Why is Pacific @ UC Davis D.1 hoops on CSN-CA blacked out on Sports Pack

[pappy97]

I live in Texas and have the sports pack. Was looking forward to watching Pacific @ UC Davis (nowhere near Texas or involving TX teams at all) tonight on CSN-CA via sports pack. I am getting the game blacked out and have no clue why!

It's not on ESPN Full Court. For that matter, it's not airing anywhere else on the DirecTV lineup (including any ESPN family of networks, Fox College Sports, CBS College Sports, etc). I've confirmed my sports pack works just fine, but for some odd reason this is blacked out. In Texas.

Any clue? I thought most NCAA D.1 Basketball games on RSNs were opened if you had sports pack, especially if the game was not on ESPN Full Court or elsewhere on DirecTV. Thanks.

[skylab]

Was the game on ESPN Full Court? I think the WCC and the Big West conference have made an agreement with ESPN that games also on full court will be blacked out outside the conference footprints (California for the Big West and California, Oregon and Washington for the WCC). I've been able to watch many Big West and WCC games with the Sports Pack and without ESPN Full Court this year, but I don't know whether those games were on Full Court or not.

Here is a similar issue I had last year:

http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=145845&highlight=notre+dame

Off the top of my head, the following conferences that have games available (as determined by the home team) on the sports pack out of market should be blackout free:

1. Big East
2. Atlantic 10
3. Colonial Athletic Conference
4. Horizon League
5. Missouri Valley Conference
6. Pac-10
7. Western Athletic Conference
8. Moutain West Conference

The following conferences may be subject to blackout outside the conference footprint:

1. ACC
2. SEC
3. Big-12
4. WCC
5. Big West

Here is an explanation of ACC, SEC and Big-12 blackouts:

http://mattsarz44017.tripod.com/blackoutnotes.html

[sdk009]

Was the game on ESPN Full Court?

If you read the thread, you will see the comment that is wasn't on Full Court.

I've noticed that Big West games shown on either SoCal RSNs are blacked out here in NorCal. I don't understand why the WCC and the Big West wouldn't want their games in the clear. Those two leagues need all the exposure that they can get.

[pappy97]

Yeah it wasn't full court. If the Big West was imposing a blackout rule to those on the Sports Pack in Texas (or anywhere outside the Big West "footprint"), that's ridiculous and the first I've heard of it.

I guess since blackouts come from leagues/conferences, my beef is with the Big West.

The only reason they would do a blackout is that they have a service called "Big West TV." A sh**ty online streaming service that hardly ever works and costs $80 a season. For a conference that needs exposure, I am floored. Thanks for the responses.

[Jersey Girl]

Tried to watch a Big West game last week, and the same thing happened. I have the Sports Pack and Full Court, and it was blacked out. I agree that a conference that needs exposure blacking out games is ridiculous.