"This program not available in your area." On ESPN?!?

[chrisfowler99]

How can I be blacked out on ESPN?

"Regionalized: Washington State at Wisconsin or Wake Forest at Boston College"

Is my "region" not setup for either?

[Chop69]

Same here in DFW but the weird thing is if you go to ESPN alternate on 210, the Washington State-Wisconsin game is on there

[cnmsales]

Also is it being broadcast on a local station available to you? If so then that is why.

[chrisfowler99]

Also is it being broadcast on a local station available to you? If so then that is why.

Nope...Nevada/Nebraska and Georgia Tech/Notre Dame on the local stations.

[Bob Coxner]

Same here in the Waco/Bryan/College Station DMA. It's the first time I can recall being blacked out on ESPN. And the games are not available locally.

[ammar249]

same thing here in Washington D.C. DMA, ESPN2 (Wake Forest @ Boston College) is being shown on the local ABC station but only in SD.

[chrisfowler99]

Looks like Washington State/Wisconsin is the national game on ABC.

Not what's showing here, though...

[Azdeadwood]

Looks like Washington State/Wisconsin is the national game on ABC.

Not what's showing here, though...

Same problem in Albuquerque, NM. on my daughter's Directv.

Plus I have a Slingbox in the Midland, Texas area and the same thing is happening there!

[tpm1999]

Why would the HD channel be blocked out but not the SD channel? The same is happening here in St. Louis!

Directv really needs to get their act together!

[chrisfowler99]

The SD channel is blocked here too.

I just called about it. Washington St./Wisconsin is on 210 (ESPN Alternate), so it's blacked out on ESPN.

That makes absolutely no sense.

The CSR suggested that ESPN may be having a problem. I dunno...

[Azdeadwood]

Why would the HD channel be blocked out but not the SD channel? The same is happening here in St. Louis!

Directv really needs to get their act together!

My daughter only has SD and it is blocked.

My TV has both SD & HD blocked.

[tpm1999]

I hate the clueless CSRs!

This is absolutely directvs fault! Its is now football season...time to wake up your staff and get them on the correct black out schedule!

How can directv get the great big ten channel kudos and at the same time block big ten games like this.

At least I am getting it in SD on 210 though.

[papa_azteca]

I hate the clueless CSRs!

This is absolutely directvs fault! Its is now football season...time to wake up your staff and get them on the correct black out schedule!

How can directv get the great big ten channel kudos and at the same time block big ten games like this.

At least I am getting it in SD on 210 though.

Aren't early games part of the ESPN GP so therefore subject to regional coverage areas? I have GP and watching the Wake Forest game on 779 and can watch the Wisconsin game on 210.

Maybe you don't know where to find your games.

[tpm1999]

Aren't early games part of the ESPN GP so therefore subject to regional coverage areas? I have GP and watching the Wake Forest game on 779 and can watch the Wisconsin game on 210.

Maybe you don't know where to find your games.

I posted that I am in Saint Louis...I know espnhd is regionalized...

How can any of these games be considered blockout material for my area. Unless ABC local carries them, to which mine isnt.

[papa_azteca]

I posted that I am in Saint Louis...I know espnhd is regionalized...

How can any of these games be considered blockout material for my area. Unless ABC local carries them, to which mine isnt.

And I am in Austin, TX, in the same region as you ..

[tpm1999]

Still...there are 2 game choices..

why would either one be blocked? Can someone answer that?

[purtman]

I hate the clueless CSRs!

This is absolutely directvs fault! Its is now football season...time to wake up your staff and get them on the correct black out schedule!


Can you explain to everybody why you know this is DirecTV's fault? I've seen so many people blame the company for certain issues with ESPN only to find out it was actually an ESPN issue. You never see them coming back on and admitting they are wrong.

By the way, if you wonder if I work or have something to do with DirecTV, I don't. However, I did work at ESPN and have nothing wrong to say about it. I'm just tired of whiners who are quick to blame the CSRs, Installers, D* and whomever else when they don't really know what happened.

