Frequently Asked Questions
Black Bear Sports Group is a privately held company founded in 2015 by lifelong hockey fan Murry Gunty, who remains its principal owner and CEO. BBSG is not owned by a private equity firm and has nothing to do with Wall Street. Blackstreet Capital, a minority owner of Black Bear, is a private corporation primarily owned by Murry Gunty.
Yes, of course! Parents are always welcome to record videos and take photos of their own child during games and practices. Capturing the most exciting moments of our children’s play is
an important part of youth sports, and we have never proposed taking that away.
The only restriction is livestreaming, broadcasting, simulcasting, or any other form of transmitting full games or practices. Allowing this kind of broadcasting of other children or players is a significant safety risk given that it is impossible for our rinks, leagues, and teams to ensure that everyone on camera has given consent, especially young children and their parents.
We’re committed to making sure our policies are applied clearly, consistently, and respectfully across all rinks, so families can focus on enjoying the game.
Earlier this year, a third-party streaming provider in Canada broadcast children at a summer camp without proper safeguards and demonstrated how easily risks can arise when livestreaming minors without strict controls. That same company is being sued by another group for broadcasting without their consent.
Yes, absolutely - as long as it is not broadcasted, live streamed or simulcasted.
Yes, we obtain the consent of all organizations or the participants directly. Adults sign for themselves and their players. If we don’t have consent, we don’t broadcast those games.
Black Bear TV follows strict procedures that protect players and meet league and consent requirements which players and their parents sign when joining a league/team that is broadcasted on Black Bear TV
A parent streaming on their phone cannot ensure:
- Every child’s family has consented to where that stream is being broadcasted
- The stream is secure
- The footage won’t be downloaded, redistributed, or misused
- Compliance with league, insurance, NIL, and privacy rules
Parents are still encouraged and welcome to record their own child.
We approach these situations on a case-by-case basis, but parents will be asked politely to follow the safety policy. A player and their team will not be punished as falsely reported.
Black Bear TV is an official streaming platform that offers high-quality, secure viewing options for families. Full pricing can be found at: https://blackbearsports.tv/packages
Subscription options include:
- Basic Monthly: $25.99 per month
- Premium Monthly: $36.99 per month
o Includes two logins usable simultaneously from different locations (i.e. two for one price) - Add-on private leagues for a supplemental fee
- Pay-per-game and annual options also available
- These prices are below the competition’s cost, including USA Hockey TV which costs $29.99 per month for a basic plan, and $59.99 per month for the insider plan. This service also prohibits parent streaming.
Families benefit from:
- 30-day on-demand playback
- Downloadable games
- Highlight clipping and sharing
- DVR controls (pause, rewind, replay)
Our pricing is typically below comparable competitors, and we ensure it aligns with prior streaming offerings at each rink.
Parents are free to share the clips they capture of their children on social media.
The only restriction is livestreaming, broadcasting or simulcasting games or practices, which violates safety and privacy policies.
BBSG recently introduced a $49 membership fee for Foundry Adult Hockey League participation, which replaces the need for players to have a separate USA Hockey membership, which is a higher cost.
Black Bear Sports Group is always looking for opportunities to invest and revitalize rinks across the country. We feel very grateful that we can keep rinks open that are on the verge of collapse and ensure they are the cornerstone of their communities for generations to come.
When we purchase a rink, we implement structural repairs, facility upgrades, ice maintenance, community programming, including low and no-cost introductory programs for kids and adults and safety enhancements to ensure the space can thrive for children and their families.
No. Every market we operate in has other rinks within a 30-minute drive, giving families the freedom to choose what fits them best. BBSG always prices its programs competitively or below nearby options to keep hockey accessible and many of our programs allow kids to try and play hockey for little to no cost, like our Take a Shot at Hockey program.
For many reasons, including safety, quality control and our ability to provide professional management and coaches, it is more beneficial for players, coaches, and parents that the clubs
in our building have the financial backing of Black Bear and play in our leagues.
We facilitate movement of players to our clubs by providing free uniforms as needed, as well as discounts for parent coaches. Our foundation has donated over $250,000 to families in our
clubs (and other clubs) to help reduce the cost of hockey. Prior to most acquisitions, most of the clubs in these rinks are struggling with management, inconsistent practice times, game counts, tourney experiences and are forced to rely heavily on volunteer coaches and managers, providing a highly inconsistent experience across teams.
Black Bear tries to professionalize the programs and give all players and families a consistent offering and experience, which is described transparently in the player contract. Black Bear also publishes all its prices in advance so families can price and product shop before trying out for a Black Bear team. Black Bear teams frequently excel on the ice including several that have made the USA Hockey National tournament.
Black Bear Sports steps in to improve the rinks safety, staffing, ice conditions, programming, facility quality, and player development opportunities. We do not kick kids out of our rinks – we instead enhance the product offering and help them have a more reliable experience in our rinks that promotes their own development in the sport.
At any time, families can contact rink management, regional leadership, or a dedicated national director of youth hockey whose sole job is to look out for the almost 10,000 youth hockey players in Black Bear rinks. BBSG has a central support team, a formal complaint process and direct communication channels for parents. We take every concern seriously and respond promptly to give families the best experience possible.
Black Bear Sports Group was created to make hockey more accessible and to create new and improved pathways for hockey players to achieve their desired goals in juniors, collegiate or professional levels of the sport. We have put thousands of children on the ice for little to no cost, saved many rinks from closure across the Northeast and Midwest, offered thousands of children free programs like Take a Shot at Hockey, and achieved a youth participation growth rate that is more than double the national average. We have also pioneered similar products for adults, allowing them to try hockey for the first time at little to no cost.
From day one, our goal has been to provide limitless opportunities for the next generation of
hockey players and to be a safeguard for the sport.