NFL ST Blackout Fail

[StealthMonkey]

In my area (Austin TX), the early Fox game this week was Saints-Redskins. The late game was Packers-49ers. Note that Austin is a home market for the Cowboys (who played on Wednesday) -- not the Saints or the Redskins. Also note that the Packers-49ers game was billed as "America's Game of the Week" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8q4pWffLDc).

The early game ran late -- very late. My fox affiliate stayed with the early game until its conclusion. By the time it switched to the late game, it was near the end of the first quarter. This wouldn't be a problem, since I have NFL ST, except... the Packers-49ers was blocked on the Sunday Ticket channel since the local affiliate was "showing" it. Except they weren't.

First of all... who's call was it to stay with the early game? National Fox broadcasting or local Fox affiliate?

Second... this is broken. Blacking out games since the local affiliate is showing it makes sense -- ad revenue runs the world -- I get it. But is there not a better way do this? Maybe show the first quarter of late games on Sunday Ticket channels regardless of blackout? Maybe have blackouts be smarter -- actually know if affiliate is showing the game? Something else? It seems like bull to pay $300 to see out of market games only to be left to chance if that game happens to be picked up by the local affiliate that week. Thoughts?

Another question... to whom should I direct complaints? National Fox? Local Fox? DIRECTV? NFL?

 

[yourbeliefs]

I ran into this EXACT issue on Sunday as well. My friend and I were furious. If it had been local coverage I would have understood staying with the game, but for delaying the game of the week like that was inexcusable.

 

[Jimbo]

Your 4 pm games should start on time on the ST package, seeing your paying for that right.

Not sure who makes the call in this instance, I would imagine it's the FOX/CBS guys, but don't know for sure.

 

[The Fat Man]

The black out is the NFLs rule, as for who didn't make the switch, I'd say it was your local affiliate. As in SF and GB the switch was made at the start of the game.

 

[Mr Tony]

First of all... who's call was it to stay with the early game? National Fox broadcasting or local Fox affiliate?

Big Fox. The only markets where they cut away to show the SF/GB game were the 2 local markets and any market that didnt have a early Fox game (due to the local team being at home and on CBS). Minneapolis was one of them. Our local Fox came on at 3 CDT with the NO/Wash game. At 3:20 they cut away to join the SF/GB game

If you had both games the only way they cut away is if you were in the local market of the teams playing the late game

 

[yourbeliefs]

I just love how they delayed the starts of the late games this year in order to help prevent this from happening...

 

[Mr Tony]

and yet alot of the early games ran late. The Vikes went into OT and got done before some of the other CBS games did

 

[StealthMonkey]

I just love how they delayed the starts of the late games this year in order to help prevent this from happening...

Yeah, no kidding. The replacement refs didn't help any of these games go any faster.

 

[KasumiX]

This happened to me twice last year. Early game ran late, Fox preempted the start of the Packers game, and it was blacked out on ST. Both times it was the Lions playing the early game. I think they did it on purpose.

 

[StealthMonkey]

The black out is the NFLs rule

Yes, but the spirit of the rule is to have you watch it on your local affiliate since they are showing it. The problem is when the local affiliate isn't actually showing it.

This happened to me twice last year. Early game ran late, Fox preempted the start of the Packers game, and it was blacked out on ST. Both times it was the Lions playing the early game. I think they did it on purpose.

Yeah, I've had this happen multiple in the past for Cowboys games. I can be a little bit more forgiving in that scenario. This was not the Cowboys and it went SUPER late.

I should also note that the game can typically be watched in the little 1/8th square on the Game Mix channel when this is happening. Game Mix doesn't appear to honor blackout rules.

 

[The Fat Man]

Big Fox. The only markets where they cut away to show the SF/GB game were the 2 local markets and any market that didnt have a early Fox game (due to the local team being at home and on CBS). Minneapolis was one of them. Our local Fox came on at 3 CDT with the NO/Wash game. At 3:20 they cut away to join the SF/GB game

If you had both games the only way they cut away is if you were in the local market of the teams playing the late game

I thought that, but up here FOX had the double header. The Patriots played at 1:00 on CBS. So at 1:00 I was flipping between my local game (CBS) and the Washington game on FOX. Redskins originally played in Boston, hence my interest.

 

[JUCJ85]

I was waiting and waiting for my local FOX to switch to SF/GB, and as SF fan I was worried, but went to 714 and was able to watch till the NO/WAS game was over, then it told me to switch to a station which was carrying it.

