Sunday NFL TICKET Blackouts continue...

[Markman07]

This has been a big issue the last few years. As some of you remember if your local affiliate carries a game then the NFL Sunday Ticket doesn't show that game. Sucks if early games go long or if the local network switches a game on you. Basically we were at times getting blacked out of large parts of the game we wanted to watch.

So the good news it seemed came last year..

Quote From Last Year CNNSI - Full Story from Last OCT. 20, 2005.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/dr_z/10/19/overusing.rbs/index.html

"Great news for DirecTV fans. In a blind fury because Sunday's Miami-Tampa Bay game was pre-empted by CBS (to bring us the end of Pittsburgh-Jacksonville) and then not made available on the dish right away, resulting in a total blackout, I started making my usual round of maniac calls. The NFL's Director of Media Services and Technology, Seth Palansky, told me the following:

"Next year there will be no more blackouts. As a service to the fans who own satellite dishes, they will be able to pick up all games on the dish, even those that are carried nationally or in their own area by network TV." Yaaaay! (If it really happens.)"

The bad news it appears...From the Directv website and other NFL Sunday ticket pamphlets - I have noticed this in the small text.

"However, games broadcast by your local FOX or CBS affiliate will not be available in NFL SUNDAY TICKET"

So HERE we go again.....

[l2bengtrek]

oooooooooh....BIG CHANGE!

[cowboys2002]

Conflicting/confusing rules.

The main reason I axed NFLST last year. No teams in Los Angeles should equal no blackouts. The NFL said otherwise.

Now living in Texas, I suspect the Cowboys and Texans games will be on regular TV.

Result, I'll save my $299 again this year!

[untouchable]

It's all about a pre determined area..if the raiders or 49ers are "considered" to be your team, and of course they don't sell out, then you can and probably will get blacked out. With baseball it is a nightmare...George is ALWAYS blacking out the Yankees games...But, blackouts don't happen very often in football...I am sure we will all still be able to see the games...if you have superfan, there is game mix...then you can watch the game on short cuts..so there are other options...of course, with game mix, it's not full screen...but you're seeing more than what you would be if the game were "blacked out"...and oh yeah, the statement in the article doesn't say anything about all the games being on Sunday Ticket channels and your local affiliate...it just says that you will get them...which means that it will be like it was before, but if CBS calls up DirecTV and says "hey, switch from this Tampa Bay game so we can focus on showing the Steelers" then they will make the game available on NFL ST channels...but you're not gonna get the same game on ST and locals...maybe for the first half..that's all I've ever noticed.

[SDK 009]

Actually, untouchable, last year when the Raiders'games were blacked out locally, the ST mix channel that had that game was also blacked out.
MLB's policy is worse, since they will not allow MLBEI to show the opposing team's telecast when the in-market team is not televising the game.

[ebonovic]

Not surprising, as that would then be a "loop hole" in the blackout coverage clauses the NFL has with the broadcasters.

I do think it is a lame rule that games are blacked if the game isn't 75% (or what is the percentage) sold out two days before the game....

Don't blame Sunday Ticket or DirecTV... is the NFL that created the package, controls the broadcasting rights, ect.... Sure Sunday Ticket is synomous with DirecTV, but that is just because pays $$$$$$$$$$ for the exclusive rights to it, and protects it like a "Crown Jewel" (which it is)

[ebonovic]

Actually, untouchable, last year when the Raiders'games were blacked out locally, the ST mix channel that had that game was also blacked out.
MLB's policy is worse, since they will not allow MLBEI to show the opposing team's telecast when the in-market team is not televising the game.

Sports Mix is almost useless during baseball season... constantly blacked out.

[Sparky]

What if you have DIRECTV TITANIUM, they had better NOT!!!

[tnedator]

What if you have DIRECTV TITANIUM, they had better NOT!!!

It would be. The blackouts are at the NFL, MLB, Etc. level, not at DirecTV's discretion.

[ScoHo]

This is a confusing issue, because there are actually two types of blackouts that they are talking about. One is when the local team doesn't sell enough tickets, and the game is blacked out in that whole area. I would be very surprised if the NFL would allow Directv to broadcast these games for Sunday Ticket customers. EVER. The other blackout is just when a game is broadcast on one of your local affiliates, the game would be "blacked out" from Sunday Ticket, so you would have to watch the game through your local affiliate (and not in the 700's of Sunday Ticket). My guess is that if there will be any changes, this is what they will change and they will still air locally broadcasted games in the 700's. The only advantage I see in this is for when you want to record the game. There were a couple of times I set the Tivo to record a game, but then got nothing because at the last minute they changed the local game and it ended up being broadcast on my local FOX.

[bonscott87]

Correct.

1) Blackout #1 - Non-sellout. This will not change. Ever. Unless the owners decide to allow it. And I highly doubt that. Note this is not a DirecTV or Sunday Ticket thing. It's an NFL rule that the game cannot be carried in the zip codes deemed as the "home market" (usually about 90 miles from the stadium) if the game isn't sold out at a certain %. ST gets caught up in the wash because you are in the zip code. Lucky for me I live 150 miles from the nearest NFL city so I never get non-sellout blackouts.

2) Blackout #2 - Sometimes referred to as a "Brownout". This is an NFL rule imposed on DirecTV for Sunday Ticket. If a game is shown on your local affiliate (no matter how you get it or even if you can get it, it's by zip code) then that game will be blacked out on ST. This is the blackout that was talked about in the above article as well as Dr. Z with sport illustrated. Now many have speculated that this type of blackout will be done away with for the new ST contract with starts *next year - 07*. If we get a repreive this year or not we'll find out in September because nobody is going to say.