Could anyone clarify NBA blackout rules for me?

[SFkings]

I'm looking for a straight answer and appreciate your guys' help in advance.

I live in San Mateo County and have Dish Network. The Sacramento Kings vs. Nets game was broadcasted on NBA TV but was blacked out. The game was also broadcasted on the CSN-CA Alternate channel but was ALSO blacked out. If the RSN channel was not going to broadcast the game, shouldn't it have been shown on NBA TV?

I just can't seem to figure it out.

 

[Dudleydog73]

In my experience what that is telling me is that it is broadcast on a local station. Did you use Game Finder to see where it was available for you? You should have been able to watch it on at least one channel you receive.

 

[SFkings]

In my experience what that is telling me is that it is broadcast on a local station. Did you use Game Finder to see where it was available for you? You should have been able to watch it on at least one channel you receive.

I did check and it said that it should have been televised on the CSN-CA Alternate.

 

[ChadT41]

It's possible it was just blacked out in your area. Couldn't give you more info, as I don't watch basketball, but that could be it.

 

[malt]

I've got a question on this subject. I live in southern Milwaukee County and I get CSN-Chicago. I am able to see the Blackhawks, Sox, and Cubs, but the Bulls games are not available to me. Does the NBA have different rules? Also, we went to check out a new Costco last night, in a different zip code, but not closer to Chicago. A rep from Directv was there and he approached us. He had a TV hooked up and the Bulls game was on CSN-Chicago. Is it possible that the Bulls games are on Directv, but not shown on Dish?

 

[ChadT41]

When going for the games, did you check the SD version as well?

 

[malt]

When going for the games, did you check the SD version as well?

I did, and it wasn't on.

 

[Claude Greiner]

I've got a question on this subject. I live in southern Milwaukee County and I get CSN-Chicago. I am able to see the Blackhawks, Sox, and Cubs, but the Bulls games are not available to me. Does the NBA have different rules? Also, we went to check out a new Costco last night, in a different zip code, but not closer to Chicago. A rep from Directv was there and he approached us. He had a TV hooked up and the Bulls game was on CSN-Chicago. Is it possible that the Bulls games are on Directv, but not shown on Dish?

There are a few exceptions.

Could be possible that the rep from Directv had a receiver tied to a different address or zip code.

Also the demo boxes also get all the sports channels such as nfl ticket

 

[zippyfrog]

I know this is a Dish question, but since Dish doesn't have a tool like this, I go to Directv. Granted, contracts between the two different companies might allow for slightly different results, but for the most part they are the same since the blackout rules are determined by the leagues/teams.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/functionalPageIF.jsp?assetId=cms_sports_lookup

If you go to the Directv RSN tool and enter in your zipcode, you can see what sport teams on a specific RSN are available to you. I just picked a random zipcode at the southern end of Milwaukee County - zipcode 53134. When you do the search, you see the teams you get on CSN Chicago are Cubs, Sox, and Hawks but not the Bulls. My guess is that the area is claimed by the Bucks, as they are available on FS North, and not the Bulls, and there is some NBA rule there why you can't see it.

Dish used to have a portion of their site where there were maps where you could see where each team was viewable. I can't find that page there anymore...The may was colored in for where each team was viewable.

 

[ChadT41]

I know this is a Dish question, but since Dish doesn't have a tool like this, I go to Directv. Granted, contracts between the two different companies might allow for slightly different results, but for the most part they are the same since the blackout rules are determined by the leagues/teams.

http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global/functionalPageIF.jsp?assetId=cms_sports_lookup

If you go to the Directv RSN tool and enter in your zipcode, you can see what sport teams on a specific RSN are available to you. I just picked a random zipcode at the southern end of Milwaukee County - zipcode 53134. When you do the search, you see the teams you get on CSN Chicago are Cubs, Sox, and Hawks but not the Bulls. My guess is that the area is claimed by the Bucks, as they are available on FS North, and not the Bulls, and there is some NBA rule there why you can't see it.

Dish used to have a portion of their site where there were maps where you could see where each team was viewable. I can't find that page there anymore...The may was colored in for where each team was viewable.

Do you mean like this:
https://www.mydish.com/upgrades/local
Or like this:
https://www.mydish.com/gamefinder

 

[zippyfrog]

Here is the page I was looking for - but going through the internet archives. I can't find it on the current Dish Network site.

https://web.archive.org/web/20110901205211/http://www.dishnetwork.com/SupportSection/nba-patterns

 

[Bobby]

Here is the page I was looking for - but going through the internet archives. I can't find it on the current Dish Network site.

https://web.archive.org/web/20110901205211/http://www.dishnetwork.com/SupportSection/nba-patterns

It would appear that those maps are no longer available. The Game Finder tool is oriented to your particular Zip Code today.....

 

[malt]

Thanks for all the responses. When we were at Costco, the Directv rep did tell me that the service was set for the local zip code, which is about 15 miles further from Chicago than I am. And he also showed me that the channel we were watching was CSN-Chicago. If he got the game through NBA League Pass, or some sports pack, maybe the channel would still show as CSN-Chicago? I really don't know. I've seen the rsn tools for my zip code on Dish and Directv, and neither one shows the Bulls. It's strange that I'm in the Chicago market for MLB and NHL, but not NBA. Oh well.

 

[boxmaninohky]

I had the same problem when I lived in southern Dayton,Ohio. Dish network blacked out all Cavs games while people with DirecTV and Time Warner got all their games.I wrote to The Cavs and they said Cavs games shouldn't have been blacked out at all on any system in SW Ohif course Dish network customer service was no help to me...

 

[ttomni6]

Judging by a search of past DISH Forum threads, the reasons for sports blackouts have stymied everyone for years.

One thread (dealing mainly with NHL blackouts) of interest is here:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/xen/threads/sports-blackout-craziness.281847/page-2
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Of particular interest was a posting by GaryPen (quoting here):
I do seem to remember some talk about tiered zones for various teams' broadcast areas, with larger areas costing more. Of course, Dish would choose the cheapest possible one, if that were the case, meaning smaller broadcast areas within a larger blackout zones.
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This is interesting for me because here in Hawaii our designated RSN's are various California Bay Area and Southern California stations. Talking only NHL here to use as an example, our designated RSN's cover The LA Kings, Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks. This year the only team that is NOT blacked out on the RSN's is the LA Kings (last season it was the Anaheim Ducks that was not blacked out). All these teams RSN games are available in the clear on both Time Warner and Direct TV in this area.

If any of these teams are being televised on NHLN or NBCSN (providing those networks do not have exclusive rights for those games), the game is blacked out on the national broadcast as well. NHLN and NBCSN are basically saying "you need to watch the game on your RSN" but the RSN on DISH is blacked out.

Further confusing the issue is that the above would indicate that these teams are considered to be in our local market here on Maui BUT the games are in the clear on NHL Center Ice which would seem to indicate that these teams are actually "out of market".

This all lends credibility to the point brought up by GaryPen quoted above concerning "tiered zones" in a particular blackout area.