How do the MLS media markets work for non-league cities?

Discussion in 'MLS: General' started by YNWA Rob, Feb 3, 2022.

  1. YNWA Rob

    YNWA Rob Member+

    Liverpool FC
    United States
    Nov 12, 2020
    Indiana
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    How is it determined which regional market a particular city is in? My questions comes from my situation living in Indianapolis. I'm trying to get into following FC Cincinnati and was going to watch the friendly today being streamed by the club.

    However it is only available if I live in the club's market area. I know from the past+ that I'm considered in the Chicago area. I'm 200 miles from Soldier Field but 105 miles away from Cincinnati. Of course even if I wanted to watch Chicago on TV I couldn't because they aren't ony any regional sports networks. I suppose the good news of this is FC Cincinnati won't be blacked out for me on ESPN +, but how do they make this determination? For baseball we get both the Chicago and Cincinnati telecasts.
     
  2. newtex

    newtex Member+

    May 25, 2005
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    For team-based streaming used for preseason games it seems to be a 75 mile radius. So you would not be able to stream Chicago or Cincinnati games.

    https://www.fccincinnati.com/news/p...phia-union-to-be-streamed-on-fccincinnati-com

    Here is one about the Fire:

    https://www.hottimeinoldtown.com/20...ited-preseason-gameday-guide-and-how-to-watch

    That is different than the system used for regular season games on ESPN+
     
    xtomx and YNWA Rob repped this.
  3. TheJoeGreene

    TheJoeGreene Member+

    Aug 19, 2012
    The Lubbock Texas
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Germany
    Part of regular season is determined by if a local cable/OTA channel carries the games. I'm 336 miles away from Toyota Stadium in Frisco, but FC Dallas is carried by the local CW network affiliate in Lubbock so all their games are blacked out for me on ESPN+.

    I believe Garber said home market restrictions are going away with the next TV deal.
     
    YNWA Rob repped this.
  4. Ron36pc

    Ron36pc Member

    Sep 7, 2009
    Nacogdoches, TX
    Club:
    Sporting Kansas City
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Good question. I'm in Nacogdoches in East Texas (home of Clint Dempsey) - we're 150 miles to DT Houston, 200 miles to Frisco, & 235 miles to Q2 in Austin, but apparently not in any of the local home territories. I haven't been blacked out of any local games on ESPN+ so I hope I'll continue to have live access to all the Dynamo, FCD, & Austin games this year.
     
  5. Dan Kohner

    Dan Kohner Member

    DC United
    United States
    Jan 18, 2017
    Club:
    Seattle Sounders
    My issue was this, before ESPN+ you had to use Direct Kick or MLS Live. My situation is where I lived I got DC United on TV. I moved five miles away and no longer got the channel DC United was on which at the time was News Channel 8. I could not use MLS Live or Direct Kick as they said I lived in the market and thus was blacked out. Really frustrating when MLS or DC United never returned emails concerning this. DC United is now on a network that I actually get. I only live 30 miles from RFK at the time.
     

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