TV coverage discussions - 2005/2006

[Westones3]

Bringing up an old post here, but I too an in San Jose CA which seems to be a dead zone for the Sac Kings lol. Too far to get anything locally, and after reading this thread, apparently too close to be able to watch on League Pass.

Well, I do get some perks... I get decent reception on 1140 so I can at least hear all the games. Also, I can watch channel 10 games (sort of), they are completely fuzzy and I’m afraid of damaging my eyes .

I was curious to see, does anyone know if this is still the case (regional blackouts in outlying areas of Sacramento)? I was seriously thinking about getting League Pass for this upcoming season, specifically for viewing Kings Games.

I guess if this doesn't work out, my only alternative is to move to Sacramento!

 

[loopymitch]

It really sucks, I never did understand why they did the blackout thing, makes no sense for fans. My cable company doesn't offer LP or NBA-TV so I'm stuck with 11 games and I'm not happy about it. Maybe VF's letter will help, without the fans their "business" will not exactly flourish.

 

[VarianSyn]

Hmmm, so question? My girlfriend and I just recently purchased comcast cable, and I'm no longer in the Northern California area, I'm in Indianapolis... That being said, if i purchase the league pass through comcast, will i still get the Kings games, or am I stressing too much for nothing ?

 

[vj9999]

Hmmm, so question? My girlfriend and I just recently purchased comcast cable, and I'm no longer in the Northern California area, I'm in Indianapolis... That being said, if i purchase the league pass through comcast, will i still get the Kings games, or am I stressing too much for nothing ?

In Indianapolis you should have no problems getting all the games. No blackouts will apply.

 

[whozit]

In Indianapolis you should have no problems getting all the games. No blackouts will apply.

Don't bet on that. I live in Southeastern Kentucky, Indiana games are blacked out while Memphis (closer) isn't..... go figure.

 

[G_M]

Don't bet on that. I live in Southeastern Kentucky, Indiana games are blacked out while Memphis (closer) isn't..... go figure.

Pretty sure he was talking about Kings games.

 

[love_them_kings]

hmm.. anyone know if the local cable companies nearby Sac are picking up the Comcast station again? I live in Rocklin, and Comcast is not available, but last year our little cable provider (Starstream) picked up the Comcast sports station and we were able to watch the games.

 

[uolj]

There are very few instances where you won't be able to get almost all of the Kings games if you are willing to pay for league pass. I'd be surprised if the San Jose situation still applies... remember that this thread was during the beginning of the Comcast channel where a lot of people (including representatives of Dish Network) were giving out incorrect information and still trying to get everything to work correctly.

To my knowledge, you are either in the Warriors territory or the Kings territory. San Jose is Warriors territory, and so their games are blacked out on League Pass when you can watch them on your own local channel (Fox Sports Bay Area or channel 36 I think). Kings games should never be blacked out on League Pass unless you are in an area that provides the regional channel that carries them. (This led to one of the few places where a Kings fan couldn't watch the Kings even with League Pass - people who lived in Sacramento but could not get the Comcast SportsNet West channel because their cable company didn't carry it, but were blacked out of League Pass because they were in the Sacramento Kings area.)

So basically, my guess is that the Kings will not be blacked out on League Pass for people with Dish Network in San Jose. Hopefully somebody who lives in San Jose and has Dish Network and also got League Pass last year can confirm this. The only place the Kings might be blacked out on League Pass is the general Sacramento area, or for a single game if the Kings are playing the team in your local area (in which case you can probably watch the game on some local channel).

 

[CruzDude]

Over the hill here in Santa Cruz all is well with NBA league pass and Direct TV. We are Comcast Cable TV users. The two are not connected but FYI. Have never heard of Kings games blacked out in San Jose before. It used to be a 60 mile radius but maybe now its 90 miles which, as the crow flies, is about in San Jose.

Have you checked with Direct TV about their coverage in your zip code? They have had the NBA package since day one and I think Dish only got it this year. Good luck

Last year we had both cable and Direct TV with League Pass and got every Kings game except the two at the Warriors. I think San Jose might now be in a 90 mile radius from Arco Arena. But not over here. Then again it might just be a comcast marketing trick. Good luck.

 

[KINGS16]

Anybody live in the Jersey area? Can I watch the Kings games with other cable providers besides League Pass coz if there's none then I'll be forced to get league pass. Any comments?

 

[6th]

Anybody live in the Jersey area? Can I watch the Kings games with other cable providers besides League Pass coz if there's none then I'll be forced to get league pass. Any comments?

Probably not.

Last year I lived in Illinois. The only Kings games you can get are the ones on National TV, which weren't nearly enough. I bought League Pass and saw every Kings games except when they played in Chicago, but Comcast Chicago carried those games. Unfortunately for me, I did not get Comcast Chicago at the time.

