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Cubs Marquee Network & AT&T/DIRECTV Reach Agreement for carriage.

19K views 326 replies 35 participants last post by  cmasia 
#1 ·
#290 · (Edited)
Hi, Rob. Have to disagree with you here.

Out of market games on MLBEI and MLB.tv are owned, controlled, and distributed by MLB, not Marquee.
MLB has always made feeds from all 30 teams available for the simple reason it adds value to the package.

There is no reason to think that won't happen here.

Marquee has been very specific carving out its "in-market" coverage. That leaves everything else in the control of MLB.

Time will tell but its MLB's call, not Marquee's.

By the way, the Dodgers situation is not comparable. That was simply a dispute over the price of carriage. And DirecTV even carried Dodger feeds in EI, even though the channel (690) was not available, and EI games were blacked out to in-market subscribers.

Edit: I do agree with you the blackout rules, in today's environment, are beyond archaic and idiotic.
 
#291 ·
Marquee has been very specific carving out its "in-market" coverage. That leaves everything else in the control of MLB.
Who defines the market? If Marquee refuses to have their signal delivered to a particular city or county does that automatically cede that area to the MLB as "out of market"? Or does the MLB define their markets and prohibit Marquee from delivering the games outside of the MLB defined market?

What happens if the MLB defines a market bigger than Marquee's footprint? That is what I believe has happened. Some people who are "in market" per MLB are not in Marquee's coverage area.

Most RSNs fix that problem by being available nationwide. (For example, my town is "in market" for the Detroit Tigers but neither DIRECTV, DISH (when they had the channel) nor local cable companies carried FSN Detroit as one of the basic RSNs. Sports Pack/Premier is required to see the Tigers in my town. MLB EI is blacked out.) If Marquee is not part of Sports Pack/Premier they could have gaps similar to the Detroit Tigers - but with no way to watch the game.
 
#292 ·
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if you will notice the first game that Marquee *should* be broadcasting will be this coming Sunday between the Brewers at Cubs. Now if you will notice all other games are listed in bold. You can click on each game and it will bring up each network that you have as a choice to watch that game. Keep in mind the Cubs opening night game will be shown on ESPN & the next day which will be on Saturday is a FOX National Broadcast. No other way to see that game because it is being shown by FOX. Now for that Sunday game, there is no way to watch that game at all, it does not even list a Brewer broadcast. I will post the next days game following this post.
 
#293 ·
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Now take a look at what I just posted. This is for when the Cubs go to Cincinnati after the first series with the Brewers. For that game and beyond like I said, you can click on every game on "MLB At Bat" like I have for the Cubs at Reds. It only lists one channel that you can get for that game which will be FOX Sports Ohio. No Marquee listed. Time will tell, but like I said, I don't think we're going to get Marquee at all.
 
#294 ·
Hi, James. Maybe this will help.

This is taken from Marquee's website:

Marquee Sports Network is a regional sports network within the Chicago Cubs home television network territory in portions of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin, as determined by Major League Baseball.

And when I typed in my Vegas zip code, I got this message:

Sorry, but your zip code is outside of the network territory. Please contact your provider regarding potential availability via out-of-market sports packages.

Channel Finder - Marquee Sports Network - Television Home of the Chicago Cubs

Finally, this also appears on the website:

How can I access Cubs games if I am outside of Chicago Cubs broadcast territory?

If outside of Cubs broadcast territory (per MLB rules), you can watch the games via the MLB Out-Of-Market Package, which is a subscription based service you can download on your smartphone or mobile device.

Answers to Questions About Marquee Sports Network - The TV Home of the Chicago Cubs
 
#299 ·
Hi, James. Maybe this will help.

This is taken from Marquee's website:

Marquee Sports Network is a regional sports network within the Chicago Cubs home television network territory in portions of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and Wisconsin, as determined by Major League Baseball.

And when I typed in my Vegas zip code, I got this message:

Sorry, but your zip code is outside of the network territory. Please contact your provider regarding potential availability via out-of-market sports packages.

Channel Finder - Marquee Sports Network - Television Home of the Chicago Cubs

Finally, this also appears on the website:

How can I access Cubs games if I am outside of Chicago Cubs broadcast territory?

If outside of Cubs broadcast territory (per MLB rules), you can watch the games via the MLB Out-Of-Market Package, which is a subscription based service you can download on your smartphone or mobile device.

Answers to Questions About Marquee Sports Network - The TV Home of the Chicago Cubs
I am in Illinois and I am 250 miles south of Chicago. Up until this season I was always in the network coverage area for the Cubs, White Sox and Cardinals when checking my zip code for MLB-TV so I could not watch those 3 teams on MLB at Bat when they were home. I had to watch the game on Fox Sports Midwest for the Cardinals or NBC Sports Chicago for the White Sox and Cubs. The problem is that many Cubs games were not on NBC Sports Chicago as quite a few were carried by local TV in Chicago which I could not get being 250 miles south of there. So Marquee was a dream come true. In the Cubs network I should get Marquee on 664 on DirecTV since they have a deal with Marquee. But wait. Marquee says "Sorry, but your zip code is outside of the network territory." So I go check my zip code at MLB-TV and low in behold this year I am only in the Cardinals territory. Yeah I can watch them on MLB at Bat. Maybe. We'll see on that but I don't want to have to watch them on MLB-TV. Last night even though MLB-TV says I am only in the Cardinals broadcast area I could watch the game on both ESPN and NBC Sports Chicago and I have been able to watch several White Sox games this week. So it is confusing at best.

