Maybe I just don't understand blackouts

[neff2k]

Alright we do not live in any teams home territory (Checked DirecTV's website). And the Steelers vs Vikings game is not being shown on any local channels. We live about 7 hours from the Vikings stadium. How in the world could this game be blacked out for us? We have the NFL Superfan Package. I have called DirecTV and both CSR's have given different answers.

Anyone think we should be getting this game?

 

[charper1]

DirecTV, DISH, cable have absolutely NOTHING to do with the blackouts other than to enforce them. Please post the link you use to check for blackout areas on DirecTV. Regardless of your distance from the stadium/arena, or if you can actually receive a network affiliate or not, if they claim you (by your service zip code) to be in their area, you are 100% subject to their blackouts, no mater what. DirecTV can do nothing about this, unless YOU move. You should be complaining to the affiliates that are probably claiming your zip. Complain to the NAB and the FCC as well. THEY are the only ones causing this headache.

 

[CPanther95]

All CBS stations in Minnesota should have been showing the Pitt/Minn game at 1pm. Which game was your local affiliate showing?

Distance from stadium doesn't matter since it was a sellout.

 

[neff2k]

http://www.directvsports.com/asp/active/Blackout_Info.asp is the link I found the blackout info from. I finally called DirecTV a third time, and that CSR agreed that I should have it, said they were going to escalate it and it should be turned on in five minutes. Well by the end of the game it never came on. I live where Interstate I-80 meets the Mississippi River in Illinois/IA. So it wasn't being broadcasted over CBS. They were broadcasting the Colts and Chargers over CBS here, and the Titans and Seahawks on Fox.

This might just be might last year with the NFL package which is the only reason we are using DirecTV anyway. I am tired of all the rules, regulations, and crap we have to go through to view what we want. I knew about blackouts before I signed up, but never had a game I couldn't watch. Granted to switch my local HD stations between CBS and FOX I have to get up on the roof and realign since CBS decided to build a tower all by its lonesome self a good 90-100 degrees from the rest.

 

[tibber]

http://www.directvsports.com/asp/active/Blackout_Info.asp is the link I found the blackout info from. I finally called DirecTV a third time, and that CSR agreed that I should have it, said they were going to escalate it and it should be turned on in five minutes. Well by the end of the game it never came on. I live where Interstate I-80 meets the Mississippi River in Illinois/IA. So it wasn't being broadcasted over CBS. They were broadcasting the Colts and Chargers over CBS here, and the Titans and Seahawks on Fox.
This might just be might last year with the NFL package which is the only reason we are using DirecTV anyway. I am tired of all the rules, regulations, and crap we have to go through to view what we want. I knew about blackouts before I signed up, but never had a game I couldn't watch. Granted to switch my local HD stations between CBS and FOX I have to get up on the roof and realign since CBS decided to build a tower all by its lonesome self a good 90-100 degrees from the rest.

Sounds like you have a case for a small credit. I've heard that occassionally if they screw up, D* will give out such. Out of curiosity, does D* carry your SD locals at this point? If they don't, they might not have been able to confirm in a timely fashion if you should have been blackedout or not.

D* has turned on games for me when the local channel switched mid game or at the last minute, but it took 10 minutes or so for them to notice on my local station here in SLC. (Could be someone else called into D* and let them know.)

Happy Holidays,
Tom

 

[neff2k]

Thought about asking for a credit. Yes they have SD locals. And we have the locals. So I was able to verify it. Oh well. Next time I will just have to become the hard a$$.

MERRY X-MAS

 

[charper1]

All CBS stations in Minnesota should have been showing the Pitt/Minn game at 1pm. Which game was your local affiliate showing?
Distance from stadium doesn't matter since it was a sellout.