This almost happened last year, as we were playing home vs NYG, and the early game was running late, but they cut into the Giants/49ers game, since this market is dominated by Giants and Jets, and in previous years had FOX or CBS kept the early game on running into late game with those teams playing people would call in and let them hear how they were frustrated.

 

[yourbeliefs]

I was waiting and waiting for my local FOX to switch to SF/GB, and as SF fan I was worried, but went to 714 and was able to watch till the NO/WAS game was over, then it told me to switch to a station which was carrying it.

This almost happened last year, as we were playing home vs NYG, and the early game was running late, but they cut into the Giants/49ers game, since this market is dominated by Giants and Jets, and in previous years had FOX or CBS kept the early game on running into late game with those teams playing people would call in and let them hear how they were frustrated.

That's odd.. we're in similar markets (I'm in CT) but they wouldn't let me switch over due to blackout rules. To be fair I use NFL ST on the PS3 so my situation is slightly different, but still, as a diehard Niners fan my friend and I were ready to shoot the television. All I know is that if this happens again Fox 61 is going to hear a mouthful from me.

 

[Mr Tony]

The rules are really simple about games cutting away

-your team is in game 1? wont leave til its over
-you only get a late game (due to blackout or other).....you will go to the late game at its beginning
-your in the local market for the teams in game 2....you go to the late game at its beginning
-every one else usually stays on game 1 til its over.

 

[StealthMonkey]

I was waiting and waiting for my local FOX to switch to SF/GB, and as SF fan I was worried, but went to 714 and was able to watch till the NO/WAS game was over, then it told me to switch to a station which was carrying it.

Very interesting. I was actually up at the game, so I'm going off of what my wife was saying. She said it was blacked out on NFL ST channel, but perhaps she tried it at like 3:15/3:20 or something like that. Maybe by the time the game actually kicked off (3:25), they had temporarily removed the blackout. I had the DVR setup to record the local fox station, not the NFL ST channel, so I cannot go back and see what happened. I guess if this happens again, I'll try checking in on the NFL ST channel periodically to see if they temporarily lifted the blackout.

 

[Teehar]

I watched the redzone to keep up with the Eagles game and it was one the last early games to end.No ot either.Pass,pass,pass,that tends to make a game run longer.

 

[Mr Tony]

Here are real examples of week 2 of who leaves early and who doesnt (CBS has the DH)

Minneapolis
We get both main games (Balt/Philly & NYJ/Pitts)...CBS will stay with 1st game til over

Houston
Early game involves Houston...they will stay with the Houston@ Jax game until conclusion before flipping (unlike Minneapolis Houston CAN NOT flip early...even if the game is 63-6 they must stay with the game

Indianapolis
They have no early game (Colts on Fox) so at 3:00 they will join the national game...if it runs long they will get shuffled to the late game (NYJ/Pitts) at game beginning

St Louis & Seattle
They get no late game (both teams are at home on Fox at 3PM) so they will stay until games conclusion then stay for post game on CBS....

 

[StealthMonkey]

The rules are really simple about games cutting away

-your team is in game 1? wont leave til its over
-you only get a late game (due to blackout or other).....you will go to the late game at its beginning
-your in the local market for the teams in game 2....you go to the late game at its beginning
-every one else usually stays on game 1 til its over.

Thanks for the clarification. These rules are fine as long as they temporary lift the blackout on the NFL ST channel for any late games that are being preempted by a late-running early game. As long as they do that, no complaints.

 

[Mr Tony]

Thanks for the clarification. These rules are fine as long as they temporary lift the blackout on the NFL ST channel for any late games that are being preempted by a late-running early game. As long as they do that, no complaints.

which they should.....

 

[JUCJ85]

Very interesting. I was actually up at the game, so I'm going off of what my wife was saying. She said it was blacked out on NFL ST channel, but perhaps she tried it at like 3:15/3:20 or something like that. Maybe by the time the game actually kicked off (3:25), they had temporarily removed the blackout. I had the DVR setup to record the local fox station, not the NFL ST channel, so I cannot go back and see what happened. I guess if this happens again, I'll try checking in on the NFL ST channel periodically to see if they temporarily lifted the blackout.

I didn't change till around 4:25 est time, when I realized what time it was.

That's odd.. we're in similar markets (I'm in CT) but they wouldn't let me switch over due to blackout rules. To be fair I use NFL ST on the PS3 so my situation is slightly different, but still, as a diehard Niners fan my friend and I were ready to shoot the television. All I know is that if this happens again Fox 61 is going to hear a mouthful from me.

Yeah, I don't understand fully the blackout rules. I think there ridiculous.