U.K.-based DAZN, which holds exclusive rights in Canada to stream all NFL games live, "finally has succumbed to public pressure and is negotiating with cable and satellite companies to make the full slate of game available on those platforms," according to John Kryk of POSTMEDIA NETWORK. A source said that deals with providers Shaw and SaskTel "already are done," which was "confirmed by DAZN in a statement." The source added that Shaw and SaskTel subscribers would be "able to purchase the new Sunday Ticket package in time" for yesterday's games. Sources added that DAZN was "negotiating with other cable and satellite providers, including Rogers cable." A Rogers spokesperson "denied that such talks took place Saturday." Kryk noted DAZN's service is "along the lines of Netflix" in that it "offers no cable or satellite viewing options of NFL games; rather, only a streaming feed to web-connected digital devices such as smart TVs, tablets, smartphones and games consoles." Canadians "complained loudly, and in large numbers, from the beginning about a wide range of reception problems." Some brands of some devices "could not connect properly, or at all," and many rural subscribers "couldn’t connect because of local wi-fi issues that typically plague their web experiences." Other problems included "constant rebuffering, lack of HD video, significant audio gaps, and delayed availability of pre-game shows and some games" (POSTMEDIA NETWORK, 10/7).
