Comcast SportsNet Houston

MBL territories are unique compared to other professional sports. I think this map is a few years old, but it shows how large, convoluted, and overlapping the territories can be:

http://www.bizofbaseball.com/images/MLB_Blackout_Map1000x733.gif

 

See my post in another thread. I think this may be why the MLB territories are so large:

http://www.dbstalk.com/topic/215094-directv-mlb-extra-innings-blackouts-rsns-and-iowa/#entry3309060

 

found this article on the web

All of the Contiguous United States, except for some small, remote, isolated patches, are within at least one team's blackout territory. Some areas may lie within the territories of two or more. As the accompanying map shows, teams generally have exclusive territorial rights only over their home cities' immediate area, but even then there are exceptions. For example, all of Texas, including the Houston metropolitan area as well as the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, as well as the entire state of Louisiana, is within both the Astros' and Rangers' blackout areas

 

Sometimes it also has to do with NL and AL affiliations I think.

 

That's what I thought all those years that I got both the Rangers and Astros. Now both are in the same league. It'll be interesting to see if we get both teams next season now that we have Root Sports.

 

You will get both, the Astros on Roots Sports and the Rangers on Fox Sports, because they are both conseder in our home territory. MLB Blackout rules are writen differently then NBA's.

Here is a graphic of what MLB teams are consider local in your area.

 

Yes and I'm assuming that affiliations and decision made ages ago will prevail over change in league affiliation recently because fan bases are already in place; and can anyone see a team ever agreeing to switch leagues if it means losing home territory area?

 

Might be time to change the main thread title to the new network name?

 

Notice other markets/ teams have complete overlap. Some are obvious like the NY, Chicago and LA teams but others like baltimore/Washington and SF/Oakland are different cities with 100% overlap. Houston/Texas is most distant 100% overlap.

 

I read somewhere it is a state law in texas...both baseball teams have statewide coverage....I was trying to find the article

 

I remember that being discussed somewhere but couldn't find it either.

 

The names fine with me but maybe we should start a new thread instead. I'm just glad this saga is over. When Comcast started this, I said I would never go to another Astros or Rockets game until I could watch it on my TV. I'm glad I can watch the rockets now and maybe even go to a game now but Crane has lost a lifetime fan.

 

We've got six teams claiming the entire state of Iowa, and the closest thing to a major league team we actually have are the triple-A Iowa Cubs

 

Whats funny is that all of this could have been avoided has Crane agreed to the deal that D*, Comcast and the Rockets had sitting on the table.

 

I apologize in advance for the cross-post. I'm new here and desperate to find answers. The following was posted as a new separate thread, but then I noticed this thread that deals with the channel.

Can anyone help?


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I subscribe to Directv via a commercial account with a rack system. We have only SD d12 receivers and can only receive programming from the 101 satellite.



Recently, the local Houston sports channel was changed to Root Sports Southwest from Comcast, and the Root channel was literally just born a week ago. It is on Directv channel 674.



We already have the RSN package which includes Fox Sports SW on 676 and according to Directv also includes 674 Root SW.



But while I can tune to 676 no problem, if I try to tune to 674 I get (721 not subscribed).



I have gotten no less than 5 different answers as to why this happens:



Blacked out in my area (not true)

Not in my package (not true and dtv assures me it is)

Only available in HD (not true, confirmed with another user)

Not in RSN, needs special subscription

No alacarte available, only in Ultimate package



**** CANNOT RECEIVE WITH EXISTING EQUIPMENT, NEED 103 SATELLITE AND BUY NEW EQUIPMENT (and scratch all previous "excuses")





The last answer is the latest claim from them, and I've been assured that 674 is ONLY on the 103 satellite, and the new equipment will fix my problem. However, I've asked why the channel guide shows me the channel if the receiver is incapable of seeing it..... (no good answer)



And now, after viewing the Transponder Maps on this very forum, I find that 674 IS ON D8@101W AND TRANSPONDER 5.



Am I being fed a line of BS from Directv and my dealer??????

How reliable is the spreadsheet for the Transponder Maps?

How can I confirm that my equipment is truly able to get this channel without new upgrades?

And what should I do if everybody in tech support/cust serv argues with me when I tell them their answer doesn't hold water?



Please, anyone who has a really really strong knowledge of this issue-- let me know which info to believe.

 

Have you tried having the authorization signals resent to your receivers? You can do that online or by calling.

I know you say you are in market but what city are you actually in?

Since you have all non DVRs maybe also try a reset everything in the receivers if having directv resend the authorization doesn't work.

I'd also probably call and talk to the access card department. They generally are better at fixing these kind of issues if the precious things I mentioned don't work.

If you are in market you should get it assuming you aren't on the entertainment package. What package are you on?

 

Thanks for your reply.

I am in the city of Houston proper. We have tried at least 10 times to re-authorize the card. Another 5 or so times to reset the receiver, pull out the card, cut power, etc. etc.

This is a business account, so we don't have the same packages. But we have the separate "RSN" sports package, which previously had FSN Houston and FS Southwest. Now it shows Root SW and FS SW, but only 676/FS works. Root appears in the guide, but it will not allow me in.

Can you confirm that 674 is available on a standard D12 receiver on 101 satellite? If that proves true, then it HAS to be an authorization issue and nothing else.

 

If that is what the tables on this site say then that is where it's at. Also if you are getting not authorized then it should be able to be received.

Call back tomorrow during the day and ask for the access card department.

Or send an email via the web form on their site (follow my signature link to get a link to that page) to the office of the president explaining your issue and they will get back to you and get it fixed. But I'd start with the access card department.