Blackouts are listed here: http://www.mlssoccer.com/weekly-tv-listings You really should take this stuff to the main thread on MLSN&A: https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1904734
I was able to watch the game on Dish Network. It was on an alternate sports channel... I think it was the slot reserved for Altitude network. Was it blacked out everywhere in DC?
Narp. Saw it on Fios CSN+ channel in HD here in TKPK. Sounds like it was a Virginia area non Comcast dealie where they bounced it to another channel and forgot to tell people.
Thanks for the blackout listing, but why would a game stream of a match played in NE be blacked out in DC? This is DC content.
Because the game is on local/regional tv in this market (on CSN or CSN+). The DC at NE game was initially planned for CSN, but got bumped to CSN+ given other content on CSN that afternoon. CSN has a contract with United and wants the local viewers watching their channel(s), not siphoned off by the league-wide out-of-market packages (DK on tv and/or MLSlive online).
I wonder if the league pressures DC United to accept tighter black-out rules from CSN? Due to the current stadium situation, if I were "The Don," I believe I would say something to the effect, "Either keep attendence figures at a specific high level, or move." Using black-outs does work to pump up attentendences over time.
100% Disagree. If it's an away game, the blackout's only purpose is to not give free time to the broadcaster's advertisers, who may be competitors to MLS' advertisers. For a home game, the blackout may get a few more people into the stadium but at the cost of muting the brand locally. At all times blackouts make the team less relevant. I'm not necessarily referring to just DC here (who's main attendance issue is being bad for all but a couple of the last 12 years.)
That's not entirely correct. MLS Live or Direct Kick blackout rules are determined by MLS, not the local channels. In this case, the following rule applies: If DC United game is moved to CSN+, and you're in CSN's region but don't get CSN+, you get blacked out. MLS rule, not CSN's.
Agreed. I bought the Direct Kick package last year just to watch DC games since I can't make it in person anymore. I was blacked out for the majority of the games b/c I was within the 70 mile "viewing radius". My cable company didn't offer any channel where I could view the games (i.e. CSN). I didn't get the package this year b/c of these issues. The net result is that I can't follow the team that I've been following since '96 unless I find some sort of live stream every now and then.
but I do believe the "MLS rules" vary by market. some regional/local partners do not require that all (or some) of their MLS local games be blacked out on MLS Live or Direct Kick. DC United (as the local MLS franchise) has the local deal with ComcastSportsNet Washington. As part of that specific/local deal, CSN likely requires that their games not be made available in the national subscription packages from MLS. (and again, I do not think all local-broadcaster/team deals around the league have identical clauses and blackout restrictions wrt to DK and MLSLive.) This link (assuming all of the blackout listings are correct) is updated weekly by the league, and there look to be teams/markets that do not have their local/regional broadcasts blacked out (locally) on DK and MLSLive. http://www.mlssoccer.com/weekly-tv-listings Here are some of the MLS tv listings from this past weekend (and I've ignored some of the matches involving Canadian teams as there are different broadcast, national/local, and blackout rules that apply to those "international" matches) -- Saturday, April 14 New England vs. D.C. United 4 pm ET Direct Kick (USA), Blackout: DC CSNNE (NE) CSNMA (DC) MLS Live, Blackout: DC Seattle vs. Colorado 4 pm ET Direct Kick (USA), Blackout: SEA, COL KONG (SEA) ALTITUDE (COL) MLS Live, Blackout: SEA, COL New York vs. San Jose 7 pm ET Direct Kick (USA), Blackout: NY MSG Plus (NY) CSNCA PLUS (SJ) MLS Live, Blackout: NY Kansas City vs. Salt Lake 8:30 pm ET Direct Kick (USA), no blackouts listed KSMO (KC) KTVX-ABC4 (RSL) MLS Live, no blackouts listed LA vs. Portland 10:30 pm ET Direct Kick (USA), Blackout: POR KDOC/KWHY (LA) KPDX (POR) MLS Live, Blackout: POR So it appears that NE, SJ, KC, RSL and LA (those teams and markets) did not look to have local blackouts on DK and MLSLive even though those games were broadcast by a local/regional market tv provider/partner. (this assumes that MLS's link and info is accurate, but I do not believe that DCUnited/CSNWashington's local deal has identical clauses/requirements as are found elsewhere in other MLS markets, with respect to DK and MLSLive.)
it's an unfortunate situation. but that is really your cable company's issue, and as a consumer, you could ditch cable and subscribe to a satellite package that offers CSN/CSN+.