No NHL Network on Insight cable? Blasphemy!

Mark at The View from 210 highlights something that's been bugging me since I switched from DirecTV to Insight Communications cable: No NHL Network.  At all.

I'm not saying, "NHL Network is on some higher-priced tier and I don't want to pay for it."  No, I'm saying, "Even if I wanted to pay for it, Insight Communications doesn't carry the NHL Network."

What's the deal?  Why would the local cable company not help promote a local economic engine like the Columbus Blue Jackets through broadcasting their league's network?  Especially when the NHL Network, as I understand it, is a reasonably cheap channel for Insight to carry.  Do they not understand the local market in Columbus?  Do they not care?

Mark lays out the argument succinctly:

We are truly blessed here in Columbus. We are one of only 30 cities in North America to have an NHL team. The best hockey league in the world plays right here in our city. We root for our hometown team, we buy tickets to see them at Nationwide Arena. We watch them on Fox Sports Net. We are junkies. We love hockey. What we can’t do, however, is watch the NHL network if we live in an area that is serviced by Insight.

I, too, always make a point to mention the need for Insight to pick up the NHL Network every time I call their customer service.  And, thanks to Mark's email links to Insight customer service, I logged a request via email today and fully expect the same form letter brushoff that he got.  At the same time, it's important that we all log our own requests of Insight to demonstrate the numbers of people that want this channel delivered to their homes.

Who knows, maybe a couple of emails from Columbus might shake the tree hard enough to get NHL Network added.