Waterloo-based FloHockey changing hockey streaming landscape

CTV’s Colton Wiens has details about a streaming service that will make it easier to watch Ontario Hockey League games.

Some junior hockey fans may soon change how they watch their favourite teams.

FloSports, has acquired the streaming rights to the Ontario Hockey League and Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League for the next seven years.

The service streams hockey games online and has the rights to 25 different hockey leagues and events across North America. The company’s hockey division, FloHockey, is based in Waterloo and is eager to offer OHL and QMJHL coverage to customers.

“We can really set the tone for what we want to do with those leagues moving forward,” Derek Lebold, senior rights acquisition manager for FloSports, said.

But what does the change mean for fans?

Rogers, Eastlink and Cogeco will still be covering the OHL on television, but FloSports will carry those broadcasts on their service in addition to 23 other hockey leagues in North America. FloHockey costs $39.99 per month, but a discount is available for anyone who buys an annual plan. As of Sept. 9, the cost of an annual subscription worked out to approximately $200 per year.

“You’ll get the OHL and you be able to watch here in town like the Kitchener Rangers, the Guelph Storm, the London Knights, but you’ll also be able to see great hockey that we’ve already been showing with the AHL, ECHL, junior B here in town,” Jeremy Cook, senior manager of events and streaming with FloSports, said.

“We think there’s a vacuum for these other sports. We believe that there’s these followings. And if you put it together, we can make something awesome,” Mark Floreani, CEO and cofounder of FloSports said.

The idea started with Mark Floreani and his brother. The former D1 NCAA athletes in track and field and wrestling started the company to try and bring better production to less commonly covered events. The company’s headquarters are in Texas, but when it bought Waterloo-based HockeyTech, it opened its Canadian headquarters and expanded on the ice.

“We’re obviously not needed on the NHL level, but underneath the NHL, we thought that there was a need to consolidate all of these leagues to make a good price, a good offering at the lowest price possible for all of these leagues,” Floreani said.

FloSports also carries a variety of other sports that can be accessed with a subscription.

“Just because you’re a hockey fan doesn’t necessarily mean you’re just a hockey fan,” Carrie Good, senior manager of customer support at FloSports, said. “You can go watch FloRacing, you can go watch FloCollege - any of that stuff.”

“In Canada, you get the Tour de France, you get the Giro (d’Italia), you get thousands of events of motor sports. We have 50,000 events of all sports. You get that for the one subscription,” Floreani said.

“Under the umbrella, when you have the OHL, the QMJHL, the AHL, the ECHL, you’re paying for a subscription and you’re being able to watch not just one league, but all of this content,” Mark Hawroilak, a FloSports customer support representative, explained. “You’re not restricted for paying for one certain thing.”

FloSports doesn’t have the rights to the Western Hockey League or the Memorial Cup but said they’re always exploring ways to expand what they offer to customers.

“We will be investing more, and we will be adding to the portfolio to make a better product for our fans,” Floreani said.

The service can be found online, through the Apple Store, Google Play Store or via TV apps like the Roku Channel Store, Amazon Fire, Android TV and Apple TV.

Flo will be launching on Samsung, VIZIO and LG later this year.