 

[KINGS16]

Thank you 6th. I guess I'll just have to get league pass then,i'ts worth it anyway now with the line up that we have. This is going to be an exciting season! MONARCHS AND KINGS ARE THE 2005-2006 WNBA/NBA CHAMPS! Nice ring to it don't you think.

 

[6th]

Thank you 6th. I guess I'll just have to get league pass then,i'ts worth it anyway now with the line up that we have. This is going to be an exciting season! MONARCHS AND KINGS ARE THE 2005-2006 WNBA/NBA CHAMPS! Nice ring to it don't you think.

You are welcome. Yes, I like the ring. LP is so worth it if you are a bball fan. I watched LP every night thru the winter when there was so much snow that I just came home from work and became a hermit. Besides, it is fun to keep up with the competition.

 

[VarianSyn]

I appreciate the responses. Those were my only real concerns with being here. Even before I moved I asked her if "we got comcast cable where we live" haha. That being said, I'm looking forward to this season. I contacted Comcast this morning, and there is a promotional package for 1st Time comcast subscribers I guess, I'm getting the Digital Package (All Premium channels), broadband Internet (8mb/768) and some other goodies.. totalling around 115 a month for 16 months. I didn't even realize I had a package until i recieved the bill today and called them about the League Pass.

Also.. League Pass is also having some type of promotion, the lady, and a Man (I called after the First Phone Call which was strictly for information) both assured me the package would be 149.99 before November 2nd, and then 179.99 afterwards. Damn good deal either way. Something for you first time subscribers (within 3 Months they told me) to look into.

 

[CaminoChaos]

Re

I have a few questions. I live in Placerville and I'm paying like $50-$55/month.
I am 5 months away from having our first child and my wife will be staying home. My wife wants to turn off cable to cut cost.

1. How much are you guys paying for Comcast cable?

2. Is there anyway to reduce the price by subtracting channels?

Thanks for the answers.

 

[Warhawk]

I have a few questions. I live in Placerville and I'm paying like $50-$55/month.
I am 5 months away from having our first child and my wife will be staying home. My wife wants to turn off cable to cut cost.

1. How much are you guys paying for Comcast cable?

2. Is there anyway to reduce the price by subtracting channels?

Thanks for the answers.

Look into the dish providers, last I heard I think they had the cheapest basic packages available and the Comcast channel that carries the Kings is included in the basic services. Look for the best ad price and jump on it.

 

[CaminoChaos]

re

Look into the dish providers, last I heard I think they had the cheapest basic packages available and the Comcast channel that carries the Kings is included in the basic services. Look for the best ad price and jump on it.

Your right about the cheapest basic packages, but are you sure they have Comcast Sports Net?

 

[CaminoChaos]

Actually this answers my own question.

http://www.dishnetwork.com/content/programming/packages/sports/multi_sport/index.asp?viewby=1&packid=10161&sortby=1

but what are the blackout rules?

 

[Warhawk]

Your right about the cheapest basic packages, but are you sure they have Comcast Sports Net?

We have the 100 channel package with Dish and we get it (channel 409) - we did not and do not subscribe to any packages (sports/HBO/etc.). My understanding is that everyone in the Sacramento area gets the channel as part of the basic programming package, outside the area it is an additional channel you have to add (via the sports package you are looking at, etc.).

The only games they do not show are the ones on TNT/ABC (national broadcasts) IIRC - every Kings game is on TV somewhere, and most of them are on Comcast. You will not miss a game all season!

 

[thesanityannex]

Question???

If I order the Sports Package from DirectTV, to get comcast sports network, will the Kings home games which are shown on news10 be blacked out, leaving me only to watch Kings away games? I live in Long Beach, CA.

 

[VF21]

Okay, first of all - no matter what we say or how everyone reports their personal situation, someone is going to fall through the cracks. It happens every single year.

I'll try to answer a couple of the questions, based on what I learned in EXTENSIVE dealings with broadcast people last year:

1. Blackouts for the NBA are very tricky. It depends on where you live and whether or not there is an NBA team whose coverage area includes your house. This is mandated by the NBA, and NO broadcaster has any control over it.

2. League Pass does not duplicate broadcasts of games on a local level. So, if you live in Sacramento and the game is being carried on News10, for example, you won't be able to see it on League Pass. If, on the other hand, you live in LA and the game is being carried in Sacramento on News10, you WILL see it. What you might not get is the Sacramento broadcasting team. (There are a lot of other exceptions to League Pass - such as the games from Toronto, some nationally covered games, etc. - but I'm only referring to games being carried on the local channel.)

