ESPN2 game not available

[patrickosu]

According to ESPN the OSU/North IL game was to be on ESPN2 or ABC depending on where you live. I'm in Denver, so according to ESPN the OSU game should have been on ESPN2. The Nebraska game was on ABC and when i turned to ESPN2 I got an error stating "this program is not available in your area." The guide said the Nebraska game was to be on ESPN2. I called Dish and after 20 minutes on the phone, they were no help. I tried explaining that it made no sense that the same game would be on both channels. They insisted all their tools showed what I was seeing. Any idea on what happened? How do I get through support to point out their massive error?

I ended up watching it on my laptop...

 

[boba]

According to ESPN the OSU/North IL game was to be on ESPN2 or ABC depending on where you live. I'm in Denver, so according to ESPN the OSU game should have been on ESPN2. The Nebraska game was on ABC and when i turned to ESPN2 I got an error stating "this program is not available in your area." The guide said the Nebraska game was to be on ESPN2. I called Dish and after 20 minutes on the phone, they were no help. I tried explaining that it made no sense that the same game would be on both channels. They insisted all their tools showed what I was seeing. Any idea on what happened? How do I get through support to point out their massive error?

I ended up watching it on my laptop...

Well you can always cancel your subscription?

 

[Bobby]

I was able to watch each game on their respective channels. Not sure why you were having issues. I have an Apple TV along with an iPad. I had a deal a few weeks back where a Pac12 game went way past time and the game I wanted to watch was going to be shown on Pac12 LA. I used my iPad to access the game and mirrored it onto my big screen. Success!!!

 

[stejamand]

When that happens, there are two ESPN alternate channels in the 140s that carry the other ESPN2/ABC game. I saw this game on my guide in there.

 

[dennispap]

It was probably on one of the alternate channels. Did you use the search function of one of the teams?

 

[SamCdbs]

How do I get through support to point out their massive error?
.

With all due respect, the "massive error" was your own.

We have this question every year, often multiple times per year, for both DISH and DirecTV.

Here is the deal in detail.

Disney has a contract with the Big 10 that in most cases requires it to do a "reverse mirror" of its games. That means one game will be on ABC and one on ESPN or ESPN2, on a regional basis.

Now, on cable, it is easy. The cable company just flicks a switch and whatever channel ESPN2 is on that system shows the appropriate game. Nobody notices. DBS cannot do that, because it is a nationwide system. So it uses alternate channels. The regular ESPN2 channel will have one game, and will be blacked out in markets where the ABC is also carrying that same game, and an ALTERNATE CHANNEL will have the other game and likewise be blacked out in reverse of the other game.

You got both games. You just did not look for the ALTERNATE CHANNEL of ESPN2.

 

[patrickosu]

Thanks for the explanation...it never occurred to me to search for the game. On the phone with support it sounded like they were searching for the game. I'm not sure how...they were not finding it.

If this is a mistake on my part, isn't it a massive mistake on part of the customer service rep?

 

[patrickosu]

One other question....the Dish Anywhere app showed the game was not available. Does this mean that it doesn't recognize that the game might be on alternate channels?

 

[ChadT41]

The tool the reps have will actually be the same one you have access to. Go to mydish.com and in the search bar, search game finder.

 

[Hall]

Dish isn't always quick about guide updates so searching may have been futile. You could try but it would be just as easy (in the future) to simply change to those alternate ESPN channels and see what's showing up. Right now, on ESPNA-144, the guide says "Subject to programmer's change" yet there is a WNBA game on.

 

[dishcomm]

According to ESPN the OSU/North IL game was to be on ESPN2 or ABC depending on where you live. I'm in Denver, so according to ESPN the OSU game should have been on ESPN2. The Nebraska game was on ABC and when i turned to ESPN2 I got an error stating "this program is not available in your area." The guide said the Nebraska game was to be on ESPN2. I called Dish and after 20 minutes on the phone, they were no help. I tried explaining that it made no sense that the same game would be on both channels. They insisted all their tools showed what I was seeing. Any idea on what happened? How do I get through support to point out their massive error?

I ended up watching it on my laptop...

When calling Dish about sports game scheduling, you may as well be talking to a wall.

 

[ChadT41]

When calling Dish about sports game scheduling, you may as well be talking to a wall.

Refer to post #9. 99/100 they do not have anymore information on the event then we have access to. It's not talking to a wall, it's relating available information. If a last minute switch, it is likely not to get updated as it is the weekend and for short periods of time(3-4 hours per game). So, using the game finder and Google will be the best solutions to this problem in the future, as those are the very tools Dish CSRs use.

