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heynaorno
09-16-04, 10:41 PM
Since I have been reading so much about the Sunday Ticket blackouts, maybe someone can explain this one to me.

During hockey season my home team is the New York Rangers. Although I am not a Rangers fan, I do watch when they play the Maple Leafs and that seems to be where the rub occurs. Twice last season I tuned into MSG to find the game blacked out. I promptly called DTV to get an explanation. To make a long story short, they had no reason why I was blacked out. Before you say it, the game was not on any local channel either in my market or in New York. The local channel was MSG and I had watched the same two teams play two weeks before without a problem. Also, the game was not on ESPN in any form.

Now I understand that DTV doesn't make up the rules, but someone should be able to explain them to me when I call. Basically they told me there was no reason for the blackout, but they couldn't do anything for me. If I knew someone with Dish Network I would have called them and had them check the same channel.

Like I said, I understand the reason for blackouts and don't have a problem with them, but I would think some should be able to explain them to me when I call with a real problem.

lowjeep
09-17-04, 03:31 AM
Taken from directvsports.com

LOCAL RIGHTS

If a local off-air broadcast channel (not ABC, NBC, CBS or FOX) or local cable system has the rights to broadcast a pro game in a certain region, customers in that area will be unable to receive that game through their DIRECTV® subscription(s).

Comcast and TimeWarner are known for doing this once in awhile just to spite E* and D*

heynaorno
09-17-04, 10:21 PM
Neither of those is my local cable company and these games are not available on any other channel. In addition, my big complaint is that no one can explain it to me.

bonscott87
09-17-04, 10:24 PM
Game might not have been a sell-out. That is the most typical blackout in hockey and baseball.

BillyBob
09-17-04, 11:52 PM
Are you sure the Rangers game wasn't aired on the cable-only Metro Channel or on Fox Sports New York? If I'm correct both channels carried a few Rangers and NY Knicks basketball games the past few seasons.

lowjeep
09-18-04, 05:06 AM
Neither of those is my local cable company and these games are not available on any other channel. In addition, my big complaint is that no one can explain it to me.


I was only using those 2 cable companies as examples. It doesn't matter who your local cable company is. If they buy the exclusive rights to broadcast a particular game in your area than nobody except for that cable company can show it where you live. Even if it is being shown on the same exact network on D* or E*.