I have a question about blacked out sports channels. I am in the Atlanta area. Numerous times Atlanta Braves games are blacked-out. This appears to only happen when they are playing an away game. For example: Today they are playing the Chicago White Sox in Chicago. The games was showing on channel 420(Fox Sports) but is blacked out in Atlanta. Why? Channels are supposed to be back-out to encourage people to go to the game in person. Kind of hard to do since the game is in Chicago, IL. Over 1000 miles away. Please let me know the reasoning behind this.
Blacked out sports channels
- Thread starter ggilbert
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The game was blacked out on FOXS because it was being shown nationally on WGN, and they wanted you to watch it on that channel.
Your comment about blackouts being about making people go to the game in person only applies to the NFL.
Your comment about blackouts being about making people go to the game in person only applies to the NFL.
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OR - Dish is not showing some Atlanta games on FOXS because they were added after the contract and now more money is wanted. (Simplified explanation)
So if the game is shown on a channel that may be available, then the game is blacked out? I can understand the Fox Sports channels, but I have run into is the game being blacked out on ESPN.
In a modified example, if the game were scheduled on WGN and ESPN, then WGN could make the ESPN feed blacked out in Chicago and Atlanta but someone in Maine could watch the game on both channels?
I live in Indiana. Many Detroit Tigers, Cubs, White Sox, Cardinals, and Reds games are blacked out on ESPN but there are times I can watch the same game on Fox Sports (or one of the alternate channels), WGN, TBS, and ESPN. I never have figured out why games are blacked out on ESPN. I don't like the answer, but it does make sense.
It all depends on what kind of broadcast deal each station or station group has struck with MLB. For instance, like you said, an ESPN or MLB Network broadcast of a game would be blacked out for people who normally can watch the game on their RSN. FOX (the main broadcast network, not FSN) has a real draconian deal on their Saturday broadcasts where NO MLB game can be shown on any channel during the time of the FOX broadcast. So even if FOX is only broadcasting 3 games regionally across the country, any other game that isn't being broadcast by FOX but is being played during that time would also be blacked out, for all viewers and all channels. It stinks.