 

[ChadT41]

I'll say it another way too. Use your best judgement... You don't really want someone beating you up at work because your boss didn't deliver trivial information last minute. They don't either... THe angrier people get, the less the reps want to help them anyways. Sounds bad, but it truly is human nature. Be respectful with the reps, and you guys can agree on how much the bosses need to deliver. So best judgement, and use tools provided.

 

[Dudleydog73]

With all due respect, the "massive error" was your own.

You got both games. You just did not look for the ALTERNATE CHANNEL of ESPN2.

Half true. We got both games but the alternate channel game was in SD and damn near unwatchable. I was looking for the OSU game as well and completely gave up using the Dish receiver.

 

[Bruce]

Reading this thread I have come up with a very simple solution, get a Roku, the Watch ESPN app on there has every alternate channeL ( games) , not just two but a lot and in HD

 

[king3pj]

Well you can always cancel your subscription?

This is one of the most unhelpful posts I have ever seen. A new member came to the site looking for help. Either answer the question or move on. There is no reason to be a troll.

With all due respect, the "massive error" was your own.

We have this question every year, often multiple times per year, for both DISH and DirecTV.

Here is the deal in detail.

Disney has a contract with the Big 10 that in most cases requires it to do a "reverse mirror" of its games. That means one game will be on ABC and one on ESPN or ESPN2, on a regional basis.

Now, on cable, it is easy. The cable company just flicks a switch and whatever channel ESPN2 is on that system shows the appropriate game. Nobody notices. DBS cannot do that, because it is a nationwide system. So it uses alternate channels. The regular ESPN2 channel will have one game, and will be blacked out in markets where the ABC is also carrying that same game, and an ALTERNATE CHANNEL will have the other game and likewise be blacked out in reverse of the other game.

You got both games. You just did not look for the ALTERNATE CHANNEL of ESPN2.

You are absolutely correct in the reasoning for why he couldn't find his game. It's a good explanation. However, if it's such a common problem that people come here to ask about it every year is it really his fault?

Like you said, cable doesn't have this issue so people who recently switched to satellite wouldn't know to look for an alternate channel.

If Dish would post some kind of message saying to turn to the ESPN 2 alternate channel and provide a channel number when they try to watch a game that is blacked out on the regular ESPN 2 channel so many people wouldn't have this problem. Better yet, just have the Hopper automatically switch to the ESPN 2 ALT channel when necessary. The current system where they just tell you the game is blacked out with no explanation isn't very helpful.

 

[ChadT41]

This is one of the most unhelpful posts I have ever seen. A new member came to the site looking for help. Either answer the question or move on. There is no reason to be a troll.



You are absolutely correct in the reasoning for why he couldn't find his game. It's a good explanation. However, if it's such a common problem that people come here to ask about it every year is it really his fault?

Like you said, cable doesn't have this issue so people who recently switched to satellite wouldn't know to look for an alternate channel.

If Dish would post some kind of message saying to turn to the ESPN 2 alternate channel and provide a channel number when they try to watch a game that is blacked out on the regular ESPN 2 channel so many people wouldn't have this problem. Better yet, just have the Hopper automatically switch to the ESPN 2 ALT channel when necessary. The current system where they just tell you the game is blacked out with no explanation isn't very helpful.

Gotta disagree with that last part. People are already mad about dish tuning their receiver.

 

[king3pj]

Gotta disagree with that last part. People are already mad about dish tuning their receiver.

I don't see how customers would be pissed at a system that automatically switches to the game on ESPN 2 ALT when the one on ESPN 2 is blacked out. I can't imagine that they would rather watch the blackout message on ESPN 2 that doesn't even mention where they can find their game.

Edit: I think it's much more likely that they would get mad when their game is blacked out and they don't know why just like the OP in this thread, especially since the game is actually available to them. It's just on an ALT channel they have never watched before.

 

[ChadT41]

People are pissed when it changes to their most watched channel when they turn on the tv. People do not like the idea that they are being monitored.

 

[king3pj]

People are pissed when it changes to their most watched channel when they turn on the tv. People do not like the idea that they are being monitored.

This is a completely different situation than that. What I am suggesting is have the Hopper automatically switch to ESPN 2 ALT when someone actively selected ESPN 2 from the guide when it happened to be blacked out. It would be just like how the receiver automatically switches to the SD channel when the HD one has no signal due to rain fade. It wouldn't randomly switch to ESPN 2 ALT when you are trying to watch HBO.