MLB EI problem

[ARKDTVfan]

i know this probably belongs is sports but that area is dead so I'll most leiky get an asnwer sooner here

anyhow, the Cubs/Cardinals game is not available to me (the schreen says call ext 721 to order) I already have the EI package,

anyhow I called and the lady on the phone said the game is local and blacked out.

WFT? if a game's black out is says blacked out or not available in your area, the game is being carried on FSMW, my local RSN is FSSW if it helps my zip code is 71852. Should I call and talk to another CSR or am I wasting my breath? :confused:

[asmith]

I have the same problem. My zip code is 72370. When the Cardinals are on the local WB station in St Louis, I am blacked out. Even though I am 260 miles away from St Louis and have no chance in receiving this channel OTA. This also happens to me on the Texas Rangers. Whenever they are on the UPN station in Dallas, and not on FSSW, I am blacked out. You are wasting your time talking to a CSR.

[durl]

This could be a broadcast rights permissions issue.

asmith, this probably is the problem you're experiencing. The local channels you mentioned may have exclusive broadcast rights to games that they carry, locking out the Fox Regional. The local probably has no agreement with EI for the game to be picked up. I had a similar complaint when my hockey team was in the playoffs. They were on ESPN-HD, but it was blacked-out to me since my Fox RSN had primary broadcast rights.

ARKDTVfan, I can only throw out a guess but it could be related to which Fox Regional is considered your primary RSN. Were you trying to watch the game on an "MLB" channel or the Fox Regional? I don't believe EI means you get to watch all games that are on Fox regionals, only the ones Directv selects.

I've never had to buy the EI package so I can't give a very educated guess here but I thought I'd try. Sorry.