[DLite]

On Sunday, the Lakers-Sonics game was on our local affiliate station, (local channel 9 here in LA). This station is in SD, but I was psyched to see the game would be broadcast in HD on channel 95. When game time rolled around, channel 95 was blacked out, saying "program not available in your area."
I could still watch it in SD on channel 9, but they teased me with the HD!

So, what if anything do I need to do in order to see the HD broadcast? If I had League Pass, could I have watched it then? If not, what's the story with blacking out the HD broadcast in the home market?

 

[ruesch37]

On Sunday, the Lakers-Sonics game was on our local affiliate station, (local channel 9 here in LA). This station is in SD, but I was psyched to see the game would be broadcast in HD on channel 95. When game time rolled around, channel 95 was blacked out, saying "program not available in your area."
I could still watch it in SD on channel 9, but they teased me with the HD!

So, what if anything do I need to do in order to see the HD broadcast? If I had League Pass, could I have watched it then? If not, what's the story with blacking out the HD broadcast in the home market?

I had the same problem with the Bulls-Bucks NBA game- I got it on my local RSN in SD but it blacked out the HD feed on Channel 95.

 

[Jeremy W]

That's how blackouts work.

 

[DLite]

That's how blackouts work.

I apologize if this is obvious to you, but it isn't to me. Why should the HD broadcast be blacked out when the SD isn't? It doesn't seem to work that way for, e.g., NFL or MLB games, which are often available to their local markets in both SD and HD.

What exactly are the blackout rules in play here?

 

[Jeremy W]

The HD broadcast was blacked out because it was produced by NBA TV, and since KCAL has the LA rights to the Lakers games, they can and will have it blacked out when it's also being shown on ESPN or NBA TV. This will (usually) include both the SD and HD channels.

 

[DLite]

Makes sense.

Thanks for the explanation. :grin:

 

[Jeremy W]

Glad I could help. I personally believe that if a local station is only showing a game in SD and it's being shown nationally in HD, they should not be able to blackout the national HD channel. But that's not the way it works.

 

[Slyster]

OTA will fix this eh?

 

[Jeremy W]

OTA will fix this eh?

No, if the game isn't produced locally in HD, then you're not getting it in HD locally. OTA or not.

 

[celticpride]

remember it was an away game being played AT seattle, therfore all laker road games are televised on the SD channel 9. when te lakers play at home the games are on fox sports west channel 652, and those are the games that may be shown in HD on channel 95,as well as the laker games shown in HD on ESPN and TNT.

 

[plehrack]

I agree, it was KCAL's game and that is why the FSNHD broadcast was blacked out. The million dollar questions is why is KCAL not broadcasting in HD.

Peter

 

[Jeremy W]

The million dollar questions is why is KCAL not broadcasting in HD.

That is a good question. WMYD, who broadcasts Pistons games, does them in HD. Better team, better technology, I guess!

 

[GoLaLakers]

That is a good question. WMYD, who broadcasts Pistons games, does them in HD. Better team, better technology, I guess!

The Lakers are the #1 franchise in Basketball, as far as ratings go. KCAL has the absolute worst picture quality for there road games. I really hope they start going to HD soon. The SD picture quality is decent on Fox Sports, and there will be select Laker home games shown in HD. I believe this Friday's game against Detroit is on on channel 96. I just wished that KCAL would get there act together. Even the Clipper games on KTLA Channel 5 are in HD, but we need OTA to be activated before we can start watching them in HD again.

 

[Jeremy W]

I believe this Friday's game against Detroit is on on channel 96.

Fox Sports Detroit is doing it in HD, so you'll probably have it in HD as well.

 

[dwenn]

I know people in the NYC are where having problems with YES blackouts.
I live in Upstate NY but my "home teams" are YES MSG FSNY and SNY.
Tonight I do get the Nets on YES HD on 95. Everyone else getting it?

 

[gpg]

Tonight we got the Nets on 95 and 96, but the picture on 96 (MPEG4) was horrible!

The late NBALP game on 95 is blacked out in the NYC area, so things are still messed up.

 

[paulman182]

I know this is an old thread, but last night I tried to watch some of the Bulls/Mavericks game on 640, Comcast Sports Chicago. The message said I did not subscribe to that channel, but I do, having TCP. I've watched other things on it, too.

I thought the game might be somewhere else and therefore blacked out on 640, but could not find it.

Right now I'm thinking about getting back into watching the NBA, but this happening worries me. Is League Pass a necessity?

EDIT: I now notice this thread is devoted to HD. I've got HD, too, but could not find the game in HD or SD. Anyone know if there was any way for me to see it?

 

[DCSholtis]

Unless you sub to League Pass the answer is no.

 

[bonscott87]

The sports pack gets you all the regional sports channels out of market but the vast majority of professional sports on them are blacked out. The NBA and NHL want you (well, force you) to buy their premium package to get the games. So if you want to watch the Bulls out of market you need NBA league pass to get it. Sport Channel Chicago will do you no good.

 

[paulman182]

Thanks, guys, for the info.

The availability of NBA had nothing to do with my selection of programming, but I was just thinking, if they are there anyway, I might watch some of the games. The NBA gametimes are pretty friendly to my schedule.

D*'s website specifically mentions the Bulls as being available on 640 in their package descriptions, by the way. Maybe they don't mean games, but coaches shows and commentary...