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iLikebeer · Jan 19, 2006, 11:51 PM

At this link, http://www.directvsports.com/Subscri...Ice/Questions/ , it explains local areas and how blackouts work.

Q: Which games fall under blackout regulations?
A: Blackout restrictions apply to all games that are on NHL® CENTER ICE®. Blackout restrictions are designed to protect the television rights holders in the competing teams' respective home markets. Blackouts are not based on arena sellouts.

Q: What is a local broadcast blackout?
A: Here's an example: If the St. Louis Blues are playing the New York Rangers, the local telecast areas of the Blues and Rangers will be blacked out on NHL® CENTER ICE®, regardless of whether the teams are televising locally. If the teams are televising locally, NHL® CENTER ICE® subscribers can view the game on their over-the-air television station or their local regional sports network (RSN) if DIRECTV carries the local telecaster -- included with TOTAL CHOICE programming and Local Channels.

But it doesn't exactly explain what's meant by a local telecast area. For example, all of AZ can get FSN AZ, OLN, and WB. Would that mean no one in AZ can get Coyotes games on NHL CI? Wondering how that works from anyone that has subscribed that lives near any team.
Thanks.

Agasthya · Jan 20, 2006, 12:02 AM

if you can get the local stations that the game is broadcast on (either via cable or satellite - obviously excluding packages like NHL CI), then you are in the blackout zone.

iLikebeer · Jan 20, 2006, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by Agasthya

if you can get the local stations that the game is broadcast on (either via cable or satellite - obviously excluding packages like NHL CI), then you are in the blackout zone.

Hmm, thanks for a quick answer, but that's part of the problem. I haven't had cable for over 3 years. I have an antenna I use for news and picking up the games that I can't make it to, but I know Flagstaff gets the games on tv too. I can't believe they would blackout the entire state of Arizona though.

wdlove · Jan 20, 2006, 06:08 PM

I just don't want sports to have any effect on my Cable bill.

wdlove · Jan 20, 2006, 06:08 PM

I just don't want sports to have any effect on my Cable bill.

DigitalEl · Jan 21, 2006, 12:57 AM

villalobos · Jan 21, 2006, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by iLikebeer

Hmm, thanks for a quick answer, but that's part of the problem. I haven't had cable for over 3 years. I have an antenna I use for news and picking up the games that I can't make it to, but I know Flagstaff gets the games on tv too. I can't believe they would blackout the entire state of Arizona though.

That's my experience. All the game of the local team (which I don't really care for too much) are blacked out on the NHL season ticket when the local Fox Sport shows the game. They also black out the feed from the other team. So my guess is you would be the same for you. It is stupid though since the season ticket shows the whole game INCLUDING the commercials (except for one team I think). OS it's not like there would be a loss of commercial exposure.
When OLN shows the game, it's blacked out as well.

GO WINGS!!!