Sports Programming Rules Driving me Crazy!!!

[Lardog]

Tonight is game one of the Ducks vs. Canucks conference semi final, NHL playoffs. I flip through the guide and see it twice, on Vs and on NHLHD.......both unavailable in the local (So Cal) market. :mad: So, I keep looking to see if its anywhere else in SD.....nope.....nothing....nada.....So, its available in HD, but (I'm assuming) FCC rules prohibit the broadcast to protect local broadcaster interests....and the local broadcasters dont even bother to broadcast it!!!! WTF???? These freakin rules are ridiculous. They wont let me watch my team period...end of sentence...someone tell me that makes sense!!!!

So steamed right now....am I missing something?

[garys]

The rules state that the local/regional broadcasters have the right over the National Broadcasters, so if the local/regional is showing the game the National Broadcaster has the game blacked out. If does not matter if you do not have the game on your system, they feel you can go to somebody's place that does have it. It has been like this for years with most of the pro sports, not only in Hockey.

[ebaltz]

I have never felt any blackout rule across any sports make sense. Why you stop people from watching what they want or what they are even willing to pay for, just doesn't make sense. Especially with HD. There should be special rules at least, like if a local place is broadcasting in SD, but National is HD then you should have the option to watch either one, since they aren't the same. In other words, if the local broadcaster can't offer you HD, then its their loss and you should be able to watch the national HD feed. I am sick of all the local protectionism stuff.

[Skates]

Tonight is game one of the Ducks vs. Canucks conference semi final, NHL playoffs. I flip through the guide and see it twice, on Vs and on NHLHD.......both unavailable in the local (So Cal) market. :mad: So, I keep looking to see if its anywhere else in SD.....nope.....nothing....nada.....So, its available in HD, but (I'm assuming) FCC rules prohibit the broadcast to protect local broadcaster interests....and the local broadcasters dont even bother to broadcast it!!!! WTF???? These freakin rules are ridiculous. They wont let me watch my team period...end of sentence...someone tell me that makes sense!!!!

So steamed right now....am I missing something?

I hate to tell you this, but the game was broadcast locally on KDOC. It just never showed up in the EPG. I checked earlier on the "Ducks" website and found the local TV schedule there. It always ends up on KDOC when both of our FSN networks are showing baseball.

Sorry I didn't see your post last night. Here's the full schedule.

1 Wed, April 25 Honda Center 7 p.m. KDOC
2 Fri., April 27 Honda Center 7 p.m. FSN West
3 Sun., April 29 GM Place 5 p.m. Versus
4 Tues., May 1 GM Place 7:30 p.m. FSN West
5* Thurs., May 3 Honda Center 6 p.m. Versus
6* Sun., May 6 GM Place TBD FSN Prime
7* Tues., May 8 Honda Center TBD FSN Prime Ticket

[dclaryjr]

I hate to tell you this, but the game was broadcast locally on KDOC. It just never showed up in the EPG. I checked earlier on the "Ducks" website and found the local TV schedule there. It always ends up on KDOC when both of our FSN networks are showing baseball.

Sorry I didn't see your post last night.

Something similar happened to me during college basketball season. I got blacked out from a Texas basketball game in the Big 12 tourney on ESPN2. It turned out it was on a small UHF station that isn't in my E* locals and I've never bothered to tune it in to my TV since dropping cable.

I scored on the other end of the spectrum last night--I was able to watch the Texas Rangers on 416 (FSN-SW) and also watched the Astros lose in the 16th inning on FSN-Houston carried on a sports alternate.

[Lardog]

I hate to tell you this, but the game was broadcast locally on KDOC. It just never showed up in the EPG. I checked earlier on the "Ducks" website and found the local TV schedule there. It always ends up on KDOC when both of our FSN networks are showing baseball.

Sorry I didn't see your post last night. Here's the full schedule.

1 Wed, April 25 Honda Center 7 p.m. KDOC
2 Fri., April 27 Honda Center 7 p.m. FSN West
3 Sun., April 29 GM Place 5 p.m. Versus
4 Tues., May 1 GM Place 7:30 p.m. FSN West
5* Thurs., May 3 Honda Center 6 p.m. Versus
6* Sun., May 6 GM Place TBD FSN Prime
7* Tues., May 8 Honda Center TBD FSN Prime Ticket

Actually, I happened to have had a copy of yesterday's (Wednesday) LA Times sports page still in my office today and I checked to see if it said anything about the broadcast and it did say KDOC....I did check the EPG last night and, as you mentioned, it was not there!!!!! ARrrggghhh.....I appreciate the thought Skates!

I understand the FCC rules, I just don't think they make much sense. But in this case, the game was indeed available for me to see.....now I'll just blame Dish or KDOC.....Thanks for letting me rant!

[tampa8]

Actually, I happened to have had a copy of yesterday's (Wednesday) LA Times sports page still in my office today and I checked to see if it said anything about the broadcast and it did say KDOC....I did check the EPG last night and, as you mentioned, it was not there!!!!! ARrrggghhh.....I appreciate the thought Skates!

I understand the FCC rules, I just don't think they make much sense. But in this case, the game was indeed available for me to see.....now I'll just blame Dish or KDOC.....Thanks for letting me rant!


If it makes you feel any better I have done the same thing in the past. At that time a Red Sox game would be blacked out on ESPN and not be shown on NESN. Little did I know it was a rare occurance, but the game was on a local channel (WCTX) and not in the guide.

[PhilAce]

Blackouts are there to protect local ad revenue.

Blackouts suck BTW.:mad:

[Calvin Carrigan]

My problem is I am in the Lightning/Devil Rays/Magic market but am a Panther/Marlins/Heat fan.

[Skates]

I feel like the day is coming where we simply won't be able to get sports on TV without paying extra for it. I mean, I know we kinda pay for it now, but we seem to be heading to the point where we'll have to choose what we want in blocks in order to get it. Some of us might actually prefer it.

I wouldn't mind paying a little more to not have to spend all of my time trying to find out whether I can get "my game" on TV tonight. :mad:

The downside is obvious - money. The upside would be no more blackouts.