Thanks for the info ...First, of course, the pre-season is just guys who will be selling used cars next month, anyway.
But the thing to understand is that the NFL pre season is the one exception to the “share everything equally” system of broadcasting. Local stations produce games for local broadcast and the team keeps the money. With the exception of the handful of games on the networks. The NFLN takes this local coverage and shows it out of market, just like most games on MLBN or NHLN are gleaned from RSNs. Most all games are on NFLN eventually, a fewlive and the rest on delay.
Anyway “your” Steelers (an Ohio State man should love orange and either brown or black, but I digress) the Pittsburgh coverage of the game will be on in Pittsburgh, Altoona, Erie, Columbus, Youngstown, Wheeling, Roanoke, Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Honolulu (the NFL is not like baseball with all this regional stuff, a team can sell its games wherever a local station will buy, The Philly coverage will be on in Philly, Harrisburg, Scranton, Johnstown, Salisbury, and will be shown on NFLN in places where the local stations are carrying the R*****s - Patriots game.
Anyway, there is a Sunday Ticket like package for the pre-season. It is called NFL Game Pass, and it is $100. It gives you the pre season game not shown on a local station in your TV market, and reruns of regular season games.
However, I thought I would not be able to watch the Steelers game ... you said that they sell to whomever ... my local gets the Patriots feed .... looks like THEY are National ...
However, I got some good news when I got home today ... the NFL Network must have changed thier way of doing things this year as I see that the Steelers are on a .1 station tonight LIVE, so I don't have to wait till a later replay.... at least thats what I'm Hoping they did, as I see that game listed under channel 212.1 on D* and the Pats on 212.