[Earl Bonovich]

ESPN games (even though it is national)...
Are subject to blackout rules.

[HouseBowlrz]

same thing here in Washington D.C. DMA, ESPN2 (Wake Forest @ Boston College) is being shown on the local ABC station but only in SD.

I'm also in metro DC ... ESPN-HD went black at 1530 (3:30pm) which caught me by surprise because I thought we were to get one of the two games not carried by our local ABC affil-idiot (WJLA 7). Two hours later, no change ... (yes, 210 is available here as well but I can't watch football in SD :nono2: )

It took a little while but I was able to reach someone at D* customer service (spoke with Michael). He was not aware of any issues and would run this up to their tech department to see if there were any problems.

I agree, this needs to be addressed and fixed in short order ...


:mad: :mad: :mad:

[chrisfowler99]

ESPN games (even though it is national)...
Are subject to blackout rules.
That's the question, though...

Which blackout rule?

It's not on any local or regional channel.

Unless you want to consider ESPNa as a regional channel. But if it can be on ESPNa, why not ESPN?

Just confused...

[69hokie]

Hmmmm....isn't ESPN affiliated with ABC....hmmmm....same with the Richmond, Va DMA

[papa_azteca]

I'm also in metro DC ... ESPN-HD went black at 1530 (3:30pm) which caught me by surprise because I thought we were to get one of the two games not carried by our local ABC affil-idiot (WJLA 7). Two hours later, no change ... (yes, 210 is available here as well but I can't watch football in SD :nono2: )

It took a little while but I was able to reach someone at D* customer service (spoke with Michael). He was not aware of any issues and would run this up to their tech department to see if there were any problems.

I agree, this needs to be addressed and fixed in short order ...


:mad: :mad: :mad:

the reason why you can't watch the game on 210 in HD is bc D* doesn't carry an HD ESPN ALTERNATE channel ..

this is not the first nor will it be the last time it happens ..

too which i subscribe to ESPN GP

[Redlinetire]

That's the question, though...

Which blackout rule?

It's not on any local or regional channel.

Unless you want to consider ESPNa as a regional channel. But if it can be on ESPNa, why not ESPN?

Just confused...

It was my understanding that even if the 'rights holder' (such as your local ABC station) chooses not to show the game that they still hold the right and the blackout rules apply - in other words it still can't be shown elsewhere.

Of course, that in no way would explain the alternate ESPNa. I have no idea how that works....:confused:

[tpm1999]

the reason why you can't watch the game on 210 in HD is bc D* doesn't carry an HD ESPN ALTERNATE channel ..

this is not the first nor will it be the last time it happens ..

too which i subscribe to ESPN GP

Well...that's the first explanation that makes sense. Of course, this is assuming that neither game in my region is in HD, or if it was, directv doesnt have the bandwidth to carry all of these alternate hd games.

My anger is definitely going down.

Directv needs to do a better job explaining that. All they needed to say is that directv does not carry your regional games in hd, and that is why ESPNHD is blacked out.

[Draconis]

Well, I called and spoke to a CSR and here is what I was told.

When you have cable the cable company only gives you the feeds that are in your market. You get USA, The Weather Channel, ESPN, Etc. for your region.

DIRECTV broadcasts nationally, but must still respect the regional boundaries. That is why there and alternates to ESPN, and why you are only allowed to watch certain ones.

[mhayes70]

I posted that I am in Saint Louis...I know espnhd is regionalized...

How can any of these games be considered blockout material for my area. Unless ABC local carries them, to which mine isnt.

I am also in the St. Louis DMA and it is blockout on both HD and SD. Also, the local ABC station is not carrying the game that is on ESPN. But, I am close enough to a station in Carterville, IL ABC station and I can get the game that is on ESPN from my OTA in HD.

