Fox Sports Midwest - Blackout areas

[TheGuv]

Apparently there are new blackout restrictions relating to Fox Sports Midwest and Dish Network.

I just called the Fox Sports Midwest office in St. Louis.

There is a message at the phone number listed for Fox Sports Midwest telling people that "some customers in Central Illinois, Kentucky, and Iowa" will be affected by blackouts on Fox Sports Midwest and/or Cardinal broadcasts.

FYI, I am able to still watch FSN-Midwest on Channel 418 as a multi-sports package subscriber. But the Cardinals game was blacked out to me last night (4-3-07). The blackout on Channel 418 was lifted following the game so I was able to watch the Cardinals post-game show.

They also, through the automated system, ask for the viewers name, city,
zip code, phone number, and satellite provider. They indicated on the message that they will call back with any new information.

They also ask viewers to contact their satellite provider regarding this issue.

The phone number for Fox Sports Midwest is (314) 206-7000. This is where you can call to get the same information I just got and also to leave your information so they can contact you.

It's sad to say this, but this is a make-or-break deal for me. If Dish Network subscribers can't watch baseball games either in their market AND can't get the Extra Innings package (I was an EI subscriber last season), I will be dropping Dish Network like a hot potato and subscribe to Direct TV ASAP.

 

[UpAllNight]

The more FOX sports net viewers that get cut off from their once viewable teams, equates to more potential DirecTV EI subs.
Sounds like Rupert's kids are merely looking out for 'daddy'. Is anyone really surprised?

 

[jrbdmb]

The story apparently is that FSMW wants subs in outlying areas to get FSMW as part of their basic package, and not have to buy and extra "Sports Pack" to get Cards games. Dish and DirecTV have not agreed to this, so now outlying subs get no Cards games at all.

I suspect that any day now FSMW will be dropped altogether by Dish, and Charlie will proclaim again that he is fighting to keep your rates low.

 

[ScottChez]

So strange.

I live in Nebraska, I could watch the baseball game on the SD channel, but the same game on the HD channel was blacked out. So is it the HD channel that have a new black out rule or is Dish Networks computer messed up and is blacking out the wrong cities?

 

[mr.baseball]

Cardinals blackout

Okay, maybe I'm dense, but can anyone totally explain to me why Cardinals games are blackouts? I get Fox Midwest through DirecTV, while living in west central Illinois. It seems DirecTV is blaming Fox and Fox is blaming DirecTV. Frankly I don't care who is at fault. What I do care about is I'm paying for DirecTV, mostly just to Blues and Cardinals games. If I can't get Cardinals games there's really no point in having DirecTV. I can get everything else through Mediacom.

Again, I don't know the whole story, but I'm sure the source is greed.

 

[TheGuv]

Okay, maybe I'm dense, but can anyone totally explain to me why Cardinals games are blackouts? I get Fox Midwest through DirecTV, while living in west central Illinois. It seems DirecTV is blaming Fox and Fox is blaming DirecTV. Frankly I don't care who is at fault. What I do care about is I'm paying for DirecTV, mostly just to Blues and Cardinals games. If I can't get Cardinals games there's really no point in having DirecTV. I can get everything else through Mediacom.

Again, I don't know the whole story, but I'm sure the source is greed.

I'm in the same boat as you, Mr. Baseball. I live in a small town in west-central Illinois (Henderson County) and the only reason that I spend $5.99 per month for the "Multi Sports Pack" is so that I can watch the Cardinals games on FSN-Midwest.

And I'm not even a Cardinals fan (Go Cubs). I'm a baseball fan enjoys MLB as my favorite spectator sport. And this black out by FSN-Midwest just plain sucks!

The most pathetic part of this mess is the black out of all Cardinal ESPN/ESPN2 non-exclusive games for those of us in the affected black out area.

FYI, Chuckie Cheesie Ergan is gonna lose me as a Dish subscriber because of HIS apparent failure to get the rights to broadcast the MLB-Extra Innings package and the upcoming Baseball Channel in 2009.

My 18 month committment on my VIP622 will end early in 2008 and I will be leaving Dish after 9 years. Good Riddence Charlie!

If I can't watch the Cardinals in their own market, I at least want the opportunity to watch other MLB games from outside the Market (especially love watching Vin Scully and the Dodger broadcasts)

 

[CapeFish]

FSN wants Dish and DirecTV to make FSN Midwest a standard regional sports network, along with Comcast SportsNet Chicago, for areas that should be getting the Cardinals.

This means
1) People who should get the Cards won't be paying extra for the Multi-Sports Pack.
2) FSN Midwest will have more subscribers from Dish Network and DirecTV which means more money coming in.

