506Sports.com, which provides regionalization maps for network NFL games, also lists the local home market stations broadcasting any games that are on Prime Video, Netflix, or exclusive to ESPN or NFL Network.
It still leaves fans of teams with big regional followings without OTA access. Steelers fans in Harrisburg couldn't watch Wednesday's game over the air, nor could Chiefs fans in Columbia. Patriots fans elsewhere in New England, out of the OTA reach of Boston stations, always got the shaft when the team would play in a cable-exclusive game
I recall that last year the Miami vs Kansas City wildcard playoff game was NOT on free TV (except for the local markets). It was on NBC Peacock channel only. Some politician complained about that then.
We sports fans are having to rethink our spending on sports video, for sure. I've been thinking of eliminating DAZN and Peacock from my expenses as a cord cutter, while retaining ESPN+ and MLB.TV. But I may keep all four specialty streams and just drop YouTube TV instead. I'll settle for radio for games I'd miss without YTTV. There's always something else to watch on at least one of those services, including plenty of boxing, which is why I've been paying for DAZN.
when the games aren't available on OTA on the home and visiting team's markets? but they've never been available OTA in the secondary markets
Are you advocating that all sports should be available on OTA TV? Tell that to the NBA, NHL, MLS and MLB along with most college sports, as most of their games are on paid video services. The NFL has the most free content of any league.
Nobody was forced to attend the game in such conditions. And if you choose to do so, you should dress appropriately. Green Bay fans will tell you how.
The "free sports" crowd is crowing right now over the Bally debacle and the leaking of some sports back to free, over-the-air TV channels, but their glee is almost certainly bound to be short-lived. The sports and television industries weren't fully prepared for the collapse of the regional sports network -- and by extension, cable television -- business models, so a brief mini-era of league-produced games using prior-millennium distribution means is upon us. Eventually, all concerned will figure out a new business model that will extract the maximum amount of money from sports fans as it can without significantly turning off the fan base and killing the popularity of the sports. And that model will be internet-based, for sure. The only question is how long the nickel-and-diming phase lasts and how soon consolidation begins.
Not at all. I don't care if the NFL wants to put every game on a pay to view platform. Many people would not be happy though. Last year was the first time that an NFL playoff game wasn't on free TV. The NFL is seeking money in Europe and other countries now anyway. The Empire must expand.
It is mandated by the National Football League.
What does that mean? The NFL also used to blackout games that weren't sold out. Are you saying the NFL forces local affiliates to carry games? I'm sure many stations are happy to get a cable game, but I can't see the NFL forcing them by mandates...
Only the CBS and FOX affiliates get games. The NBC affiliate gets the Sunday night games. The ESPN and Amazon ones go the highest local bidder (I think that's what you meant)...
CBS, FOX and NBC affiliates get the normal free schedule. The games that are on ESPN or streaming services can go to any local channel that bids on them. That is what I meant. Those games are only available for free in the markets for the 2 teams that are playing that particular game. A local Baltimore station cannot air a game featuring Miami and Seattle if it's an ESPN game...
