NBA 4/17 Atlanta Hawks@Memphis Grizzlies BLACKOUT on SportsSouth? What gives?

[dubber deux]

SO I go to watch the Hawks on SportsSouth the regional Fox sports net here in the upstate of SC. Backed out. Error 721 game not available in your area.

Now I KNOW this is nonsense because my friend who has cable and lives less than a mile away IS receiving this game from sports south. Also this regional is NOT a premium channel and my directv rsn finder CLEARLY indicates that I should be receiving this game.

I call a CSR, he claims that this game is being broadcast by FSMemphis?TN so it has been blacked out. I tell him the game is on at my friends house and the details. He has NO reasonable answer, true he was pleasant, but of no help.

Later on after the game I am watching the highlights of the game on ESPN and lo and behold the station ID bug clear as day is "SPORTS SOUTH"

Ummm really disappointing.

What gives here?

[Unknown]

huh when did this game take place. there was no NB on last night at all. playoffs started today.

[dubber deux]

Sorry about that incorrect date, it was actually 4/15 so that would have been that past Wednesday night.

[cruxer]

I learned earlier this year that if you aren't within 75 miles of an NBA market, providers have to pay extra money to give you those NBA games on the RSNs. DirecTV chose not to do that with the Bobcats (and I assume the Hawks) for those of us in upstate SC.

What was really bad was that the Bobcats were broadcast locally on WMYA last year, but because of the move to FSN-Carolinas, we didn't get their games this year. In addition, if they were on NBA-tv, the game would be blacked out because we're a claimed market! To my knowledge, they weren't on national TV at all this year other than the non-exclusive NBA-tv.

Maybe they'll make a different decision next year.

-c

[Paul Secic]

SO I go to watch the Hawks on SportsSouth the regional Fox sports net here in the upstate of SC. Backed out. Error 721 game not available in your area.

Now I KNOW this is nonsense because my friend who has cable and lives less than a mile away IS receiving this game from sports south. Also this regional is NOT a premium channel and my directv rsn finder CLEARLY indicates that I should be receiving this game.

I call a CSR, he claims that this game is being broadcast by FSMemphis?TN so it has been blacked out. I tell him the game is on at my friends house and the details. He has NO reasonable answer, true he was pleasant, but of no help.

Later on after the game I am watching the highlights of the game on ESPN and lo and behold the station ID bug clear as day is "SPORTS SOUTH"

Ummm really disappointing.

What gives here?



Cable has different rules, I think.