3. If you get the Comcast Sports Network out of town, you're going to have to wait and see what happens because - unless I'm mistaken - this option wasn't available last year. You might get some Comcast Sports channels; you need to make SURE you're going to receive Comcast Sports WEST (CSNWS) which is the one the Kings games are on.

There are bound to be some changes - additions, subtractions, etc. - to the coverage again this year. Your best bet is to find someone who lives CLOSE to you and ask them. Since virtually every type of package is zip-code based, that's easier than trying to figure out if some guy's package in South Sac (for example) will be available for you if you live in Woodland.

This information is based on my memory of my dealings last year with Comcast and DishNetwork. I didn't speak directly with DirecTV, but their rules about blackouts, etc. are the same...

As I said, the BEST thing to do is check with friends and neighbors and see what type of coverage they have and if it will meet your needs. You'd be amazed at the differences between zip codes, all because of NBA blackouts, what constitutes "local broadcast areas," etc. It's a total mess...

 

[uolj]

CaminoChaos - According to comcast.com, the Comcast SportsNet West channel is part of Basic Cable in Placerville which is only $9.68 per month. That is easily your best deal - $10 per month for all your cable, including the Kings.

thesanityannex - all the games on Comcast SportsNet West will be blacked out for you, not just the ones on news 10 (actually I think games on news 10 are not shown on CSNW anyway). Did somebody tell you that you can watch Kings games in Long Beach on CSNW?

 

[thesanityannex]

2. League Pass does not duplicate broadcasts of games on a local level. So, if you live in Sacramento and the game is being carried on News10, for example, you won't be able to see it on League Pass. If, on the other hand, you live in LA and the game is being carried in Sacramento on News10, you WILL see it. What you might not get is the Sacramento broadcasting team. (There are a lot of other exceptions to League Pass - such as the games from Toronto, some nationally covered games, etc. - but I'm only referring to games being carried on the local channel.)

3. If you get the Comcast Sports Network out of town, you're going to have to wait and see what happens because - unless I'm mistaken - this option wasn't available last year. You might get some Comcast Sports channels; you need to make SURE you're going to receive Comcast Sports WEST (CSNWS) which is the one the Kings games are on.

.

vf, do you think it would be safe to just get the sports package with csnws? will the games be blacked out on that channel if its on news10?

 

[uolj]

Also, CaminoChaos, if you decide to go with DishNetwork even though it's more expensive, you might not have to pay for the sports package from that link you posted because you live in Kings territory. That link is for the whole country. I think VF21 had Dish Network, maybe she can indicate whether CSNW was part of her regular package or if she had to pay extra for the sports package to get it.

 

[CaminoChaos]

CaminoChaos - According to comcast.com, the Comcast SportsNet West channel is part of Basic Cable in Placerville which is only $9.68 per month. That is easily your best deal - $10 per month for all your cable, including the Kings.

can you post a link. Thanks

 

[uolj]

I can't post a link exactly.... go to www.comcast.com... click on Get Prices under Comcast Cable... type in your zip code (or your entire address if you want) - I tried 95667 (Placerville) ... scroll down the list of packages to the Basic Cable package. That will have the price. If you click on the Basic Cable link, a pop-up will come up and you can click the View channel lineup link on that page.

Then make sure you switch "View by Package Type..." to "Limited Basic" and hit Go.

Comcast SportsNet West should be channel 34.

 

[CaminoChaos]

I can't post a link exactly.... go to www.comcast.com... click on Get Prices under Comcast Cable... type in your zip code (or your entire address if you want) - I tried 95667 (Placerville) ... scroll down the list of packages to the Basic Cable package. That will have the price. If you click on the Basic Cable link, a pop-up will come up and you can click the View channel lineup link on that page.

Then make sure you switch "View by Package Type..." to "Limited Basic" and hit Go.

Comcast SportsNet West should be channel 34.

I just called Comcast and they just said that Basic Cable is ONLY the local channels. The website is wrong.

 

[VF21]

vf, do you think it would be safe to just get the sports package with csnws? will the games be blacked out on that channel if its on news10?

No, I don't think it would be safe at all. I'm guessing about any out-of-town coverage via CSNWS, because I don't think it was offered last year outside this area. It's a regional coverage thing, much like the various Fox Sports channels. You generally can only get the MAJOR sporting events on the channel that covers your own area.

 

[VF21]

I just called Comcast and they just said that Basic Cable is ONLY the local channels. The website is wrong.

Have you checked with any of your neighbors? See what channels they're getting. You will become totally confused if you rely on the operators who handle the customer service lines because they are NOT always right...

 

[VF21]

I split the recent comments off from last year's thread...

While some things are constant, others will undoubtedly change and there's no reason to fuss over what was happening last year.