Local channels?

[pitpens]

Hello, I'm new to this forum. I just bought Direct TV a month ago, and I'm not really happy with it.

I bought the Fox Sports package so I could watch the Pirates and Penguins on Fox Sports Pittsburgh, but all of the games are blacked out. That did not make me happy.

I got Sunday Package to make sure I can see all the Steelers games.

I live in New Jersey and get Philly local channels, is there anyway to get local Pittsburgh channels? I would pay extra, but Direct TV said they can not do that.

Thanks for any assistance with my dilemma.

 

[Ganthet]

Sorry, but legally DirecTV can only give you the locals of the city in wich you live. I think it's a FCC rule. I think the only way you can get your out-of-market hockey and baseball games is to buy the NHL Center Ice & MLB Extra Innings packages.

 

[Greg Bimson]

pitpens, you've fallen into the trap that quite a few people have believed: that satellite will get you more and varied programming for less money.

The only way to see Pittsburgh Penguins games while living in Jersey is to purchase NHL Centre Ice.

The only way to see Pittsburgh Pirates games while living in Jersey is to purchase MLB Extra Innings.

And you've already figured out the only way to get the Steelers for every game is to purchase NFL Sunday Ticket.

As Ganthet pointed out, DirecTV will not sell you Pittsburgh local channels while living in New Jersey. Besides, it is impossible, as the beam that carries the Pittsburgh channels does not reach New Jersey. The law only allows the satellite companies to resell in-market channels. Since you are in the Philly market, you are authorized only for Philly channels.

The Sports Pack is for timeshifting of Fox Sports programming, as well as a few other channels like Fox Soccer and Gol TV. In Southern New Jersey, it nets you NO sports programming from MLB, NBA and NHL.

 

[pitpens]

pitpens, you've fallen into the trap that quite a few people have believed: that satellite will get you more and varied programming for less money.

The only way to see Pittsburgh Penguins games while living in Jersey is to purchase NHL Centre Ice.

The only way to see Pittsburgh Pirates games while living in Jersey is to purchase MLB Extra Innings.

And you've already figured out the only way to get the Steelers for every game is to purchase NFL Sunday Ticket.

As Ganthet pointed out, DirecTV will not sell you Pittsburgh local channels while living in New Jersey. Besides, it is impossible, as the beam that carries the Pittsburgh channels does not reach New Jersey. The law only allows the satellite companies to resell in-market channels. Since you are in the Philly market, you are authorized only for Philly channels.

The Sports Pack is for timeshifting of Fox Sports programming, as well as a few other channels like Fox Soccer and Gol TV. In Southern New Jersey, it nets you NO sports programming from MLB, NBA and NHL.

Well that about sucks!

Thanks for taking the time to give me an answer.

 

[azjim66]

Pitpens, one good thing about having the sports pack is that you'll get some great college hockey from across the country. Dont know if your a college fan but it's great hockey.

 

[Greg Bimson]

Thanks for taking the time to give me an answer.

You are welcome.

If you need to know where the blame lies for this, consider:

The leagues are responsible for their national television revenues. The local teams each sign contracts for their local coverage area only. The league then takes those games, bundles them into a season package, and sells those rights over cable and satellite carriers.

The leagues are the reason you cannot get an out-of-market team on one of the regional sports networks (RSN's). The leagues want to make the money off of the out-of-market package, so they force the blackouts on the RSN's for people to take the season package. Typically, the leagues receive 50 percent of the revenue, with the other half going to the cable provider, DirecTV and Dish Network.

The NFL's package is a slightly different animal, as DirecTV will give the NFL $700 million a year for the next five years to keep the Sunday Ticket exclusive.