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Blackout Question

DanielPlainview

DanielPlainview

Registered User
Apr 28, 2009
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I current live in Ohio, and am unable to watch the Penguins by almost any means (ATTSN, NHL.TV, ESPN+, and even some NBCSN games) - it seems only truly national broadcasts are available to me. This is curious because the Penguins/ATTSN claim where I live as part of their territory:

ATT_SN_WORKING_PT_TERRITORY_Cropped_V2.jpg


I'm curious how I can be in the Penguins territory yet blacked out from their games, or if there's some conflict with the Blue Jackets' territorial rights, that I am unable to then watch via subscription options.
 
@KesselMania

There are a lot of moving parts to your question.

I have a good friend who works for the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio and he has the same problem you do. :banghead:

The ONLY way to get AT&T Pittsburgh in most of Northeast Ohio is with either DIRECTV, DISH Network or fuboTV. The issue is mainly that Fox Sports Ohio strong arms cable companies to keep AT&T out to protect the Indians. This happens in other markets as well.

AT&T Sportsnet to the best of my knowledge does NOT offer any streaming options in-market.
 
I stream my stuff illegally for this reason. I inquired into buying center ice package and I was told 30 games were going to be blacked out.
 
KesselMania said:
Interesting. I have DirecTV and am still blacked out. Do they have Center Ice?
Click to expand...
It's not Center Ice that's needed - you need to purchase the Sports Pack.

There are "overlap" areas, where you get only one RSN (like Fox Sportstime Ohio) but by purchasing the Sports Pack you get AT&T Sportsnet Pittsburgh and the Penguins games.

varano said:
I stream my stuff illegally for this reason. I inquired into buying center ice package and I was told 30 games were going to be blacked out.
Click to expand...
On Center Ice, one is always only getting out-of-market games. Local and exclusive national games have always been unavailable. So to excuse not being able to get certain games is just a folly.
 
Grudy0 said:
It's not Center Ice that's needed - you need to purchase the Sports Pack.

There are "overlap" areas, where you get only one RSN (like Fox Sportstime Ohio) but by purchasing the Sports Pack you get AT&T Sportsnet Pittsburgh and the Penguins games.

On Center Ice, one is always only getting out-of-market games. Local and exclusive national games have always been unavailable. So to excuse not being able to get certain games is just a folly.
Click to expand...

That’s the issue. I have the sports pack and get all the RSN, but I’m still blacked out
 
Grudy0 said:
It's not Center Ice that's needed - you need to purchase the Sports Pack.

There are "overlap" areas, where you get only one RSN (like Fox Sportstime Ohio) but by purchasing the Sports Pack you get AT&T Sportsnet Pittsburgh and the Penguins games.

On Center Ice, one is always only getting out-of-market games. Local and exclusive national games have always been unavailable. So to excuse not being able to get certain games is just a folly.
Click to expand...
How do you make any sense?

Why would I not want to watch teams in my local market? Why would I pay for that?
 
Taro Tsujimoto said:
According to the map, they claim both Buffalo and Columbus. There's no way in hell that's actually true.
Click to expand...

I think it might be the ''service provider'' map.

Meaning if you are in Buffalo you get a completely different channel, while where OP is, his channel is aired in the areas shown on the map.
 
Taro Tsujimoto said:
According to the map, they claim both Buffalo and Columbus. There's no way in hell that's actually true.
Click to expand...

powerstuck said:
I think it might be the ''service provider'' map.

Meaning if you are in Buffalo you get a completely different channel, while where OP is, his channel is aired in the areas shown on the map.
Click to expand...
No, but now that I found that map on the AT&T SportsNet website...

The title on the map says "Territory Pittsburgh", not "Penguins" nor "Pirates". I therefore don't think the map is accurate for the Penguins - it looks more like it would be the territory map for the Pirates.

KesselMania said:
That’s the issue. I have the sports pack and get all the RSN, but I’m still blacked out
Click to expand...
Then you'd likely need Center Ice to get Penguins games - and DirecTV does carry Center Ice.

varano said:
How do you make any sense?

Why would I not want to watch teams in my local market? Why would I pay for that?
Click to expand...
You inquired about the out-of-market package Center Ice but you want to purchase it for in-market games? In-market games have never been available on Center Ice and it would not make any sense to even inquire about it for in-market games.
 
Grudy0 said:
No, but now that I found that map on the AT&T SportsNet website...

The title on the map says "Territory Pittsburgh", not "Penguins" nor "Pirates". I therefore don't think the map is accurate for the Penguins - it looks more like it would be the territory map for the Pirates.

Then you'd likely need Center Ice to get Penguins games - and DirecTV does carry Center Ice.