Makes no sense to me. :confused:

[Azdeadwood]

What is clear is that Directv is blocking ESPN nation-wide. This looks like a technical mistake since the games are available on the Alternative ESPN channels. Except I can only get it in SD not HD.
Which is yet another reminder that Directv seems to be cheating me out of HD in the "Year of the HD". 9 months after the announcement my brother get 4 TIMES MORE HD content on DISH!

[papa_azteca]

Here's the thing:
If you live in the following markets then you will be watching the Wake Forest vs Boston College game on 206 and 72:
WA, OR, CA most of ID, Eastern half of the Midwest Region, Northeast Region, Most of the Southeast Region except for AR and LA

If your DMA is located outside of the areas mentioned above you will be blacked out on 206/72 and watch the alternate game on 210 with no HD .. AND if you want to watch the Wake Forest vs Boston College game you have to order ESPN GAMEPLAN

[DCSholtis]

Here in the Cleveland DMA on ESPN now I have the WF vs BC game in HD no blackout. My local ABC has the Wisconsin game. ESPN2 has the Missouri Vs Illinois game on.

[Paul Secic]

I posted that I am in Saint Louis...I know espnhd is regionalized...

How can any of these games be considered blockout material for my area. Unless ABC local carries them, to which mine isnt.

I've got GP With 6 games. Call D & traten to cancel!

[papa_azteca]

Here in the Cleveland DMA on ESPN now I have the WF vs BC game in HD no blackout. My local ABC has the Wisconsin game. ESPN2 has the Missouri Vs Illinois game on.

Isn't Ohio in the Northeast Region? That's why you watch the games on the channels that you are watching.

[chrisfowler99]

If your DMA is located outside of the areas mentioned above you will be blacked out on 206/72 and watch the alternate game on 210 with no HD

That's the part that doesn't make sense.

If they can show it on ESPNa, why not just open up that game on ESPN so we can see it in HD? :confused:

[papa_azteca]

That's the part that doesn't make sense.

If they can show it on ESPNa, why not just open up that game on ESPN so we can see it in HD? :confused:

Because it's still a REGIONAL game for those areas .. stop thinking "ESPN is national channel" and start realizing that ESPN can carry regional games that are subject to blackouts - just like some MLB games, NBA games. D* has nothing to do with this, man.

ESPN HD Alternate is not a channel. Do you think it's just going to appear this year when it hasn't in the past?

Know your games and learn where to find them.

[DCSholtis]

Isn't Ohio in the Northeast Region? That's why you watch the games on the channels that you are watching.

Thats the rules for Big 10 country yes.

[chrisfowler99]

Because it's still a REGIONAL game for those areas .. stop thinking "ESPN is national channel" and start realizing that ESPN can carry regional games that are subject to blackouts - just like some MLB games, NBA games. D* has nothing to do with this, man.

ESPN HD Alternate is not a channel. Do you think it's just going to appear this year when it hasn't in the past?

Know your games and learn where to find them.

I know there is no ESPN HD Alternate. I haven't claimed there is.

But it makes no sense to me that ESPN can show a game on an alternate channel in SD that they cannot show on ESPN in HD in my region.

If I'm blacked out, shouldn't I be blacked out?

If I can get the game at all, from ESPN, shoudn't I be able to get the game in HD?

[Earl Bonovich]

According to this thread:
http://www.dbstalk.com/showpost.php?p=1080592&postcount=1

It looks like it is blacked out on Dish Network as well....

So... it is apparent that ESPN (or whom ever), sent the list of Zip Codes to the providers on whom should be blacked out.

[tpm1999]

Because it's still a REGIONAL game for those areas .. stop thinking "ESPN is national channel" and start realizing that ESPN can carry regional games that are subject to blackouts - just like some MLB games, NBA games. D* has nothing to do with this, man.

ESPN HD Alternate is not a channel. Do you think it's just going to appear this year when it hasn't in the past?

Know your games and learn where to find them.

agreed, directv currently does not have enough room to carry all of the alternates in HD.

