Columbus hockey fans may have trouble purchasing a Blue Jackets Hockey Network subscription due to an Amazon Prime error, with the season opener one day away.
The Blue Jackets have an exclusive streaming deal with Amazon Prime, allowing fans to purchase a direct subscription of the network at a lower monthly cost than a cable TV package. But attempting to sign up via Amazon on Sept. 30 led some fans to an error screen with the following message: "There's a problem with your subscription sign-up. Please try again later."
According to an Amazon representative via the help desk, the service is having "high volumes of reports" of people unable to sign up for the Blue Jackets Hockey Network, and that an investigation into the problem will take "24-48
hours."
According to a Blue Jackets representative, the team was told by Amazon that some fans are having an issue subscribing and it is being addressed. The team's understanding is that the issue does not seem to be widespread.
A subscription via Amazon Prime costs $19.99 per month or $99.99 annually. An Amazon account is required to subscribe, whether it's a free account or an existing Amazon Prime subscription. However, those with Amazon Prime will be charged on top of the price they're paying for that service.
Alternative ways to watch the regional broadcasts include Spectrum TV (Stream TV Pro, TV VIP or Select package) or Fubo, which costs $88.99 per month for the base pro plan.
As of now, the Blue Jackets have two games that will be featured on national broadcasts, meaning the other 82 games will be available to access on the Blue Jackets Hockey Network.
The Blue Jackets begin their season at home against the Buffalo Sabres Oct. 1.
The Dispatch has reached out to Amazon for further comment.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Blue Jackets fans hit road block purchasing Amazon for games
