Who defines the sports market for geography?

Do not make the assumption that just because someone gets a sports channel as part of their "basic coverage", that none of the games are blacked out.

The San Francisco Bay Area gets both Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (for the Giants and Warriors) and Comcast SportsNet California (for the A's and Sharks), but the Sacramento Kings games on SportsNet California are still blacked out (and any city in what the NBA considers Sacramento Kings territory that gets both channels as part of a "basic" package gets the Warriors games on CSN Bay Area blacked out).

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@tkresin wrote:
That's interesting. I'll probably notice that when baseball season starts (Indians might be blocked? Not that I care...I'm a Reds fan). But why UK? I don't recall an OSU game going on at the same time. And it wasn't on another network.

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Have you contacted UK about their TV market?  Think you'll find the answer there, 45 miles can make a big difference in TV viewing rights if 'more local' teams are there. 😉

Chris
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@tkresin wrote:
That's interesting. I'll probably notice that when baseball season starts (Indians might be blocked? Not that I care...I'm a Reds fan). But why UK? I don't recall anOSU game going on at the same time. And it wasn't on another network.

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To check which major teams that you can receive on your RSN's, visit here and enter your zip code.

This is an example for Indianapolis:

With the U100 Package and above:

Comcast SportsNet Chicago (Ch.741-SD / Ch.1741-HD)
- MLB: Chicago Cubs / Chicago White Sox
- NHL: Chicago Blackhawks

FSN Midwest - Indianapolis (Ch. 749-SD / Ch. 1749-HD)
- NBA: Indianapolis Pacers
- WNBA: Indiana Fever

FSN Midwest - St Louis (Ch. 748-SD / Ch. 1748-HD)
- NHL: St Louis Blues

FSN Ohio - Cincinnati (Ch.732-SD / Ch.1732-HD)
- MLB: Cincinnati Reds

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@tkresin wrote:

I live in Dayton, OH.  We get access to FSN OH-Cincinnati (makes sense) and FSN OH-Cleveland (sort of makes sense...it's in OH).  I follow the University of Kentucky, so for games where they are not on another network, they land on FSN South (not part of the basic package - although if you plug in 45458, it shows that it IS part of my package).  I paid for the Sport HD package so I can get all of the FSN channels only to realize certain games are blacked out (per rules with various sports leagues).  I'm irritated that there's no other hockey option but I digress...

 

I tried to watch UK basketball game a few weeks ago on FSN South.  It was ONLY on FSN South but it was blacked out.  Given that KY is a forty-five minute drive from here, I'm surprised that FSN South isn't packaged locally as part of their basic tier.  If I drove to my parents house in KY, ATT notes that FSN South, FSN OH-Cin and FSN-Clev are part of their market.  Why is it that they can get 3 channels but living forty-five minutes north of KY gives me only the FSN OH channels?  Cleveland is almost 4 hours away from me.

 

Again, I did pay extra so I do get FSN South - but not pleased that certain games get blacked out regardless.  Why can't I get FSN South as part of my basic package (w/no blackouts)?

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The out of market regional sports networks are in the HD Premium Tier Package not the Sports Package.

Sports team territories never make sense.

In northeast Ohio, land of FOX Sports Ohio, you'd think you'd get Bluejackets games, right? Except that's Pittsburgh territory. For a while, Columbus viewers could subscribe to Root Sports via the HD Premium Tier and get Pirates games, but I don't think Penguins games.

Northeast Pennsylvania is the same way...that area is all NYC-teams, even though it's in Pennsylvania.

I think a lot of it goes back to when the teams first signed TV deals. If TeamABC signs a deal for coverage in a certain area, they have rights, even if TeamXYZ is much closer, no matter what politically-defined state the city of viewership is in.

Now, as for college? I thought that stuff was never blacked out... have you tried WatchESPN?

Thanks a lot for the responses.  Definitely explains some things.  However, UK is a college team.  I've seen no rhyme or reason why a college team would be blacked out unless another network was carrying them.  I did plug in my zip code to look at my market and it pretty much confirmed what I thought, Reds, Cavs, Bluejackets.  Doesn't explain college basketball.  

So, if I upgraded to the Premium Tier, I would get all of the teams?  For example, I'm a St. Louis Blues fan - not a Blue Jacket fan.  If I upgraded to the Premium Tier I would be able to watch them live out of FSN Midwest?

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@tkresin wrote:

So, if I upgraded to the Premium Tier, I would get all of the teams?  For example, I'm a St. Louis Blues fan - not a Blue Jacket fan.  If I upgraded to the Premium Tier I would be able to watch them live out of FSN Midwest?

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No, you would need to get NHL Center Ice which Uverse doesn't carry.

You can get watch live out of market games on your favorite device here