But, if you turn it to channel 73 (blackout), directv could go a LONG way in describing why you dont see anything.

[Garry]

That's the question, though...

Which blackout rule?

It's not on any local or regional channel.

Unless you want to consider ESPNa as a regional channel. But if it can be on ESPNa, why not ESPN?

Just confused...

Here in the Boston area, the Boston College game is blacked out on ESPN but it is on the ABC affiliate in HD.

[Dazed & Confused]

Here's the thing:
If you live in the following markets then you will be watching the Wake Forest vs Boston College game on 206 and 72:
WA, OR, CA most of ID, Eastern half of the Midwest Region, Northeast Region, Most of the Southeast Region except for AR and LA

If your DMA is located outside of the areas mentioned above you will be blacked out on 206/72 and watch the alternate game on 210 with no HD .. AND if you want to watch the Wake Forest vs Boston College game you have to order ESPN GAMEPLAN

Not entirely true. BC/WF is blacked out on ESPN here in Florida (Southeast), but was on in HD on my ABC local. I don't ever recall an ESPN game being blacked out before, but I also don't ever remember them & ABC sharing a game even regionally. I know they have an incestuous relationship, but the sharing of games seems very odd. Let's hope this is not a pattern as it will mean one less HD game a week if they keep sharing.

Hopefully this was just an aberation because there wasn't a full slate of games available to them, so there was some duplication.

[teebeebee1]

Basically ABC has first pick of games that are regional, then it goes to ESPN, i was thinking that both games would be on regardless but who knows, actually looking at todays ESPN must have first pick on regional because WF/BC was on ESPN here in NY and the other game was on ABC.

[rjdude]

ESPN games (even though it is national)...
Are subject to blackout rules.

Exactly (i.e. regional blackouts); sometimes, your local station chooses NOT to carry a game (even if its available to them) and then you are so out of luck! The game, as mentioned earlier, could have been part of the ESPN GP package for your specific area. Last year, ESPN GP had a national map for each game that you can look up which shows which games are blacked out in which regions. Why the blackouts? Who knows....I guess someone's gotta contact them about it.

[TigersFanJJ]

Does anyone know what time ESPN came back up yesterday?

I'm in the Mobile AL/Pensacola FL area and came home to espn blacked out at about 5:30 p.m. yesterday (got home just in time to get geared up for the AU/KSU game). The channel banner across the top said that the college scoreboard show was supposed to be showing on espn.

I called D*, and the csr told me espn had blacked out 206 all day for technical reasons, but I could get it on 210 instead. I tuned to 210 and all I got was a white screen with the D* logo. So she put me on hold for a minute, and when she came back, she told me to flip to another channel then back to 210 to see if it was working now. I hit the previous channel button which put it on 206 and it (206-espn) was working again.

I don't know if it was a problem that she fixed, or if the blackout just happened to end when she had me flipping channels back and forth.

[stlmike]

I know there is no ESPN HD Alternate. I haven't claimed there is.

But it makes no sense to me that ESPN can show a game on an alternate channel in SD that they cannot show on ESPN in HD in my region.

If I'm blacked out, shouldn't I be blacked out?

If I can get the game at all, from ESPN, shoudn't I be able to get the game in HD?

These are my thoughts as well. If it is a "regional blackout", changing the channel to 210 does not change where I live. What type of blackout is that? All it does is aggrevate those of us with HDTV's who have to suffer through another poor quality ESPN SD broadcast.

Maybe this is ESPN's way of getting back at all of us Big Ten fans who dropped the Gameplan!! :lol:

[tkrandall]

I was watching the VT-ECU game yesterday in HD on ESPN 73. Like most college games it wet a little long and past the 3:30 scheduled end time. However, at 3:30 was when the BC-WFU games was set to begin on ESPN. In the Atlanta market that was shown on the ABC affiliate, so some black out rule I guess applied to ESPN. D* or ESPN blacked out the feed of the VT game at 3:30 even thought it was still going on. That seemed really stupid to me - at least let the game finish and actually switch to the other game before blacking out the feed.

