Tutor
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4 Messages
Sports blackouts on non-live sports shows
I've complained about this in the past and was told it was just a fluke or a one-time programming error. Obviously that is NOT the case.
Why are non-live sports shows being blacked out? Either someone doesn't know what they're doing or the programming is blacking out everything with a sports team name in the program description. Either way it needs to be fixed.
Example: Last season the Tampa Bay Rays pregame shows kept getting blacked out. There is no reason to blackout the pregame show. It didn't happen every game, but it happened frequently. I was told it was a fluke that happened only one day. That was a lie.
Example: Today, RIGHT NOW as I type this, a show on Fox Sports Florida called "The Finsiders" is blacked out. It's a show that discusses Miami Dolphins football. This isn't a football game. The season was over 6 weeks ago. But I get "This game is blacked out in your viewing area". Really? Come on.
Calling and complaining gets nothing done as we all know, so I'm trying again here. Can someone at AT&T before baseball season starts PLEASE get this ridiculous error straightened out?
Accepted Solution
Official Solution
Fox Mulder
Former Employee
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310 Messages
10 years ago
I looked into this issue for you. I found out the following:
You are 100% correct that “Finsiders” & a lot of other Miami Dolphins content is blacked out, depending on where you live. However, this is not something to be “fixed” as this is per FOX’s instructions and are agreed upon by the league & the network.
U-Verse can do nothing about required black outs. They are agreed upon by league & the network.
I know this isn't the answer you were looking for, but this is the answer to your question.
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JohninFL
Scholar
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289 Messages
10 years ago
I too live in Florida and have contacted customer service numerous times in the last three years to no avail. It's like talking to a wall or shoveling sand against an incoming tide. The reps keep telling me that it is a league ordered blackout. I had Directv and Brighthouse and replays of the games and shows like Finsiders were not blacked-out. Another problem with UV is if the game is blacked out they do not offer alternate programming like the other providers. Nobody has been able to answer or address this issue. The reps are script readers and don't want to or don't know how to help the customer. I asked to speak to a supervisor on several occasions and was told none were available.
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oufanindallas
ACE - Master
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6.9K Messages
10 years ago
Have you tried contacting the network? I know some networks will blackout pre/post game and replays of games. Dumb, but they do.
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dhascall
Master
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9.8K Messages
10 years ago
I think that the best bet to get an official answer would be to send a private message to the escalation team at AT&T Customer Care, and someone will get in touch with you. The escalation team should be able to delve deeper into the knowledge base - much deeper than a normal phone rep. If their answer doesn't make any sense, then I'd contact the channel and/or team.
I have noticed that some team shows are blacked out - and I can only speculate that is a channel by channel, club by club, team by team call. One odd thing in my favor was (last year) I got to see the Kansas City Royals first few games - and I live in Indiana. Sadly, not an MLB fan.
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William-JD
Contributor
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2 Messages
9 years ago
"U-Verse can do nothing about required black outs. They are agreed upon by league & the network."
Ridiculous. U-Verse can TELL THEIR CUSTOMERS ABOUT THE BLACKOUTS instead of telling them that they will be getting programming that U-VERSE knows they will not receive. When a customer pays you for a package that includes a particulart channel, u-Verse is legally obligated to give the customer all the programming on that channel.
By the way, U-Verse blacks out things that are not supposed to be blacked out, like ACC footballl games, so your claim about receiving instructions from Fox Sports is dubious.
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mibrnsurg
Expert
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20.4K Messages
9 years ago
Then send the PM I suggested in your other thread:
http://forums.att.com/t5/Using-your-U-verse-TV/improper-sports-blackouts/m-p/4153456#M3844
😉
Chris
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MicCheck
ACE - Expert
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14.2K Messages
9 years ago
There's your error. When you pay for a channel, you are only paying for the content that channel has agreed to provide you. The channels do not agree to provide you blacked-out sporting events.
If you believe black-outs are in error, send the private message you've been instructed to twice.
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marcindublin
Guru
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417 Messages
9 years ago
This is an interesting topic. The blackouts of replays seem to be inconsistent. Most NHL replays, for example, on the RSN's are not blacked out, but 20 year old baseball games on YES or SNY are. I'd bet that U-Verse is following a rigorous set of contracted rules with each station and the stations themselves are following a rigorous set of contracted rules with the teams but it would be nice if the rules were written down somewhere so you can determine exactly what you are and are not entitled to.
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