[bhummel2001]

I live in Dallas. I gave up my Dallas Stars Season Hockey tickets this year to help build my downstairs HD theater.


I waited all day in anticipation of a huge game tonight between the division leading San Jose Sharks and our Dallas Stars who are breathing down their neck.


I cleaned up the room, I invited guests over to watch the big game. And then ... Imagine my disappointment when HDNet blacks out the Dallas game in Dallas!


Sure I can get the game on the local station Fox Sports Southwest in the usual 4x3 fuzz quality, but I wanted to see it on HDNet on the NHL on HDNet. Last year they showed lots of Dallas Stars games on HDNet, but not this year!


What is the deal? I paid my $11 for HD programming, I've got the equipment, but now they are blacking out HD??


This makes no sense! The NHL suffers from lousy TV ratings because it is well known that there is very little viewership outside of the two cities that are playing ... even for the Stanley Cup.


So tonight, it seems that only viewers in San Jose with HD were the ones watching the game. It is simply mind-boggling.


You know what I am going to do? If they are going to play these games on DirecTV, I am going to get my brother in another market to send me one of his HD receivers and I am going to send him one of mine.


Then I should be able to watch the programs I want, and maybe even cancel NFL Sunday ticket as I can watch my favorite football team on his local feed!


Turn about is fair play!!

 

[CycloneGT]

They have been doing this all season. Sorry it caught you by surprise.

 

[bhummel2001]

Maybe they have Cyclone ... But I am still mad.


I understand the concept of Blackouts when it comes to not selling out a stadium.


But blocking an HD version of a game that is also broadcast in SD? What is going on?


HDNet is going to be irrelevent in one year, maybe two when everything is in HD. I should think they would be dying to send out as much HD as possible to everyone while they are still somewhat unique.

 

[Carl Romanik]

Quote:

Originally posted by bhummel2001 So tonight, it seems that only viewers in San Jose with HD were the ones watching the game.

The game was also blacked out in the San Jose area, since it was being carried by the local Fox Sports Net in SD.


Even though I was expecting it, knowing that almost everyone else in the country got to see it in HD is a little annoying.

 

[bhummel2001]

Unbelievable Carl!


This is ludicrous. You're telling me that the only two cities being blacked out by HDNet are the cities of the teams that are playing the game?


What brain surgeon thought this one up? Do they think HD is so amazing that people will watch an out of town hockey game just to see something in HD?


Maybe if it was the ONLY thing on at the time in HD. This sounds like a really stupid plot in a bad movie.


Carl, the resolution for both of us is to trade an extra HD receiver with someone who does not live in a hockey town....

 

[Tonedeaf]

Well, as a consolation, you can watch the replay of it playing right now.


I was bummed too. Oh well. At least I am not that big of a Stars fan.

 

[Carl Romanik]

bhummel2001,


It makes some kind of sense if you think about it. The Fox Sports Nets (yours and mine) have "exclusive local broadcast rights" to the game and so would want to capture all the Dallas and San Jose viewers (and therefore prevent anyone else from delivering the game to thier audience without thier commercials). HDNet would have to pay a lot more to get these rights. So, HDNet only gets a fraction of the audience (those not living in Dallas or San Jose), but doesn't have to pay as much. The only realistic solution is to get our local Fox Sports Nets to go HD.


Come the playoffs, ESPN and ABC may have some of the national rights tied up (no blackouts), so there is hope in that direction.


As you suggest, there is another solution, to "move" to a non-hockey town.

For me, there aren't enough HD Sharks games on HDNet to bother.

 

[Carl Romanik]

BTW,


what the heck is that supposed to be on those new Stars jerseys?

 

[bhummel2001]

Last year, all of the HDNet Hockey games said FOX all over them. They used the same status bar across the top.


This is kind of like BIZARRO world, everything is backwards, especially when you remember that FOX owns DirecTV.


Oh well. Swap receivers, remember ....


The Stars Jerseys have GALAXIES on the front in the shape of a BULL (Texas-like) with STARS for its eyes.


It's their 3rd jersey and I hope they go away. I thought I was watching the Phoenix Coyotes for awhile!


I am watching HDNET now and they just replayed the Stars/Sharks game in HD for us after the fact.


Later is better than never. I am going to pop some pills, chill out and get over it....

