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Cardinals-Panthers Game Not On Network TV

So, I turn on my television set this afternoon expecting to see the first 2014 N.F.L. playoff game and it's not there. Not on Fox, not on CBS, not on NBC. It's on ESPN. I don't have cable. I live at the Y.M.C.A. and for some reason, the first three floors are wired for it but the fourth floor isn't. I'm glad I have the N.F.L. Audiopass for radio broadcasts. I just feel bad for all the fans who are missing the game because of the game not being on over-the-air television.
 
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ESPN is a "network".

The fans of the Panthers and Cardinals in Carolina and Arizona are seeing the game on OTA television. Otherwise, it's like many, many other games. Monday Night Football is now on ESPN. The second half of the season Thursday Night Football was on the NFL network.

It's not the 20th century any more. Things have changed. One of those changes is that cable networks are just as much "networks" as OTA networks.
 
per the new TV contracts ESPN gets one wild card game which is the game you referenced. In Phoenix and Charlotte it is on local stations (TV6 in Phoenix, Fox in Charlotte)

You're really gonna flip next week when CBS only gets 1 Divisonal game. NBC gets 1 and Fox gets 2

DIVISIONAL ROUND
Sat 1/10, 4:30 PM @ New England NBC Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth
Sat 1/10, 8:00 PM @ Seattle FOX TBD
Sun 1/11, 1:00 PM @ Green Bay FOX TBD
Sun 1/11, 4:30 PM @ Denver CBS Jim Nantz, Phil Simms
 
per the new TV contracts ESPN gets one wild card game which is the game you referenced. In Phoenix and Charlotte it is on local stations (TV6 in Phoenix, Fox in Charlotte)

There is no "TV6" in Phoenix. There is a TV61 which is otherwise known as CW but I really doubt the game was on that station. Otherwise, "TV6" must have referred to a cable channel because AFAIK the game was not OTA - not that it mattered because with our running backs injured and playing a third string QB we had very little chance of winning or even playing competitively.
 
it was CW6

ESPN will be simulcasting the Cards-Panthers game on CW-6 in Phoenix and FOX-46 in Charlotte for the benefit of viewers without cable.
 
it was CW6

ESPN will be simulcasting the Cards-Panthers game on CW-6 in Phoenix and FOX-46 in Charlotte for the benefit of viewers without cable.

"CW6" is the Channel 61 brand name and it's location on Cox Cable. I looked for the game this morning on Titan-TV (online) but didn't find it. I wonder how many others searched for it and didn't know it was on 61 either. I'm not sure if ESPN and ABC are still attached at the hip but it seems like Channel 15 (ABC) here in Phx would have carried the game instead of CW as CW is actually programmed by a former indie (KTVK, 3 which is now owned by the CBS affiliate). Confusing, ain't it?

Fortunately, I have online resources and usually watch games there instead of OTA. This game though was not worth watching and was a pretty good example of why I gave up the NFL years ago. Now.....back to preparing for Oregon to rack 'em up when they meet the Hokeyes from the laugh-a-minute Big-14. The ACC champ ran into the Duck's buzzsaw a few days ago and soon it will be the Bugeyes turn. The Quack Attack Rules!
 
This thread is a pretty good example of why discussions about sports on this forum are nowhere near as good as those at 506sports.com.
 
Disney owns ABC and ESPN. Sports on ABC is branded as "ESPN." Monday Night Football was moved from ABC to ESPN years ago and this play-off game is part of the package.

In case nobody noticed, some post season baseball has been on TBS for the past several years as part of their game of the week package.

And let's all shed a tear for those "fans" who don't have cable. Their choice. And maybe OP should get a room on a lower floor.
 
ESPN is a "network".

The fans of the Panthers and Cardinals in Carolina and Arizona are seeing the game on OTA television. Otherwise, it's like many, many other games. Monday Night Football is now on ESPN. The second half of the season Thursday Night Football was on the NFL network.

It's not the 20th century any more. Things have changed. One of those changes is that cable networks are just as much "networks" as OTA networks.


ESPN (or any other cable/pay TV network) are NOT 'just as much "networks" as OTA networks'! Not even close.

OTA networks are available for FREE in high definition nationwide via hundreds of affiliates. But cable/pay TV networks require a special connection to the service, and are CHARGED. Of course the programming is not the same, but how could say that cable/pay networks are equal with OTA networks?

Another thing, how could you say that "many" NFL games are on ESPN/NFL Network? The fact is that the vast majority of NFL games are broadcast on free, OTA television. The NFL, compared to the other 'Big 4' leagues (MLB, NBA, and NHL) still has most of it's games broadcast OTA. For viewers who only care to watch just their local team, they would not need cable/pay TV at all.
 
Disney owns ABC and ESPN. Sports on ABC is branded as "ESPN." Monday Night Football was moved from ABC to ESPN years ago and this play-off game is part of the package.

