ESPN Blackout of MLB Games

[slocoma]

Why do all the Phillies games on ESPN get blacked out in my area? I live in Erie, PA... no where near Shea or CBP. But I've had both Phillies home and away games blacked out that are on ESPN or ESPN2, last year included.

I've heard that the Phillies games get blackedout in the entire state.

Any other teams have this problem?

 

[Buzzdar]

Are those games available anywhere locally? on any local tv station?

 

[slocoma]

No.

 

[JonUrban]

It sucks. It's because the Phillies "claim" your area. Now, this has nothing to do with the fact that your local cable or satellite service does or does not carry the Phillies broadcast, it's just cut and dry.

Same thing happens here in Eastern CT. The local cable company does not carry YES or SNY, so even though I cannot get Mets or Yankees games on YES, SNY, Ch 11 or Ch 5, any game that is on ESPN/ESPN2 that's not "cleared" (Sunday Night) gets blacked out.

Since I have Dish, I can still watch the Mets, but if I were a Yankee fan, I'd be eff'ed. Same thing applies for you with the Phillies.

SOMEDAY we'll be able to just buy a teams games no matter where we live. However, we'll all be dead by then................

 

[slocoma]

It sucks. It's because the Phillies "claim" your area. Now, this has nothing to do with the fact that your local cable or satellite service does or does not carry the Phillies broadcast, it's just cut and dry.

Same thing happens here in Eastern CT. The local cable company does not carry YES or SNY, so even though I cannot get Mets or Yankees games on YES, SNY, Ch 11 or Ch 5, any game that is on ESPN/ESPN2 that's not "cleared" (Sunday Night) gets blacked out.

Since I have Dish, I can still watch the Mets, but if I were a Yankee fan, I'd be eff'ed. Same thing applies for you with the Phillies.

SOMEDAY we'll be able to just buy a teams games no matter where we live. However, we'll all be dead by then................

Last year I called MLB, or Dish, or ESPN (can't remember) and they told me my local teams were the Pirates and Indians (each is about 2 hours away) and never mentioned the Phillies. Dish also told me ESPN is the one that tells Dish not to broadcast here. It doesn't make ANY sense. Especially since it's an AWAY game. Not that it makes any sense for home games either since Philly is 400 miles away from Erie.

 

[Trainnut]

Last year I called MLB, or Dish, or ESPN (can't remember) and they told me my local teams were the Pirates and Indians (each is about 2 hours away) and never mentioned the Phillies. Dish also told me ESPN is the one that tells Dish not to broadcast here. It doesn't make ANY sense. Especially since it's an AWAY game. Not that it makes any sense for home games either since Philly is 400 miles away from Erie.

I feel your pain my friend, I live in Bradford PA and ran into the same problem last year. Just tuned to ESPN2 and I see we have the same problem this year. The ESPN blackout is totally controlled by ESPN and MLB. I talked to David Montgomery with the Phillie's last year and he claims they aren't happy with EPSN and MLB. This is a classic example with folks that get peaved at D* and E* because of blackouts. They really do have no contol. The real kicker here is if you subscribe to both MLB EI or MLB.TV we would not be blacked out! MLB & ESPN gotta love this....blackout info is propietary, won't disclose to customers, Attorney General of PA won't get involved, customer has ZERO recourse.

 

[Islandguy43]

It sucks. It's because the Phillies "claim" your area. Now, this has nothing to do with the fact that your local cable or satellite service does or does not carry the Phillies broadcast, it's just cut and dry.

Same thing happens here in Eastern CT. The local cable company does not carry YES or SNY, so even though I cannot get Mets or Yankees games on YES, SNY, Ch 11 or Ch 5, any game that is on ESPN/ESPN2 that's not "cleared" (Sunday Night) gets blacked out.

Since I have Dish, I can still watch the Mets, but if I were a Yankee fan, I'd be eff'ed. Same thing applies for you with the Phillies.

SOMEDAY we'll be able to just buy a teams games no matter where we live. However, we'll all be dead by then................

I know exactly what you mean. I am pretty much out of luck getting Yankees or Blue Jays game, because I am supposedly in their home territory. What makes matter even worse, is the fact if you sub to MLB online edition of Extra Innings, you can't get the Yanks or Jays games on that venture either due to MLB blackout rules.

E* being so stubborn not to get YES in any form, is gonna force me over to D* or TWC soon, whereas both will give me locals in HD, the Yanks, and Sabres games in HD on MSG, where E* hasn't even got that capabilities yet for me.

 

[mccoyrj]

I don't understand why they blackout a game when the team is playing away. Right now I'm watching the Reds play the Brewers in Milwaukee, and not only can I not see the game on my Fox locals, but even Fox Wisconsin is blacked out. I'm getting around their arses by watching the Fox Wisconsin feed on MLB Game Mix - a little small but I can hear the game.

 

[brooklynob1]

ya i had that problem the other night yanks sox game was blacked out on espn 2 but dish dont have YES so espn is the only channel i can see yanks games on. dont understand why it would be blacked out though

 

[Trainnut]

ya i had that problem the other night yanks sox game was blacked out on espn 2 but dish dont have YES so espn is the only channel i can see yanks games on. dont understand why it would be blacked out though

Even though Dish doesn't carry YES, YES still owns the trasmission rights in your area. Yes is available in that market.