The Superfan Travesty

[jpn]

After this week's HD game schedule email arrived, I noticed that some games weren't listed. Then I checked the published ST schedule and my suspicions were confirmed.

D* is trying to pass-off Superfan as worth a premium, but they don't carry all the games in HD!!! 4 games lack an HD channel each week. Assuming an even distribution of fans-by-team expecting HD games, 25% of subscribers will be unhappy every week.

Okay, only 2 weeks' channel assignments are shown, but I don't think it's a coincidence.

I'd be willing to do pay-per-view on HD games, but I can't justify a subscription to some of the games if I can't control whether the games I want are on the slate.

If they can't guarantee an HD feed for every game next year, then I won't be a subscriber. I'll suffer watching the HD feeds for the Jets, Giants, and national games.

 

[Curtis0620]

Since the networks aren't producing the gamres in HD, how can D* show them in HD?

 

[ocnier]

Unfortunately it is the networks fault this time, but I do think the superfan gouging should have waited at least one more year considering the networks are nowhere near ready for full transmit capability for all games (which was touted in marketing ads).

 

[sshams95]

I live in Chicago. Bears/Redskins was shown locally in HD, but not available in the Superfan package. It doesn't seem that this is a network issue, but perhaps D* does not have the bandwidth to show all the games in HD.

 

[vurbano]

I live in Chicago. Bears/Redskins was shown locally in HD, but not available in the Superfan package. It doesn't seem that this is a network issue, but perhaps D* does not have the bandwidth to show all the games in HD.

What part of "some of the games arent produced in HD" dont you understand? Its a network issue.

 

[JustBob]

The Bears/Redskins game was shown in HD through DirecTV. It's because you're in the Chicago market that you had to get it locally. NFL blackout rules don't allow DirecTV to show a game if it's on a local channel. Silly Bears fan.

DirecTV is showing all the games available in HD and I love it. A little pricey, Yes. But it's better than no HD.

-JustBob

 

[charper1]

JustBob is 100% correct; this is another case of your local affiliate and the NAB trashing your right to choose where, when and how you want receive your programs; regardless of SD or HD.

Call and complain to the specific affiliates, the NAB, the FCC, and your local representatives . Tell them that their should be an end to the illegal monopoly of protected DMAs for network TV and a customer should have the right to choose how they receive network signals; not be forced into inferior affiliate signals. That they (the affiliates) should be forced to compete in a 100% fair and wide open market or leave the market. Anything else does absolutely no good. If more people took the time to write or call things would fall into our favor more often and with better results.

 

[jpn]

Since the networks aren't producing the gamres in HD, how can D* show them in HD?

No way, that's just incorrect.

See here:
http://www.directvsports.com/Schedules/Packages/NFLSundayTicket/

Here's a perfect example. Week 2, Dolphins @ Jets is not in HD on ST.

I'm in the NY DMA, this game shows on ch 80 (CBSE-HD) @ 4pm.

The game is available in HD, D* isn't making it part of Superfan.

 

[hancox]

No way, that's just incorrect.

See here:
http://www.directvsports.com/Schedules/Packages/NFLSundayTicket/

Here's a perfect example. Week 2, Dolphins @ Jets is not in HD on ST.

I'm in the NY DMA, this game shows on ch 80 (CBSE-HD) @ 4pm.

The game is available in HD, D* isn't making it part of Superfan.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but...

http://www.sportsline.com/cbssports/schedules/

Notice that the Jets-Dolphins doesn't have the * next to it, signifying HD.

Please, trust us on this one...

 

[jpn]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but...

http://www.sportsline.com/cbssports/schedules/

Notice that the Jets-Dolphins doesn't have the * next to it, signifying HD.

Please, trust us on this one...

Is there a compelling reason why I should trust it?

I don't buy-into conspiracy theories at all... but I do believe that D* has chosen NOT to present all available HD games.


Ignoring that, consider this: if the Jets/Miami game is SD, then it's upscaled on ch 80. D* should be offering upscaled SD games when an HD feed is not available. Nobody subscribing to Superfan should be subjected to games at 480p.

No matter how you slice it, Superfan is a farce. Interactive mix channels, when a compatible interactive receiver has yet to be released? 25% games presented in 480p?

It's a joke.

 

[Plywodstatebum]

You should have read the ad before you got the superfan, It say's 100 games in HD.. You do the math.

 

[jpn]

You should have read the ad before you got the superfan, It say's 100 games in HD.. You do the math.

First, I read the ad.
Second, I got it free.

Third, that's not the point. My statement is that it's the only way to get games in HD, and it fails to guarantee distant fans that they'll get their games in HD.

I have the same issue with MLB-EI and that's why I don't subscribe to it.

 

[rockaway1836]

jpn, just because the Jet/Dolphin game will be seen on channel 80 does not mean that it will be in HD. Not all games are broadcast in HD period. The networks do not have the equipment to do so yet.

 

[dgordo]

My statement is that it's the only way to get games in HD, and it fails to guarantee distant fans that they'll get their games in HD.

So you want D* to guarantee that you will get all games in HD, even the ones not broadcast in HD?

 

[jpn]

jpn, just because the Jet/Dolphin game will be seen on channel 80 does not mean that it will be in HD. Not all games are broadcast in HD period. The networks do not have the equipment to do so yet.

I understand that. It's either HD, or it's upscaled.

As I stated: if D* wants to charge for the HD games, then it should provide all-available HD games, and also provide upscaled SD games when HD is unavailable.

I don't believe for a moment that NY lacks HD equipment for any of its local events. It's available, the issue of the feed-availability is whether the network chooses to make it available.

 

[rockaway1836]

I live in NY not everything here is in HD. I get my stations off air as well as D. D is not holding back on you. BTW channel 80 is WCBSDT not HD it means it's digital not HD.

 

[sshams95]

Not a silly Bears fan, just an apprehensive Steeler fan in Chicago! Look Superfan is performing as advertised. Does it suck that not all NFL games are in HD? Of course. I fully expect by this time next year, they will have all games in HD.

And I'm not wasting my time contacting the affiliates. They seem to think that we (NFLST subscribers) actually watch their sold commercial time, when all we are doing is flipping channels watching live NFL action all day.

Hey guys!! It's football season!!! Enjoy it! We never had NFL games in HD 3-4 years ago. All I ask for is constant improvement year after year.

 

[uncrules]

Look at this HD sports listing page for NFL games.

http://www.hdsportsguide.com/nfl.php

They only list 3 CBS games in HD and 5 games in HD for FOX.

Here is the entire NFL schedule

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/schedule

For week 2 there are 8 games on CBS and 5 on FOX. So blame CBS, not Directv for the fact that not all of the games are in HD. Give credit to FOX for broadcasting all of their games this week in HD. However, even FOX wouldn't have all of their games in HD if they had 8 games to show. It would be 6 as that is the maximum games a week they can show in HD.

 

[rkr0923]

They only list 3 CBS games in HD and 5 games in HD for FOX.

I find that hard to believe...........

 

[uncrules]

They only list 3 CBS games in HD and 5 games in HD for FOX.

I find that hard to believe...........

Fox is only broadcasting 5 games this week so that number is correct. I tend to believe the CBS number because that's how many games CBS usually had in HD last year. I don't know if that has changed this year because I'm boycotting the Superfan package and not getting Sunday Ticket at all.