Later at 7:00 or so I turned it back to 73 ESPN for the scoreboard show - it was still blacked out - progam unavailable in my market??!!??!! Maybe the Wake-BC games was still on - I did not check that.

[spartanstew]

The channel banner across the top said that the college scoreboard show was supposed to be showing on espn.


Yep, that's the problem I had yesterday too. ESPN seemed to work most of the day for me, but for some reason when I tried to watch the College Scoreboard show yesterday afternoon I got the "this program is not available in your area" message.

I guess, they were in conflict with ABC's College Scoreboard show???:confused:

[bwaldron]

Yep, that's the problem I had yesterday too. ESPN seemed to work most of the day for me, but for some reason when I tried to watch the College Scoreboard show yesterday afternoon I got the "this program is not available in your area" message.

I guess, they were in conflict with ABC's College Scoreboard show???:confused:

When a game runs long, the guide info doesn't change but the blackout continues until the end of the game.

[carliii970]

I was confused about this as well as I had ESPN 206 set to record the Washington State/Wisconsin game. Luckily, I checked it and saw it was blank. I then went to an alternate channel and WF/BC was on but no WSU/Wisconsin. I kept it recording (I would have rather recorded WF/BC anyway) but when I checked back to the alternate channel a few minutes later, WSU/Wisconsin was on and the WF/BC game was off. Very strange.

This all has to do with the new "reverse-mirror" ESPN is doing this season. Your local ABC affiliate has a regional game as in past years. But ESPN is also showing one of the other regional games as well. This is yet another reason ESPN Gameplan is becoming much less attractive. I canceled my Gameplan this year.

Anyway, I think ESPN 206 was showing WF/BC and they put WSU/Wisconsin on ESPN Alternate. So, if you lived in a region that was to receive WSU/Wisconsin on ESPN then you got that game on an alternate channel since the real ESPN, 206, was showing WF/BC to other parts of the country. I am in ST. Louis and our local ABC showed the dumb Nevada/Nebraska game. We got the WSU/Wisconsin reverse mirror. You don't get all 3 regional games, just 2 (one on ABC and one on ESPN). Our local ABC did show the final 10 minutes or so of the WF/BC game since Nebraska annihilated Nevada (big surprise there! :rolleyes: ).

Not sure if that's clear but that is where I'm thinking the confusion came from this past Saturday.

[HouseBowlrz]

This all has to do with the new "reverse-mirror" ESPN is doing this season. Your local ABC affiliate has a regional game as in past years. But ESPN is also showing one of the other regional games as well.

What bothers me here is that ESPN has the capability to pipe different games to the same channel based on your region; they didn't choose to do that in this case.

On ESPN2, Oklahoma State-Georgia was to follow Missouri-Illinois. The first game ran long (what a surprise). The announcers in St. Louis were telling the audience that viewers in Georgia and Oklahoma would be sent away to Athens so they could get to the start of their game.

Ergo, there was a period of time that viewers two states turned to 72 or 209 and got a different game than those in other parts of the country. I believe this is the bone of contention here: why ESPN did not do the same thing with its two (or was it three?) games Saturday afternoon.


:mad: :mad: :mad:

[DawgLink]

I didn't mind ESPN2 running over since ESPN picked up the UGA/OSU game and then switched it back to ESPN2 when the Ill/Miss game was over

But, they can't do that this weekend with ND/PSU running on ESPN at the same time

Why can't ESPN just freakin start games 15-30 minutes early for goodness sakes?

[tkrandall]

When a game runs long, the guide info doesn't change but the blackout continues until the end of the game.

The reverse should also hold true - when a non-blacked out game goes long, the broadcast should continue even into the time slot scheduled for a blacked out game.

[Dolly]

The first time this ever happened to me was with a Yankees game :( I was mad :mad: because I thought ESPN was a National Channel :rolleyes: :blush: