It was just amazing, because my question was straightforward. But they just dodge it over and over without providing any real answer.
I understand your frustration and it is difficult to explain Backouts using hypotheticals. The Blackouts are determined by market and zip code. Regional Sports Networks (RSN) will not show a professional game outside of the customer market. They will require a Sports Subscription. As the provider of the most comprehensive sports programming lineup in the digital home entertainment industry, it's challenging to describe the blackout rules for many different locations and sports briefly. Please visit our web site at directv.com/blackouts for our general blackout FAQ, and click on the specific sports package you're interested in for more detailed information. We realize blackouts can be confusing and sometimes frustrating to our customers. However, to honor our agreements with the leagues and other owners of broadcast rights, we must pay close attention to the restrictions that we are required to follow. Thanks again for writing. We appreciate your patience and understanding. So, bottom line, who the hell knows? You would think that if my cousin would have to change channels for the actual game, you would too. He must live in some funked up zip code of Long Island. I'm trying to think of a situation where the Red Sox would be his "home team based on geographical restrictions", but nothing is coming to mind. The closest thing I can think of is me. I'm halfway between Cincinnati (Reds) and Cleveland (Indians.) Before the Indians started up their own channel, Fox Sports Ohio had both broadcasts. Whenever there was a conflict, my cable provider would have the Reds pregame, game, and postgame on an alternate channel. We'd get all the FSN graphics, the regular announcers, and all, but we'd be watching on a customer service channel and not the "proper" FSN. What's more is that I think we're also in Pirates terrority. (How, I have no clue, but some part of the cable company's "reach" must be just close enough...) Anyway, whenever a Pirates game would come on Extra Innings, it's always blacked out. (If they're playing the Indians or Reds, we'd have to watch on the "regular" channel. What's more is my experience tells me that FSN Pittsburgh is not available in Columbus. I'm sure if you get a satellite with sports pack, those games would be blacked out, as they want you to watch on Extra Innings.) Baseball has some screwy blackout rules in place. Maybe my cousin is in a similar situation.
Yes, if you are in a location that actually falls within the geographic territory of multiple teams then you will get games for those teams. I used to live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Because I was in Michigan I got Detroit Tigers games but I was technically closer to Milwaukee than Detroit, so I also got Brewers games. I am guessing your Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Pittsburgh situation is the same. There are very few times when not living in a city pays off and this would be one of them. From my standpoint, though, that isn't enough.
Just to add further another interesting element to the story. Today I planned to watch the Sharks-Avs game. Center ice had both feeds, CSN and Altitude, but only Altitude was in HD. Well it was about 7:45 and I decided to turn on the tv while I cooked a quick pregame meal of pasta. The game was suppose to start at 8. So of course I switched to the Altitude HD channel, just figured I'd have the pregame show in the background while I made some foood. I don't usually watch pregame shows, but to my surprise, the game was blacked out. I live about 3000 miles from Denver and San Jose, so I couldn't figure this out. I checked the CSN Bay Area station, everything fine. I was kind of angry at that point that I would have to watch the game in SD. But then 8:00 came around, and the Altitude feed suddenly kicked in. To sum it up, they actually blacked out the pregame show, but not the game!
Directv will allow you to subscribe to the spanish package and remove the spanish package from their website. If there is something you want to see on ESPN Deportes but you don't want to pay the $20 a month for the package you can just subscribe to it right before the game starts, and unsubscribe from it right after. You will pay a prorated cost for just the time you had it. It ends up costing a few cents (if that) for a game. DirecTV doesn't charge a cancel fee for this package like they do with setanta. Have fun.