You inquired about the out-of-market package Center Ice but you want to purchase it for in-market games? In-market games have never been available on Center Ice and it would not make any sense to even inquire about it for in-market games.
Click to expand...

As I mentioned in the OP, subscription services are also blacked out
 
I know it is TV rights related, but if you pay $203 (CDN for me) per season for NHL.tv, there should be NO BLACKOUTS at all. You have at that point paid way more than should be necessary to watch your team play every game. That is a lot of money that only gets you 1 item, being able to watch the NHL and that is it.
 
Grudy0 said:
No, but now that I found that map on the AT&T SportsNet website...

The title on the map says "Territory Pittsburgh", not "Penguins" nor "Pirates". I therefore don't think the map is accurate for the Penguins - it looks more like it would be the territory map for the Pirates.

Then you'd likely need Center Ice to get Penguins games - and DirecTV does carry Center Ice.

You inquired about the out-of-market package Center Ice but you want to purchase it for in-market games? In-market games have never been available on Center Ice and it would not make any sense to even inquire about it for in-market games.
Click to expand...
Maybe I got the name wrong. The package that you can stream games on your phone. It's through Rogers here
 
KesselMania said:
I current live in Ohio, and am unable to watch the Penguins by almost any means (ATTSN, NHL.TV, ESPN+, and even some NBCSN games) - it seems only truly national broadcasts are available to me. This is curious because the Penguins/ATTSN claim where I live as part of their territory:

ATT_SN_WORKING_PT_TERRITORY_Cropped_V2.jpg


I'm curious how I can be in the Penguins territory yet blacked out from their games, or if there's some conflict with the Blue Jackets' territorial rights, that I am unable to then watch via subscription options.
Click to expand...

If you're in the Pittsburgh Market, that means you have to watch the games on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh channel. So yes you will be blacked out of Penguin games on NHL.TV and ESPN+ if you're in the market. I am in the NY market and can only watch the Rangers/Islanders/Devils on MSG Network.

But it also sounds like you're saying you subscribe to AT&T SNP and are blacked out of the games there too which makes no sense to me.....if that's the case, you probably have to call your TV Provider and ask why them why you are being blacked out on the RSN while in-market.
 
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varano said:
Maybe I got the name wrong. The package that you can stream games on your phone. It's through Rogers here
Click to expand...

Rogers: Manage Your Experience

I don’t want to miss a single NHL game. How do I get every regular season game plus the Stanley Cup®Playoffs?

NHL Centre Ice does not include in-market games or the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

-

You're just not understanding his point. Center Ice is advertised as a product to watch out of market games. It's understandable that fans would be frustrated that they can't watch their in-market team while they are paying for an ice hockey package, but again the point is Center Ice is advertised and made for watching out of market games.
 
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Filthy Dangles said:
If you're in the Pittsburgh Market, that means you have to watch the games on AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh channel. So yes you will be blacked out of Penguin games on NHL.TV and ESPN+ if you're in the market. I am in the NY market and can only watch the Rangers/Islanders/Devils on MSG Network.

But it also sounds like you're saying you subscribe to AT&T SNP and are blacked out of the games there too which makes no sense to me.....if that's the case, you probably have to call your TV Provider and ask why them why you are being blacked out on the RSN while in-market.
Click to expand...

Yes, that’s my complaint. I’m blacked out both locally and on subscription services. I can only watch national NBC games.
 
KesselMania said:
Yes, that’s my complaint. I’m blacked out both locally and on subscription services. I can only watch national NBC games.
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Are you blacked out of Jackets games?

There's a tool to determine blackouts on NHL.TV (Gamecenter or whatever it's called now) https://www.nhl.com/info/nhltv-blackout-detector

If you plug in your zip code does it state you are not allowed Penguins games? If you are subject to the local blackout of the Pens, I can't figure out why DirecTV wouldn't unlock the Pens with the Sports Pack subscription.

My wife has family in Stark County. This is a bit of a shocker here.
 
KesselMania said:
Yes, that’s my complaint. I’m blacked out both locally and on subscription services. I can only watch national NBC games.
Click to expand...

That's weird. Like I said, being blacked out of NHL.TV and ESPN+ in market makes sense, but not ATT Pittsburgh channel. Probably have to call your TV Provider and see what they say about it.
 
I had a similar situation with Washington a few seasons ago. I purchased NHL.TV to watch out of market games including the Caps. It turned out that I was blacked out of those games too even though they were not offered in my local market. I understand being blacked out for network games and my other local team, Philly. That's fine - I just watch on my local package. But Washington I could not understand. Now this year I can watch them for whatever reason.
 
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