 

[PVR]

Quote:

Originally posted by bhummel2001 This is ludicrous. You're telling me that the only two cities being blacked out by HDNet are the cities of the teams that are playing the game? What brain surgeon thought this one up?

I assumed it was because the local arena wants to make sure they get all the local fans to come to the actual game rather than watch it on TV at home.

 

[bhummel2001]

Nope .. The culprit was FOX SPORTS. Here is a reply that I just got from Mark Cuban.




foxsports has the dallas rights to the stars, its their decision to not

allow us to show it in dallas..


we would love to.


these are normal blackout rules and the same rules apply to ESPN or any

national broadcaster.



thanks,


M

HDNet, TV like you have never seen it before ! www.hd.net

And check out the hottest Mavs fashions at www.mavgear.com

 

[mhdiab]

Besides it making sense that they couldn't outbid FSN for the local rights it also makes sense that HDNet thinks it is worth it just because it is HD. They get HD viewers across the country that otherwise never would watch the game. So while it is an NHL problem that people don't watch games outside of their area that does not apply the same way with a game on HDNet. I watched it - first regular season game for me in HD (just got HDNet signed up here) and it was awsome. Something to think of though - HDNet is doing a game at 1pm on Sunday - so start the Superbowl party early and you can show of HD all day long..........

 

[SJHT]

At least HDNET was nice enough to broadcast the game a second time (I believe right after the "live" version was done). This was not blacked out!

 

[John2437]

bhummel,


I was in the same boat as you last night!!


I waited 2 weeks for this game to be broadcasted in HD - I invited all my friends over (all of us are huge Stars fans) and when the game came on I got the pretty black screen telling me it's been blacked out!!! I didn't know at the time it would be re-broacasted in HD today, otherwise I would have not watched the game.


I understand the reasons behind why it's blacked out, but it still seems insane that if you live in San Jose or Dallas/Fort Worth you can't watch your team in HD!


How does Directv's signal know where I'm located? Is there a way to change this? I can change up my local channels to make it think I'm where ever, but not the sat feed.

 

[garythornsucks]

What it comes down to is money...FSN has the rights and the NHL will not let HDNET broadcast without the commercials. Anyway what do you expect from a network that came up with THE WORST DAMN SPORTS SHOW!!


I have NHL center ice and cannot get the game either!


My question is, what is the point of HDnet bringing any games if you can't see your own team???!!


I found this out back in november when the first game was to be broadcast! I almost broke my HDTV I was so mad!!


At least the cuban returned your mail! I was told it was the NHL's fault over the phone from HDNet. Mainly because of commercials...like anyone ever buys anything because of commercial....by the way did you know there is a new drink out there called Pepsi?


This is one place the NHL has royally screwed up (for lack of a better term). They are worried about ratings...then pull this crud! I am a season ticket holder also and it is very expensive...I feel I deserve to be able to watch the games I cannot attend in HD. They should have two sets of rights...one standard and one HD...if fox refuses to do it in HD then it is up for grabs!


My big question is why last year and not this year...I bought my HDTV because when I walked into the store the Stars game was on. I might as well sell it if the only way I can watch the game is when ESPN rarely broad casts a game...then we have to listen to that dad gum gary thorn!


I think I'll just dump my tickets next year...drop hdnet and FSN, and let the NHL got under with their over paid players and unappreciated fans!


I feel your pain!

 

[kmeisenbach]

just a reminder


check the www.hd.net website for a listing of the replay for your local team

 

[JIFISH]

This also happened on DirecTv last year with their very first HD basketball game, between the Lakers and the Knicks. Guess which two cities were blacked out for that one? But Fox Sports already has an agreement with TWC to show local games in HD, so I'm hoping (praying) that DirecTv will work out a similar deal sometime in the near future, or at least before I die.

 

[bhummel2001]

This is all going to be a moot point next year when almost everything is going to be HD.


To the person who asked how DirecTV can figure out where you are, it's based upon when and where you activate your receiver. They know your billing address. They also see your caller ID when your receiver checks in at night.


HDNet must have had a deal with Fox last year that fell through this year. This is not the first time that progress has taken a big step backwards.


Remember when ABC Monday Night Football was in HD three years ago? Then they stopped for several years. What a heartbreak that was! I bought all of my equipment to watch football the next year and then nothing....


New technology from Cisco that allows phone numbers to reside in any location should help us downtrodden viewers who are begging for content and willing to pay for it....