Here's a new one. ESPN's coverage of a Chicago Cubs game was Blacked out in the Indy market last night. Indy is a good 4 hour drive from Chicago. Why would they black out that game? It's the first time I've ever seen ESPN black out anything.
Epsn Black Out
- Thread starter pduncan
- Start date
- Latest activity Latest activity:
- Replies 16
- Views 3K
Dish blocked ESPN2 on me last weekend during the BC and Michigan St. games. I called to see what was going on, as both cable and Direct TV carried the games. The only thing they told me was that "The games were part of the Season Ticket" and I must buy the package to see the game. Bull shat.
All my programming is supposed to come from 110-119-129 but I only have the 110-119-62.5 hooked up. But that shouldn't be the cause.
So, we're at Dish's whim on whether we will be blocked off.
All my programming is supposed to come from 110-119-129 but I only have the 110-119-62.5 hooked up. But that shouldn't be the cause.
So, we're at Dish's whim on whether we will be blocked off.
gpflepsen said:
Yeah, that made me upset too as I am in Missouri and no where near those markets. I think there as another game on ESPN2 that they could of aired, but didn't.
Last week's Phillies at Braves was blacked out on ESPN2 in Alabama. I still use Charter for internet and basic cable still comes through. Charter's version was showing ESPN News. I think the game was on TBS or TurnerSouth but their feed is not in HD 
.
.The same thing happened to me! It had nothing to do with your dish set-up. There is no legitimate reason (other than local station rights) for Dish to block an ESPN telecast.gpflepsen said:
I left Dish several years ago because they cut off games near the end because they went by time rather than the actual completion of a game. They did that this year near the end of a Little League World Series game that went longer than expected due to rain. So I missed the end of the game, because a local major league team was SCHEDULED to be broadcast at that time.
I don't know what to do other than complain loudly -- they just don't get it. And all you get from the CSR's is their standard script about blackout rules. That would be fine if they would abide by these rules!
I guess that's why they say if you want sports, get Direct TV!
It's ironic that they are strict to the point of being too careful with their blackout restrictions. Yet, they've been playing loosey goosey with distant net rules for years.
Personally, from the consistent reports of Dish having stricter blackout rules and much smaller territories for many RSN's than DirecTV or cable, it seems to me that Dish pays less to many RSN's by offering them to fewer subs.
I'll bet a dollar that's why they do it.
Personally, from the consistent reports of Dish having stricter blackout rules and much smaller territories for many RSN's than DirecTV or cable, it seems to me that Dish pays less to many RSN's by offering them to fewer subs.
I'll bet a dollar that's why they do it.
I wouldn't be so quick to jump to D* for sports. ESPN Phillies broadcasts were blacked out in the entire state of PA except for the 5 counties in the Pittsburgh DMA. So even though I live roughly 300 miles from Philly, no Phillies games for me on ESPN. Not sure who to blame but it's greed on alot of folks part.
D* has to black out sports too, and just based on anecdotal evidence, it seems like they screw up more than E*.
For all the ESPN MLB games except for Sunday night, ESPN must black out the game to anyone in the team's home market. Indy is in the Cubs ho0me area, and Alabama is in the Braves home area. (Distance from the stadium is not a consideration.) I understand that ESPN has the right this year to lift the blackout for a *limited* number of MLB games - otherwise you are expected to watch the games on your local RSN or OTA station. ESPN also has to comply with a 100-mile blackout zone, even if this goes outside of a team's area - so all Mets or Yankees games on ESPN are blacked out to Philly.
Now last year ESPN often had an alternate game to feed blacked out markets, but they are not doing this in 2006 - so MLB ESPN "blackouts" may appear new.
For all the ESPN MLB games except for Sunday night, ESPN must black out the game to anyone in the team's home market. Indy is in the Cubs ho0me area, and Alabama is in the Braves home area. (Distance from the stadium is not a consideration.) I understand that ESPN has the right this year to lift the blackout for a *limited* number of MLB games - otherwise you are expected to watch the games on your local RSN or OTA station. ESPN also has to comply with a 100-mile blackout zone, even if this goes outside of a team's area - so all Mets or Yankees games on ESPN are blacked out to Philly.
Now last year ESPN often had an alternate game to feed blacked out markets, but they are not doing this in 2006 - so MLB ESPN "blackouts" may appear new.
There's something else going on this year with MLB & ESPN. I live 300 miles from Philly in a territory claimed by the Pirates and Indians. Don't live in Phillies home market and I'm outside of the 100 mile zone. I've been trying to get blackout info from MLB and ESPN with no success.
This works both ways. I know I was able to tune into the 7th inning of a Cardinals game (of which I am in their market, 200 miles or so from the stadium) because the time had come for Sportscenter to be on. It was nice, I was able to catch the part of the game that gets to be fun.grb said:
There are times that ESPN "sells" it's feed to a local OTA station and it is then blacked out in that market.
pduncan said:Here's a new one. ESPN's coverage of a Chicago Cubs game was Blacked out in the Indy market last night. Indy is a good 4 hour drive from Chicago. Why would they black out that game? It's the first time I've ever seen ESPN black out anything.
I am an hour south of Indy and was trying to watch a Yankees/White Sox game on ESPNHD and they blocked it out for me and I had to then watch it on nonHD-WGN. I wasn't very happy. I am not sure why ESPN in southern Indiana would be knocked out and have to watch a Chicago station. Kinda strange to me.
I've run into this several times. The local cable provider buys the rights to broadcast the game, and Dish gets blacked out. Several times I've contated Dish after the fact only to find out that it was a mistake and my area shouldn't have been included in the black out.
Currently ABC is showing the USC vs Arizona game, with the Notre Dame vs Michigan State game on ESPN2...except that ESPN2 appears to be blacked out for me. And I'm on vacation in PORTLAND.
So I'm supposed to use my "local" coverage of a game on the other side of the country? There's no way this is due to normal blackout rules.
Smells to me like Dish is trying to sell more GamePlans. Instead they've guaranteed that I'm not going to be leaving my TWC. I've never had ESPN or ESPN2 blacked out with them in 6+ years of service.
So I'm supposed to use my "local" coverage of a game on the other side of the country? There's no way this is due to normal blackout rules.
Smells to me like Dish is trying to sell more GamePlans. Instead they've guaranteed that I'm not going to be leaving my TWC. I've never had ESPN or ESPN2 blacked out with them in 6+ years of service.
It has always looked quite the opposite. Plus, Dish's RSN territories seem to differ from D* and C*, as well. And, not in a good way.jrbdmb said:
Dish has certainly played the "small RSN territiores" game, where outlying areas cannot see the "home team" on the home RSN because Dish wouldn't pay, but are still blacked out on MLB EI or other PPV package because they are still in the team's home areas. For example, Dish subs in Las Vegas only get two of the six teams that claim the area. But, with the STO fiasco, it appears that DirecTV has decided to start playing this game as well.GaryPen said:
As for blackout screwups, it just seemed to me like there are more threads on "MLB blackouts screwed up again" related to D* than E* - but since there are probably more sports nuts with D*, maybe the E* screwups just go unnoticed.
