I've seen some post one here about ESPN blackouts, but....

[joebeenimble]

What exactly is the blackout policy for E* and ESPN?

I'm about to purchase DN, but don't want to lose out on sporting events I could get on cable.

BTW, I'm in Atlanta.

 

[JohnH]

The blackout policy is the same or better than Cable. Note you also get the ESPN alternate channels on Satellite which are not provided on Cable.

As to whether or not you would miss some sports provided on cable ESPN would not be a problem, but there may be some other channels which would not be provided, such as CSS or any local community access channels.

 

[Poke]

Yeah overall you should be fine. Most time when I see this they black it out due to one of your locals is carrying the game.. Which means you just half to watch it on that channel is all. It show's up on ESPN due to it consider a National Game that folks in other states would on get on ESPN to where you would get the game on a local channel. Example like G-Tech was playing a home game and they were showing in on a local channel for everyone in the state of GA. But ESPN was carrying it also well sometimes they will black it out due to your local station is carrying it. To folks that live in SC will view the game on ESPN.. So this is no big deal and a plus with Dish is the ESPN Alt channels which come in handy.. If your local team going to be on a channel at the same time as for say a pro team or the pro game might overlap the time of a G-Tech Game.. Well most time like on cable you would half to watch the pro game on that channel untill it was over which means you be missing some of the G-Tech. Time the pro game over on that channel when they would go to the G-Tech game you might miss the 1st half. Well sometimes they will put the G-Tech game on a Alt Channel of ESPN so that way you dont half to waite untill the pro game over. Which means you dont miss any of the G-Tech game I guess you could also call them a back up channel just in case you run into something like this happen so its nice addition to have which you dont get with cable..

 

[joebeenimble]

Thanks for the reassurance....

So... they don't blackout the GT game to the ATL market if there isn't a sell-out? That is one of my biggest concerns.

If not... it looks like I'll be "lighting the candle" on Dish.

Very appropriate example, by the way... I'm a huge GT fan and losing the DVR of the game during non-sellouts would not be good for me.

 

[jrbdmb]

College sports are *not* blacked out due to non-sellout. The only Georgia Tech blackouts will be if both ESPN and the local OTA station are showing an ACC basketball game, then ESPN / ESPN2 will be blacked out and you need to watch the game on the OTA station. I expect cable had the same blackouts, they just substituted ESPNNews or other programming.

 

[Poke]

Yeah so if its blackout its just due to the game on one of your local state channels is all which you get with Dish too so no big deal.. The Dish Rocks!

 

[slick1ru2]

Well actually there was a football game blacked out within the last 2 weekends here in Atlanta (can't remember which game though) that ESPN gameplan said was not available in my area and was not on a local either. I wish I could remember which one it was, I think it was a regional team too, not local.

 

[jrbdmb]

Two weeks ago there was a split 8 PM game. Those in the east and midwest got Notre Dame vs. Michigan St. on ABC, Boston College vs. N.C. State on ESPN2, and USC vs. Arizona PPV only (GamePlan). Those in the west got USC - Arizona on ABC, ND - MSU on ESPN2, BC vs. NCSU Gameplan only. So DBS subs in Atlanta may have seen USC - Arizona on ESPN2 or ESPN2-ALT as "blacked out".