I was hoping this season would be like a few years ago, but it is not looking like that. Seems it will be like last year and we will see the announcers for the other teams for the entire season. They did not show the Rockets for the entire pre season, while showing most other teams, and now they are not going to allow us to watch Bill and Calvin. How can I express my true feeling on this subject - IT SUCKS!!
Totally ridiculuous. I've said this many times and received no response whatsoever. I'm sure that it is an NBA rule that was created for the same purpose as the blackout rule. As long as we are paying (more than any other professional league pass), why aren't we getting what we want?
Actually, Tim has gone over this before, but this is the gist of it. The NBA has an exclusive deal with Fox Sports. If the game is being broadcast on any Fox affiliate (Fox SW, etc), they MUST take the feed from that Fox affiliate. It is part of their contract. Many teams utilize one of Fox' regional networks for their home games. Second, channel 51 is still not recognized across every satellite network. As a result, League Pass cannot accept their feed because they cannot be broadcast on every satellite system. So, you get no Rocket broadcasts because they are not on Fox and 51 does is not accepted on all satellite systems. None of this will matter next year because the Rockets will have their own new sports network and they will be able to deal directly with the NBA and give fans the opportunity to see many of the games broadcast locally on League Pass.
I started a thread for Tim to see if this would change, but I don't think he understood my concern. No Bill, No Calvin = SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS Been this way since 51 got the rights.
I gotta say as an out of town fan this really is a big deal. I love the Rocets and always will but all of the biased reporting just gets way under my skin...unless ther reporters or announcers are biased in favor of the Rockets.
Jeff, I don't think it is a Fox thing, but a regional network thing. League pass takes the team with the regional feed over the local feed, and most of the time it is Fox. I am sure we will get Bill and Calvin a couple of times. DD
I hope that's true, Jeff, because this blows big time. I'm a huge fan of Bill and Calvin. I can't believe we've gotta go a whole 'nother season like this. It's cruel!
Sorry Jeff, I have never seen Tim go over this an I try to check in every few days. We heard last year it would be a one year thing, so we put up with it for a year and now it looks like another year. I believed it last year, so shame on me and I have a problem with it now that it will get better. Just a few short years ago, I could get all the Rockets games on "C" band [big dish] and watch Bill and Calvin, but then I had to go to the small dish to get the games and have watched the other teams announcers every since. Like I said to start with " IT SUCKS".
It was definitely one of the reasons why I didn't pick up NBALP this season. I haven't been able to listen to Bill and Calvin in three years.
I have NBA LEAGUE PASS and "I'm lovin' it" ....YIKES! It's that VERY annoying McDonalds slogan...I can't seem to get it out of my mind (must be some evil subliminal message(sp?)! Anyway, I wish I could see Bill & Calvin often, but it's cool to see & hear the opposing commentators' talk about the ROXS! Most of them have been cool( for the most part)& respectful...& some that I dislike, like The Spurtzs & Celtics (JERK-OFFS!! ) Well, let me know who else do you like or dislikes!?
I agree ... The NBALP without Bill and Calvin sucks. I really miss seeing those guys. There are a few announcers like the Memphis one that I just cannot stand because of the horrible Bias. I was really impressed with the Chicago announcers as they truely were not biased one way or another. For those interested you can see the NBALP schedule with the carrier info at http://www.indemand.com/sports/nba2003/schedule/schedule.jsp It looks like we will get Bill and Calvin for only the Phoenix and Sacramento games this month.
Hi Jeff, so next year when the Rockets going to their own Fox network, are we still going to have a blackout rule again? Because I live in the Beaumont area and even with the NBA League Pass, thet blackout every Rocket games here. Plus we can not get the Houston local channel 51, the only way we can watch the Rockets is when they show on national TV (TNT, ESPN..) That's really frustrating. I go over this subject every year but it does not help. I guess the Rockets do not care about the small market like this area...oh well......... thanks anyway...
I'm just happy being in Dallas and getting the Rockets on NBA League Pass. Bill and Calvin can wait until next year for me. As long as I can see Yao spin past Shaq and dunk it in his face, that's fine w/ me!
That is because there were a few games last year broadcast on the WB network in Houston. That is possible though I know I was told this was specific to Fox Sports Net by the Rockets director of broadcasting. I'm guessing he would know. As for Bill and Calvin, as long as the games here are broadcast on 51, they won't be on League Pass. That's a really good question. I have heard that there is a wierd area in between two NBA areas that causes that blackout problem. You should really direct that to Tim and see if he can get some answers from Joel Blank on that. I can imagine that would be very frustrating.
Jeff, FYI .... If you go to http://www.indemand.com/sports/nba2003/schedule/schedule.jsp you will see the schedule for NBALP, and you will notice that the game on Friday Nov. 14 against Phoenix and the Nov. 28 game against Phoenix will be shown on NBALP using the KNWS feed so it must be possible I really think you are right though in the fact that they are contracted to go with the fox affiliate. I know it is that with the Major League Extra Innings package so I am assuming it must be the same with NBALP.
Jeff, I got my information from Tim here on the BBS when I had the same discussion with him last year. So, I would think HE would know. Maybe the guy you talked to was speaking specifially about the Rockets, because a LOT of teams do not use Fox. DD
I checked the InDemand schedule that was posted and the way I read it we have some good news -- we will at least get to hear Bill & Calvin three times this month -- Phx 14th, Phl 17th, Sac 28th. For our other games, can some of you post some of Calvin's comments for us. I really miss hearing opinions on our play, as well as the support of our home announcers.
You know, I had the same problem...Although, when the Texans played the Colts a couple of weeks ago, I couldn't get that game either...Freakin' DirecTV...
