NHL Blackout Question

[Skyhi]

I know there are a few sports broadcasting geeks who read here, so hopefully somebody can help me out......

Last nights Penguins/Capitals game on NHL network was blacked out for me in Cleveland. I believe I'm in the Blue Jackets territory, so I can't figure out why...Could I also be in Pittsburgh territory , or was it just a mistake?

 

[SandraC]

I know there are a few sports broadcasting geeks who read here, so hopefully somebody can help me out......

Last nights Penguins/Capitals game on NHL network was blacked out for me in Cleveland. I believe I'm in the Blue Jackets territory, so I can't figure out why...Could I also be in Pittsburgh territory , or was it just a mistake?

The NHL Network does have some bizarre blackout rules. Or perhaps antiquated.

We've been blacked out in the past on Penguin games here on the Jersey coast too. We are in the territory of three NY teams, and very close to the Philly area as well. We're also closer to Boston and DC than Pittsburgh, but those games are never blacked out.

Last night's game was shown here...perhaps they moved the blackout territory west!


Sandra

 

[Skyhi]

The NHL Network does have some bizarre blackout rules. Or perhaps antiquated.

We've been blacked out in the past on Penguin games here on the Jersey coast too. We are in the territory of three NY teams, and very close to the Philly area as well. We're also closer to Boston and DC than Pittsburgh, but those games are never blacked out.

Last night's game was shown here...perhaps they moved the blackout territory west!


Sandra

Wow. You'd think the NHL would do whatever it could to get as many eyes as possible on their product. I am not a hockey fan, but I wanted to check out last nights game during commercials and halftime of the Cavs game.....perhaps I could have been won over if I could have seen it......Bud Selig isn't the commish of the NHL, is he?

 

[SandraC]

Wow. You'd think the NHL would do whatever it could to get as many eyes as possible on their product. I am not a hockey fan, but I wanted to check out last nights game during commercials and halftime of the Cavs game.....perhaps I could have been won over if I could have seen it......Bud Selig isn't the commish of the NHL, is he?

What's even worse is the NHL staying out of the DirecTV/Versus situation. So many sports fans have DirecTV, and Bettman is sitting by as month after month goes by without a significant portion of your audience being able to see your product.

Just bizarre.


Sandra

 

[Skyhi]

What's even worse is the NHL staying out of the DirecTV/Versus situation. So many sports fans have DirecTV, and Bettman is sitting by as month after month goes by without a significant portion of your audience being able to see your product.

Just bizarre.


Sandra

Aren't some NHL Playoff games on Versus? If so, Versus, Direct and the NHL had better hammer something out. They'll all lose in the end with the NHL being the biggest loser.

 

[SandraC]

Aren't some NHL Playoff games on Versus? If so, Versus, Direct and the NHL had better hammer something out. They'll all lose in the end with the NHL being the biggest loser.

Versus will have a game every night, and a combination of Versus and NBC will have the rights to the final two rounds. It defies logic that Bettman would sit by and let this happen.

Apparently he's in bed with Comcast.


Sandra

 

[Mr Tony]

Skyhi
Technically Pittsburgh does claim Cleveland. I dont know if you have Directv or Dish but for Directv I get this when I use a Cleveland zip (44199)

The 44199 ZIP Code is in the home team territory for the following pro teams. With HD Access select channels and teams available in HD are noted below:

With any DIRECTV base package (CHOICE or above, or OPTIMO MAS or above):

FSN Ohio (Ch. 660) - HD Available
# Cleveland Cavaliers (HD Available)
# Columbus Blue Jackets (HD Available)


With the PREMIER or LO MAXIMO package or any DIRECTV base package plus SPORTS Pack, you also get:


FSN Pittsburgh (Ch. 659) - HD Available
# Pittsburgh Penguins (HD Available)


With the Choice Xtra package you also get:

Sports Time Ohio (Ch. 662) - HD Available
# Indians (HD Available)

so if you add the sports pack you get the Pens games. Since Pittsburgh claims Cleveland they black out the NHL Network games forcing you to watch it on the local RSN (whether you subscribe to it or not)

on a side note...why D* forces you to get the middle package to get STO and not have it in base package like FSN Ohio is beyond me.

 

[Skyhi]

Skyhi
Technically Pittsburgh does claim Cleveland. I dont know if you have Directv or Dish but for Directv I get this when I use a Cleveland zip (44199)




so if you add the sports pack you get the Pens games. Since Pittsburgh claims Cleveland they black out the NHL Network games forcing you to watch it on the local RSN (whether you subscribe to it or not)

on a side note...why D* forces you to get the middle package to get STO and not have it in base package like FSN Ohio is beyond me.

Thanks for the info...it makes sense. I wonder if the Pens put up a fight when the Blue Jackets were created and claimed Cleveland.

 

[Mr Tony]

possibly...but it isnt that bad like "this is my area you cant have it"...they share it

but I know there are duplicate areas of sports teams where one team exists. Heck here in MN the northeastern part is claimed by both the Twins and Brewers. There are areas like Iowa that are claimed by 6 MLB teams (Twins, Brewers, Cards, Royals, Cubs, Sox)

 

[SamCdbs]

Blue Jackets and Pens - My area, not exactly a hockey hotbed, was always claimed by Pittsburgh. When the Blue Jackets were created, they just "overlapped" and now we get both teams, and are blacked out of both should they be on NHLN. Columbus is over 150 miles closer.

Versus - While we, and every other board with a dog in the fight, have 1000 post long Versus threads, which I have mostly abstained from, it remains my opinion that Comcast wants to engage in a "content war" nationally with DBS, as it has in Philadelphia for years. It never had any intension of DirecTV actually paying it what it asked for Versus, rather it wants to be able to tell its customers that "we have Versus (and eventually the entire list of Comcast and NBCU owned channels) and DirecTV (and eventually DISH) do not." Which is a better slogan than "we are inferior in every way."

The NHL and the IRL, the two sports that need the most exposure of all mid-major sports in the USA, are being used in this process. The day it began, IMHO, Comcast was in breach of its contract with the leagues, whcih certainly imply that they will be on channels that at least make an effort to be offered to all, and the NHL and IRL should have cancelled and called Disney.