips the other night in SD from FS Tennessee, and I watched that game in HD on the same channel.But the NHL is able to get the HD feeds for ON THE FLY HD.
But getting LiL HD feeds is more important. People will avoid signing up for DirecTV if they can't provide their local channels in HD. That makes it worth the effort for DirecTV to pull in those channels.Getting OTA feeds is harder.
But how hard is for D* to fiber in the OTA feeds from there own local up links centers to the main berms?
As part of carrying the Center Ice package they get a feed for each game from the NHL (most are only in SD). It's a matter of DirecTV using a feed they already have, or using the one they get from the NHL already as part of the package.also on 11/7 when a game is only on WGN and rogers sportrs net. Why not take the feed you have now and not pay to feed in a subfeed of sports net one from rogers in Canada?
But some feeds also have NHL, NBA and MLB games so it may good to get the agreements to get transmission rights for them.To get an HD feed for a channel they don't carry, or can't get from the NHL, DirecTV would have to go out and sign their own agreements to get transmission rights. Are more people going to sign up for Center Ice if they get those feeds? DirecTV is probably betting that the answer to that question is no.
MLB is taken care of because they're providing the SportsNet Ontario games in HD for the Blue Jays and CSNhilly feed in HD for Phillies games.But some feeds also have NHL, NBA and MLB games so it may good to get the agreements to get transmission rights for them.