Regional Sports Networks
Blackout Regulations
The most commonly asked RSN questions are usually about blackouts. In the world of sports broadcasting, situations arise when FOX Sports Net is not permitted to broadcast games in certain parts of the country. These blackouts are designed to protect the individual team territories and rights to certain games purchased by programmers other than FOX Sports Net. Blackouts on the Regional Sports Networks are not based on arena sellouts. They are in place to protect the various broadcast rights holders for each game. Each league, NBA, NHL and MLB, determine its team territories differently. Consequently, an NBA team and a MLB team from the same market will have drastically different local blackout areas. This can be a confusing subject at times, this section explains the different scenarios in the simplest form.
DISH Network Season Tickets
NHL CENTER ICE/NBA LEAGUE PASS/ESPN FULL COURT
Blackout restrictions apply to all NBA games that are offered on NBA LEAGUE PASS. Such blackout restrictions are designed to protect the television rights holders in the competing teams' respective home markets. Blackouts are not based on arena sellouts. If a local over-the-air network has the rights to broadcast an NBA game in its local area, customers in that area will be unable to receive that game via their satellite service. However, they may be able to see the game via their local channels.
MLB EXTRA INNINGS BLACKOUT INFORMATION
All local and national blackout restrictions still apply. In other words, subscribers within a club's Home Television Territory cannot get that clubs' games in this national package. In addition, due to the national exclusivity of both ESPN and FOX, there are no games available for distribution via this package on Saturday day or Sunday night. Please see the below for further detail. Local Blackout Information: If you live in a zip code that is within a Major League Baseball team's territory, that team's games will be blacked out from the MLB EXTRA INNINGSSM game package.
ESPN Blackout Information:
ESPN has an exclusive national broadcast window for all Major League Baseball games on Sunday nights; therefore, no telecast can be made available for DBS distribution. As they have rights to night games only, any games which start after 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT) cannot be distributed via DBS carriers out-of-market.
Fox Television Network Blackout Information:
For Saturdays in the regular season between May 22nd and October 2nd, with the exception of Saturday September 4th and 11th, the FOX Television Network has the exclusive national rights to broadcast games up until 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT). So, while you will not receive Major League Baseball games on your MLB EXTRA INNINGS channels any of those Saturday mornings or afternoons, you will receive the available Saturday night games that begin after 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT). For Saturday morning and afternoon games, check out the FOX Network local schedule.
ESPN GAME PLAN
Blackouts are determined on a per game basis and are available the week preceding the game. This blackout information will be posted on dishnetwork.com/football as soon as they are available.
DISH Network Pay-Per-View
Boxing
Blackouts apply within the markets the fight is taking place unless the fight is sold out. If the fight is sold out, blackouts will not be implemented.
College Football
Blackouts are determined on a per game basis and are available the week preceding the game. This blackout information will be posted on dishnetwork.com/football as soon as they are available.
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