Also as I said...in previous years I was in the network coverage area for the Cubs, White Sox and Cardinals and I am 250 miles south of Chicago. But this year only in the Cardinals territory. I picked out a random zip code from the furthest county south in Illinois which is at least 400 miles south of Chicago and that zip code. When checked at the Marquee website says it is available on DirecTV on Channel 664. And at MLB-TV it says that zip code is in the network coverage area for the Cubs, White Sox and Cardinals. So how can I be 150-200 miles closer to Chicago than that zip code and not be able to get Marquee when they can? It makes no sense.
 
#295 ·
The basic question is: Is Marquee available within the entire in market area?
 
#297 ·
#302 · (Edited)
http://www.tsq.com/alerts/MLB Extra Innings Blackouts2.pdf

Each system/headend (based on zipcode areas served) is determined to fall within at least one Team Television Territory and corresponding Blackout Designation, and must be blacked-out of that team's games on MLB EXTRA INNINGS. The entire service area of each system/headend, even if servicing multiple cities/towns, must be blacked out. Please see pages 7through 11for a listing of these designations.

But
• Special Blackouts -"OTA"For the select teams,which have the special blackout scenario, blackouts will be identified on the MLB EXTRA INNINGS schedule anytimethe "OTA"identifier is listed in the Home BO or Away BO column.If the special scenarioOTAblackout broadcaster is carrying a game, then ONLY the 'inner'portion of the Team Territory is required to beblacked out. If the special OTA broadcaster is NOT carrying the game, then the entire Team Territoryblackout is required as usual.

MLB EXTRA INNINGS AFFILIATE BLACKOUT LIST has list the of blackout zones
  • All US based systems will have a MLB blackout assignment.
  • no blackouts are required for the appropriate home or away team. This will only occur for a Canadian team
Cubs / Sox have and mix of zones overlaps for some systems
  • Cubs RSN/White Sox OTA/Brewers
  • Cubs OTA/White Sox OTA/Reds
  • Cubs OTA/White Sox OTA/Cardinals
  • Cubs OTA/White Sox OTA/Brewers/Cardinals
  • Cubs RSN/White Sox RSN/Reds/Indians
  • Cubs RSN/White Sox RSN/Royals/Cardinals
  • Cubs RSN/White Sox RSN/Cardinals
  • Cubs/White Sox
  • Cubs RSN/White Sox RSN/Reds/Tigers RSN
  • Cubs OTA/White Sox OTA/Reds
  • Cubs OTA/White Sox OTA/Reds/Tigers RSN
  • Cubs OTA/White Sox OTA/Cardinals/Brewers
  • Cubs OTA/White Sox OTA/Cardinals
  • Cubs OTA/White Sox OTA/Cardinals
Other odd / cool stuff

  • Mount Prospect, IL and Chicago Area 4 DAC4 are the 2 headends for Chicago-land (comcast)
  • (Mount Prospect CIA) is for downstate systems (comcast)
  • Cable Bahamas Nassau, BANoneCable & Wireless Jamaicafeeds Curacao (no local team) (no blackouts of US OTA feeds yes they have the local WGN FEED)
  • WestTel Limited dba LogicGeorgetown, Grand Cayman (no local team)
  • PR systems have no black outs but they are "US based"
  • 11of 11Liberty Cablevision of P.R.Aguadilla, PR (no local team)
  • Liberty Cablevision of P.R.Humacao, PR (no local team)
  • Liberty Cablevision of P.R. (OneLink Communications (San Juan Cable)San Juan, PRN (no local team)
  • MLB International IVC Venezuela (no local team)
  • MLB International Medcom, Panama (no local team)
  • MLB International TVN, Panama (no local team)
  • MLB International WAPA TV, Puerto Rico (no local team)
  • Rodeo Networks Spokane, WA has Pending
  • RogersACCESS -REGINA/SASKATCHEWAN has Toronto
  • RogersTORONTO DISASTER RECOVERY-Richmond Hill has (no local team)
  • TV Distribution SystemsCuracao, Netherlands/Antilles (no local team)
 
#306 ·
The marquee feed is on MLB network right now .

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
#308 ·
Yes I just checked my guide. Channel 730 is supposed to carry the Cub Feed. Still remains to be seen if Channel 664 will be opened up for the game. I hope it will be opened up. And I hope we can get some sort of pregame and postgame coverage. I hope they don't start the broadcast with the game and then cut it off as soon as the final out is made.
 
#309 ·
I don't think we'll see anything but the game. Tomorrow will be my first day as an Extra Innings subscriber without the Sports Pack, but it always seemed like those channels cut off for non-Sports Pack subscribers pretty quickly after games ended.
In other Marquee-related news, Bleed Cubbie Blue is reporting that a deal with Comcast is imminent.

EXCLUSIVE: Comcast/Xfinity and Marquee expected to announce a deal Friday
 
#311 ·
They probably will open up 664 for the game because it would have to be remapped to the MLB Extra Innings Channel it's slated for which right now my guide says channel 730 for the Cub feed tomorrow night. The broadcast will probably start right when the game starts and the channel will probably be turned back off immediately after the final out is made for out of home market viewers.
 
#312 ·
Is there a free preview for MLB EI for the beginning of the season like there usually is?
 
#315 ·
In prior years, pregame and postgame shows on EI have been limited to channels remapped from the 600 channels - in SportsPack.

Marquee is not in SportsPack, so I would not have much hope of A) 664 lighting up or B) EI carrying pre and post.

Nice surprise if it does, but guessing it won't.
 
#322 ·
You claim you live in Cubs Territory in Central Iowa and you're getting Blacked Out? Have you been getting Marquee on channel 664? If you have, you shouldn't be blacked out. If you don't get Marquee you would have to be a MLB Extra Innings Subscriber to get tonight's game. Everyone should be getting tonight's game anyway because this weekend is a Free Preview Weekend for MLB Extra Innings.
 
#324 · (Edited)
I live in VA and able to watch marquee feed on 730

664 is also working for me .

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 
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