The people have spoken and DirecTV is listening.
In a direct response to criticism in the July 2 issue of The Times, DirecTV will change its policy regard ing SportsNet New York coverage as soon as the end of this week, according to Robert Mercer, the di rector of public relations for DirecTV, Inc.
"SNY will now be available to DirecTV customers as an in-market service in the same zip codes it is available to Cablevision of Hamil ton customers," said Mercer in a correspondence with The Times last night. "This means all of the SNY programming that used to be blacked out, like live games and re broadcasts of Mets games, will now be available on SNY in these zip codes."
One of appeals of DirecTV is its MLB Extra Innings package, which offers as many as a dozen out-of- market games per day. Until this change in policy, this meant that Mets games were only available on a live basis and not in rebroad casts, either in complete form, abridged (through the Fast For ward segment) or Mets Classics.
Mercer noted that the change in policy will not adversely effect Mets coverage in any way.
"DirecTV will continue to offer MLB Extra Innings in those zip codes and the Mets will continue to be available on MLB Extra Innings in those zip codes."
Sunday Ticket still exclusive to DirecTV
In a related note, The Times was in error in the July 2 issue in noting that the NFL Sunday Ticket package is available under any other subscription.
DirecTV is the sole source of the NFL Sunday Ticket package through 2010.
Fox, TBS ink $3 billion deal
PITTSBURGH -- First-round playoff games will be shown only on cable starting next season as part of baseball's new seven-year television deal with Fox and TBS, a total package worth almost $3 billion.
Turner Broadcasting System also will televise 26 regular-season Sunday games in 2007 while even tually cutting back on its nationwide Atlanta Braves coverage.
The World Series, All-Star games and Saturday afternoon telecasts remain on Fox through 2013, as does one of the league championship series. The other LCS -- alternating between AL and NL each year -- is still up for bidding.
There is a chance, too, that TBS could benefit from the deal even sooner. The network will show all division and wild-card tiebreaker games, starting this year.
So if the Boston Red Sox and Yankees finish even in the AL East this October and just one playoff spot remains, for example, TBS gets the game.
"Don't make me start dreaming," Turner Sports president David Levy said. "I'm looking for a lot of ties."
Levy said it was too early to speculate which announcers TBS might want for its national games. He also said the network might "tinker with Braves" telecasts later this season to try out different camera angles and graphics packages for next season.
"We've always wanted to be a player in the postseason market," he said.
Turner began showing Braves games locally on WTBS in 1973, then took them national via satellite four years later.
TBS will show 70 Braves games nationally next year, then 45 per season locally through 2013. Up to 13 of those Atlanta games can be shown on TBS' Sunday package.
"Turner Sports has long been familiar to baseball fans, and we are excited that their coverage will now extend to all of our clubs dur ing the regular season," commis sioner Bud Selig said.
http://www.nj.com/sports/times/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1152677288181151.xml&coll=5
In a direct response to criticism in the July 2 issue of The Times, DirecTV will change its policy regard ing SportsNet New York coverage as soon as the end of this week, according to Robert Mercer, the di rector of public relations for DirecTV, Inc.
"SNY will now be available to DirecTV customers as an in-market service in the same zip codes it is available to Cablevision of Hamil ton customers," said Mercer in a correspondence with The Times last night. "This means all of the SNY programming that used to be blacked out, like live games and re broadcasts of Mets games, will now be available on SNY in these zip codes."
One of appeals of DirecTV is its MLB Extra Innings package, which offers as many as a dozen out-of- market games per day. Until this change in policy, this meant that Mets games were only available on a live basis and not in rebroad casts, either in complete form, abridged (through the Fast For ward segment) or Mets Classics.
Mercer noted that the change in policy will not adversely effect Mets coverage in any way.
"DirecTV will continue to offer MLB Extra Innings in those zip codes and the Mets will continue to be available on MLB Extra Innings in those zip codes."
Sunday Ticket still exclusive to DirecTV
In a related note, The Times was in error in the July 2 issue in noting that the NFL Sunday Ticket package is available under any other subscription.
DirecTV is the sole source of the NFL Sunday Ticket package through 2010.
Fox, TBS ink $3 billion deal
PITTSBURGH -- First-round playoff games will be shown only on cable starting next season as part of baseball's new seven-year television deal with Fox and TBS, a total package worth almost $3 billion.
Turner Broadcasting System also will televise 26 regular-season Sunday games in 2007 while even tually cutting back on its nationwide Atlanta Braves coverage.
The World Series, All-Star games and Saturday afternoon telecasts remain on Fox through 2013, as does one of the league championship series. The other LCS -- alternating between AL and NL each year -- is still up for bidding.
There is a chance, too, that TBS could benefit from the deal even sooner. The network will show all division and wild-card tiebreaker games, starting this year.
So if the Boston Red Sox and Yankees finish even in the AL East this October and just one playoff spot remains, for example, TBS gets the game.
"Don't make me start dreaming," Turner Sports president David Levy said. "I'm looking for a lot of ties."
Levy said it was too early to speculate which announcers TBS might want for its national games. He also said the network might "tinker with Braves" telecasts later this season to try out different camera angles and graphics packages for next season.
"We've always wanted to be a player in the postseason market," he said.
Turner began showing Braves games locally on WTBS in 1973, then took them national via satellite four years later.
TBS will show 70 Braves games nationally next year, then 45 per season locally through 2013. Up to 13 of those Atlanta games can be shown on TBS' Sunday package.
"Turner Sports has long been familiar to baseball fans, and we are excited that their coverage will now extend to all of our clubs dur ing the regular season," commis sioner Bud Selig said.
http://www.nj.com/sports/times/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1152677288181151.xml&coll=5
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