 

[garn9173]

The story apparently is that FSMW wants subs in outlying areas to get FSMW as part of their basic package, and not have to buy and extra "Sports Pack" to get Cards games. Dish and DirecTV have not agreed to this, so now outlying subs get no Cards games at all.

I suspect that any day now FSMW will be dropped altogether by Dish, and Charlie will proclaim again that he is fighting to keep your rates low.

The blackouts effect the Des Moines area as well. The RSN carried on the basic E* & D* packages is Comcast Sportsnet Chicago. There is other valuable programming on FSN Midwest to those in Iowa other than just the Cardnails, primarly Big 12 sports. I can see why FSN Midwest is doing this, espcially in Iowa, and I don't blame them.

 

[jhamps10]

The story apparently is that FSMW wants subs in outlying areas to get FSMW as part of their basic package, and not have to buy and extra "Sports Pack" to get Cards games. Dish and DirecTV have not agreed to this, so now outlying subs get no Cards games at all.

I suspect that any day now FSMW will be dropped altogether by Dish, and Charlie will proclaim again that he is fighting to keep your rates low.

if that happens, I too will say so-long to Dish, even if it means losing my local channels that directv does not, and will never offer. You take off FSN midwest here, All of the dishes will go down. that's why a good 90% of folks got dishnetwork for around here until Cable finally put FSN on there a few years ago.

You take off the cards for 1 day, you lose me forever!

 

[TheGuv]

Wow. I just read this on the Direct TV Forum. It appears that DirectTV viewers are now able to view Cardinal games in central IL, but dang'it, DISH NETWORK viewers are STILL blocked from viewing these games.

Dish Network sports programming is for the friggin' birds. Charlie Ergen and his Yes Men should be ashamed of the programming that keeps getting plled from my VIP622.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.sj-r.com/sections/sports/stories/112111.asp

Cardinals back on DirecTV

By NICK ROGERS
A&E EDITOR

Published Thursday, April 12, 2007

A blackout on regular-season St. Louis Cardinals games has been lifted for DirecTV customers.

Representatives from Dish Network weren’t available late Wednesday for comment as to whether that company had reached a similar agreement to air the games as DirecTV.

The announcement came as negotiations continue with FSN Midwest to resolve a dispute that led to blackouts of live Cardinals games for all satellite users since last week’s start of the 2007 season. Geoff Goldman, FSN Midwest’s media relations manager, confirmed that the network is working on a resolution with DirecTV.

FSN Midwest airs a majority of the Cardinals’ 162 regular-season games and seeks designation from both satellite companies as a regional sports network. That would mean satellite subscribers wouldn’t have to pay extra, as they do now, to receive the network in premium-program packages.

Insight, a cable company serving Springfield, Champaign-Urbana, Peoria and Bloomington-Normal, recognizes FSN as a regional sports network along with Comcast SportsNet (which airs Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox games). Cable users have not been affected by the blackouts.

DirecTV channel surfers might have caught FSN Midwest’s broadcast of Wednesday’s Cardinals road game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Channel 660. Wednesday’s game was the first under DirecTV’s temporary agreement with FSN Midwest.

Mercer confirmed that broadcasts would be available on DirecTV’s designated channel spot for FSN Midwest.

The next Cardinals game scheduled for broadcast on FSN Midwest is a home game against the Milwaukee Brewers at 7:10 p.m. Friday.
__________________

 

[dishcomm]

Apparently there are new blackout restrictions relating to Fox Sports Midwest and Dish Network.

I just called the Fox Sports Midwest office in St. Louis.

There is a message at the phone number listed for Fox Sports Midwest telling people that "some customers in Central Illinois, Kentucky, and Iowa" will be affected by blackouts on Fox Sports Midwest and/or Cardinal broadcasts.

FYI, I am able to still watch FSN-Midwest on Channel 418 as a multi-sports package subscriber. But the Cardinals game was blacked out to me last night (4-3-07). The blackout on Channel 418 was lifted following the game so I was able to watch the Cardinals post-game show.

They also, through the automated system, ask for the viewers name, city,
zip code, phone number, and satellite provider. They indicated on the message that they will call back with any new information.

They also ask viewers to contact their satellite provider regarding this issue.

The phone number for Fox Sports Midwest is (314) 206-7000. This is where you can call to get the same information I just got and also to leave your information so they can contact you.

It's sad to say this, but this is a make-or-break deal for me. If Dish Network subscribers can't watch baseball games either in their market AND can't get the Extra Innings package (I was an EI subscriber last season), I will be dropping Dish Network like a hot potato and subscribe to Direct TV ASAP.

