Multi-Sport Package

[Dacar92]

Hello,

I added the subject package this past weekend and I guess I should have asked this before I added it. But will I be able to watch MLB baseball on these regional sports channels such as the Comcast and Fox sports channels?

I was watching the Detroit channel yesterday and when the Pistons were getting ready to play the channel went off the air and a message told me that it was not available in my area. I am in Chicago. Does MLB have these blackouts as well?

Thanks

 

[boba]

YES That is why they are REGIONAL SPORTS NETWORKS Only YOUR Regional Network is allowed to broadcast professional sports in your area.

 

[Dacar92]

Thanks for the quick answer. I am disappointed. Dish never made me aware of this. They need to be up front with their paid programming. What use is the package without the sports that go along with the channels? I'll be canceling the package.

 

[Mr Tony]

the multi-sports package in most cases will black out all pro sports that are not your "local" area. That is why there is NBA League Pass, MLB Extra Innings and NHL Centre Ice

Where boba is wrong is there are areas where adding the sports package DOES gain you extra pro sports. A couple examples
-Buffalo, NY gets the Pirates with the sports package (but the way they play thats not much of a gain)
-Iowa is one of the "hotbed" spots. Most of Eastern Iowa gets CSN Chicago. So they get the Cubs and Sox. But if they add the sports package they get the Twins, Brewers, Cards and Royals too
There are some other areas like that too

There is really no way to say "yes you'll get extra sports" or not. Directv has a option where you plug in your zip and it tells you what sports are local and what you'll gain by adding the sports package.

Otherwise its really good for college sports

 

[Dacar92]

Thanks. Any ideas what I will get in Chicago?

 

[Mr Tony]

Chicago teams and thats pretty much it.

You have to be in an "outlining" area for it to have any chance. In markets where the sports are those teams claim the area. So like here in MN the Twins, Wolfies and Wild Claim all of MN. The Brewers actually claim the northeastern and southeastern MN parts too so in those areas they get both. In markets where there is no pro team usually its a neighboring team. The Wild can claim most of Wisconsin so those people get the Wild games on FSN North but are blacked out of the Twins and Wolfies

 

[Dacar92]

Well, that's disappointing. I have to decide if ESPN Classic is worth $7/month then. That's the only real addition I get, since they removed it last year. I do like watching some of those old games. But I'll probably cancel it and lodge a bit of a complaint.

Thanks much

 

[Mr Tony]

one of the reasons folks add it in come fall for the NFL Red Zone channel..then they cancel it right after the season

 

[Pete K]

It isn't a total washout. MLB games running over a 3 hour "blackout window" can be seen. This is great if you want to catch the end of a game or the game has been in a rain delay.

 

[Yragha]

You get alot of extra college games FWIW. That makes it worth my while.

 

[Tampa8]

As mentioned above, you will often get the tail end of baseball games and quite alot of college sports. You will also get any before or after shows about the teams. Boston for instance has extensive Sox coverage before and after the game. 1 to 1/2 hours before and about 1 hour after. And of course the daily shows especially at night that cover the local teams.

I had not looked recently, but in the past I can say Dish did have extensive wording about the limits of the package. I did not see that looking now.

 

[Dacar92]

I couldn't even find the complete list of channels on their site. There was a list and it gave me things like ESPN Classic and NFL, etc, but it also said "25 regional sports channels". I wanted that list and the online customer service I chatted with had to copy and paste it into the chat session we were having.

I think I'll keep it for a while into the baseball season. See what I can see. I am pretty sure I'll cancel later after the baseball season is over. It's only $7/month so it's not a bank breaker.

 

[OrlandoSGM]

I find the $7 is well worth it....I'll usually get the final inning or two of most games and sometuimes the pre/post ganmes are good too. You'll also get some overflow for long hockey/basketball games...and college sports is widely available. There will also be some minor league baseball and hockey available that you will get!

 

[Mr Tony]

the package is
NFL RedZone
NBA TV
NHL Network
Big Ten Network (you're in a Big10 area so its included with local RSN)
Fox Soccer Channel
Fuel TV
ESPN Classic
and 25 local sports networks (409-436)...see thelist

 

[kikenovic]

I "live" in Davenport,IA and this is what I'm able to receive without the Sports Pack

NBA - Bulls
NHL - Blackhawks
MLB - Whitesox / Cubs on CSN Chicago, Brewers on the ALT channel (FSN Wisconsin overflow), Cards on ALT channel (FSN Tennessee overflow).

Royals ALT feed has been blacked out at least during the 2011 preseason (possible disagreement between FSN KC and Dish to carry games that far).

With Sports Pack

NBA - Bulls, Timberwolves
NHL - Blackhawks, Wild, Blues
MLB - I can't confirm 'till I re add the sports pack.

 

[Mr Tony]

With the sports pack you should get the Cubs, Royals, Sox, Brewers, Cards and Twins

 

[llzel]

If you're in Chicago, "move" to Bloomington and you'll still get all sorts of sports, cards, cubs, WS, blackhawks, blues,

 

[KCSparky4200]

I live, just outside of Memphis, recently moved from KC. Would I be stuck with the Braves, for regional MLB?

 

[Eduardito]

Living in Puerto Rico meant that the Package wasn't worth it at all. Everything is blacked out and I don't want to be doing the Rain Dance everyday.

 

[kikenovic]

The guide has been glitchy lately, but like Iceberg mentioned you get all 6 MLB teams in IA (even as far east as Davenport).

The Sports pack is only needed in order to watch the Twins on FOXN.

Funny thing is Moline and Davenport get the same locals, but folks in Moline pay more in taxes and only get 4 teams.