When was the sellout made official? Too many things for them to keep up with; the NAB should remove ALL restrictions!

if the game fails to sell out at least 72 hours before the game or if it is blacked out on your local broadcast station, it will also be blacked out in your area on NFL SUNDAY TICKET

 

[dragon002]

When was the sellout made official? Too many things for them to keep up with; the NAB should remove ALL restrictions!
if the game fails to sell out at least 72 hours before the game or if it is blacked out on your local broadcast station, it will also be blacked out in your area on NFL SUNDAY TICKET

the NAB has NOTHING to do with this one, DIRECTV SUNDAY TICKET package has NOTHING to do with this one, and SUPERFAN gets you NOTHING as far as rights than the rest of us have on even an antenna.
the NFL owns all rights to all games shown on local, regional, national and world-wide television ....and ALL other media.....PERIOD!!
they DO NOT share , they DO NOT compromise......EVER!!!
i live in pittsburgh and i heard the CBS team talking about they couldnt believe the vikings didnt sell out by THURSDAY at 1:00 pm, if they sold out after that .....it does NOT matter, the local DMA will not see the game ,,,, that is a NFL PROPERTIES RULE, and i think it is right.
hell the steelers have a SIXTEEN YEAR waiting list for season tickets and are sold out thru 2009, sux to be the rest of you:devil:
sell out the stadium, or dont watch the game,,,get it???

 

[tibber]

the NAB has NOTHING to do with this one, DIRECTV SUNDAY TICKET package has NOTHING to do with this one, and SUPERFAN gets you NOTHING as far as rights than the rest of us have on even an antenna.
the NFL owns all rights to all games shown on local, regional, national and world-wide television ....and ALL other media.....PERIOD!!
they DO NOT share , they DO NOT compromise......EVER!!!
i live in pittsburgh and i heard the CBS team talking about they couldnt believe the vikings didnt sell out by THURSDAY at 1:00 pm, if they sold out after that .....it does NOT matter, the local DMA will not see the game ,,,, that is a NFL PROPERTIES RULE, and i think it is right.
hell the steelers have a SIXTEEN YEAR waiting list for season tickets and are sold out thru 2009, sux to be the rest of you:devil:
sell out the stadium, or dont watch the game,,,get it???

Dragon002 is very right that it is the owners (and the contracts with the broadcasters) that determine who is blacked out and who isn't. But, the sell out rule only applies to zip codes within 70 miles of the stadium, not DMA. I've watched games that were blacked out in my locals by using a bigass antenna to watch a distant station outside the blackout range.

So in this case, if the locals ain't showin', neff2k should be able to see the game.

Now, there are rumors, perhaps even some press, that locals will not be able to blackout Sunday Ticket games next year. (But I suspect sellout rules will still apply.)

Happy Holidays,
Tom

 

[dragon002]

sell-out rules will ALWAYS APPLY. what is the profit of building a stadium/franchise if no one will pay to sit in it?

and the tv rights protect the investment.


as i said before , i live in the steeler nation, we have no such worries!!!

 

[CPanther95]

Here's a map of the intended coverage area of the affiliates (as of friday). Sounds like your area changed games at the last minute.

http://www.gribblenation.net/personal/jp/2005wk15-cbs.gif

 

[charper1]

the NAB has NOTHING to do with this one, DIRECTV SUNDAY TICKET package has NOTHING to do with this one, and SUPERFAN gets you NOTHING as far as rights than the rest of us have on even an antenna.
the NFL owns all rights to all games shown on local, regional, national and world-wide television ....and ALL other media.....PERIOD!!
they DO NOT share , they DO NOT compromise......EVER!!!
i live in pittsburgh and i heard the CBS team talking about they couldnt believe the vikings didnt sell out by THURSDAY at 1:00 pm, if they sold out after that .....it does NOT matter, the local DMA will not see the game ,,,, that is a NFL PROPERTIES RULE, and i think it is right.
hell the steelers have a SIXTEEN YEAR waiting list for season tickets and are sold out thru 2009, sux to be the rest of you:devil:
sell out the stadium, or dont watch the game,,,get it???

I would not say NOTHING; I would argue that they (the NAB) in the never ending quest to continue to stick us all with these damn DMAs, work together with leagues to maintain the blackouts. I agree that the leagues have big say, especially in the 72 hr sellout/blackout deals, they shouldn't care past that. My beef is that once tickets are sold as required, turn the game on, and/or no schedule switching at the last minute. Its all a tangled web, but surely not one to lay solely at DirecTV's feet.
Looking at that map I would LOVE to know where they get the data.