In case nobody noticed, some post season baseball has been on TBS for the past several years as part of their game of the week package.

And let's all shed a tear for those "fans" who don't have cable. Their choice. And maybe OP should get a room on a lower floor.

these games used to on OTA TV, but the subscriber fee$ from cable was just too much, complaining to their congresspeople want to do any good
 
ESPN (or any other cable/pay TV network) are NOT 'just as much "networks" as OTA networks'! Not even close.

OTA networks are available for FREE in high definition nationwide via hundreds of affiliates. But cable/pay TV networks require a special connection to the service, and are CHARGED. Of course the programming is not the same, but how could say that cable/pay networks are equal with OTA networks?

Another thing, how could you say that "many" NFL games are on ESPN/NFL Network? The fact is that the vast majority of NFL games are broadcast on free, OTA television. The NFL, compared to the other 'Big 4' leagues (MLB, NBA, and NHL) still has most of it's games broadcast OTA. For viewers who only care to watch just their local team, they would not need cable/pay TV at all.

viewers without in the secondary markets on teams of MNF and yesterday's playoff game don't get the local OTA ESPN simulcasts, only viewers without cable in the primary markets get those (assuming no blackout and often stations buy the remaining tickets to lift a blackout)
 
You gave up on the NFL years ago because the Cardinals played poorly and lost? You must not have been an NFL fan for long!

I gave up on the NFL years before the CAHDnulls moved to Phoenix because the product was boring. Back in the 60's and 70's when we had two leagues it was a very different game (at least the AFL was). I never bought into those NFL teams who thought they were part of the Big Ten (3 yards and a cloud of dust). When the two leagues merged and the game changed I moved on to sports where I couldn't take a nap between plays and wasn't seeing the same play over and over and over again.

I played football throughout school and loved the game. I was a regular at my local college games and watching NCAA football on TV. The pro game is just too slow and oh, I cannot stand Al Michaels either so it was back to the college game for me.
 
ESPN (or any other cable/pay TV network) are NOT 'just as much "networks" as OTA networks'! Not even close.

OTA networks are available for FREE in high definition nationwide via hundreds of affiliates. But cable/pay TV networks require a special connection to the service, and are CHARGED. Of course the programming is not the same, but how could say that cable/pay networks are equal with OTA networks?

Another thing, how could you say that "many" NFL games are on ESPN/NFL Network? The fact is that the vast majority of NFL games are broadcast on free, OTA television. The NFL, compared to the other 'Big 4' leagues (MLB, NBA, and NHL) still has most of it's games broadcast OTA. For viewers who only care to watch just their local team, they would not need cable/pay TV at all.

The fact that some networks are broadcast free and others require a subscription doesn't negate the fact that networks carried on cable are still networks. And, for the record, I spent most of my adult life in a city with such terribly hilly terrain that most "free" TV was impossible to watch without cable. Or aren't you aware that for the first few decades of existence of cable television, all it offered was good reception for local OTA channels? Cable-only networks didn't come along until the cable television industry was several decades old.

You're also assuming that people only care about seeing their local team's games on "free" television. This thread appears to be launched by an NFL fan who didn't live in the home city of either team. My favorite team is the one I followed before relocating to another city. The fact that I moved didn't change my loyalty to my team. And it is not shown on "free" TV every week in the city where I live.
 
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I'm not sure if ESPN and ABC are still attached at the hip but it seems like Channel 15 (ABC) here in Phx would have carried the game instead of CW as CW is actually programmed by a former indie (KTVK, 3 which is now owned by the CBS affiliate).

Yes ABC & ESPN are owned by same company but the ABC in Phx is NOT owned and operated. Its a Scripps station
When a ABC in the market is O&O then yes those ESPN games are simulcast in the market

Fox had the game in Charlotte (and Fox owns the station)
 
When a ABC in the market is O&O then yes those ESPN games are simulcast in the market

Fox had the game in Charlotte (and Fox owns the station)

The OTA broadcasts of cable NFL games are put out to bid for the local stations in each team's market. Common ownership is irrelevant. In Houston, for example, the Monday Night ESPN appearances of the Texans have in the past been carried on KHOU (CBS affiliate), KIAH (Tribune owned CW affiliate) as well as ABC O&O KTRK.

The OTA station carrying the game is the one that offered the most money.
 
My understanding has been that ABC O&Os and Hearst Television stations (as Hearst owns a 20% stake in ESPN) have the right of first refusal for the OTA rights to MNF games. If an NFL team's local market has no ABC O&O or Hearst station, the rights automatically go the highest bidder.
 
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Fox had the game in Charlotte (and Fox owns the station)
Correction. Fox's station had the game. There was no reason they had to.

I'm happy with the outcome, but why were those Cardinals throwing the ball to each other with one second left? What purpose could that possibly have served?
 
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