Ok..here's the deal..If you can view FSMW only by purchasing the mutli sport pack, or in other words if FSMW is NOT your local RSN, then all pro sports events will be blacked out in your area regardless if you purhase the multi sport pack or not...I can determine whether you are supposed to blacked out if you would provide your zip code...I have a list here...

 

[dishcomm]

The more FOX sports net viewers that get cut off from their once viewable teams, equates to more potential DirecTV EI subs.
Sounds like Rupert's kids are merely looking out for 'daddy'. Is anyone really surprised?

Before you jump to the conclusion the poster was "cut off" from viewing Cards games let's see if he had them in the first place..BTW, teams do adjust their territories form tiome to time...For example, I now reside in the Reds market , where as before I did not..And I haven't moved.

 

[dishcomm]

So strange.

I live in Nebraska, I could watch the baseball game on the SD channel, but the same game on the HD channel was blacked out. So is it the HD channel that have a new black out rule or is Dish Networks computer messed up and is blacking out the wrong cities?

Are you ceratin the hd channel is balcked out?..Or just not available..

 

[dishcomm]

Okay, maybe I'm dense, but can anyone totally explain to me why Cardinals games are blackouts? I get Fox Midwest through DirecTV, while living in west central Illinois. It seems DirecTV is blaming Fox and Fox is blaming DirecTV. Frankly I don't care who is at fault. What I do care about is I'm paying for DirecTV, mostly just to Blues and Cardinals games. If I can't get Cardinals games there's really no point in having DirecTV. I can get everything else through Mediacom.

Again, I don't know the whole story, but I'm sure the source is greed.

Again, the question is this...Is FSMW your local RSN?..If you have to purchase the All sports pack to get FSMW it is NOT your local RSN and as such any out of market pro sports events involving teams that do not claim your zip code as part of their territory will be blacked out in your area.
If you would provide your zip code, I have a list here that indicates which zips are which teams territories

 

[dishcomm]

The blackouts effect the Des Moines area as well. The RSN carried on the basic E* & D* packages is Comcast Sportsnet Chicago. There is other valuable programming on FSN Midwest to those in Iowa other than just the Cardnails, primarly Big 12 sports. I can see why FSN Midwest is doing this, espcially in Iowa, and I don't blame them.

FSMW isn't doing anything..Your locale simply is not within the FSMW territory..You answered your own query by stating that Commcast Sportsnet Chi is your local RSN..Therefore the Cards are considered to be out of market...

 

[jhamps10]

Ok..here's the deal..If you can view FSMW only by purchasing the mutli sport pack, or in other words if FSMW is NOT your local RSN, then all pro sports events will be blacked out in your area regardless if you purhase the multi sport pack or not...I can determine whether you are supposed to blacked out if you would provide your zip code...I have a list here...

SORRY Don't think so, then why would they be able to watch it on CABLE?

this has nothing to do with market things. Most cases like this it does, but not this time

 

[dishcomm]

SORRY Don't think so, then why would they be able to watch it on CABLE?

this has nothing to do with market things. Most cases like this it does, but not this time

Forgive me, but there seems to be more to this than meets the eye..Is there some sort of contractual thing going on betwen E* and FSMW?..
Anyway, I still stand by my riginal statement that it does indeed matter what your zip is..Some posters in this thread have stated they purchased the sports pack to get all the RSN's expecting to see out of market games..Can't do that....

 

[trido]

Forgive me, but there seems to be more to this than meets the eye..Is there some sort of contractual thing going on betwen E* and FSMW?..
Anyway, I still stand by my riginal statement that it does indeed matter what your zip is..Some posters in this thread have stated they purchased the sports pack to get all the RSN's expecting to see out of market games..Can't do that....

So confusing but atleast I seem to be ok.
What is the dif in being in Il and I am in Southern IND so far I have had all the STL games, why wouldnt people in IL even closer to STL not get them?


Zip is 47715

 

[TheGuv]

My Zip Code is 61480.

I have watched Cardinal games on Dish Ch. 417 (Fox Sports Midewest) from 1999-2006.

Now I can't. AND I can't even watch Cardinal games on ESPN when they are on FSMW...BECAUSE I LIVE IN THE TEAM'S TERRITORY.

Understand NOW dishcomm?

 

[dishcomm]

So confusing but atleast I seem to be ok.
What is the dif in being in Il and I am in Southern IND so far I have had all the STL games, why wouldnt people in IL even closer to STL not get them?


Zip is 47715

Weird..But anyway, according to the chart I have you are in the markets of the Reds, Pacers and Cards...In other words if you are a sat or cable sub you should be getting games from those 3 teams on your local RSN.
Like I said, there must be some kind of dispute between the RSN and E*.