My game is "Blacked Out". What does this mean?

In the world of sports broadcasting, situations may arise where providers are not permitted to broadcast games in certain parts of the country resulting in blackouts. These blackouts are designed to protect the individual team territories and rights to certain games purchased by programmers other than the providing broadcaster and protect the television rights holders in the competing teams' respective home markets. Please Note: Insight does not have control over blackout restrictions.

Why do blackouts exist?

Sports blackouts are a factor in every programming distribution service. Blackouts are determined primarily according to who has the rights to broadcast a given game in a given area, and are defined by the leagues. Insight does not arbitrarily institute game blackouts, but simply follows the restrictions set forth by the various sports leagues or by their rights holders.

I believe I'm outside of the sports blackout area. Why am I still getting blacked out from games?

You may have been blacked out from a game even if you seemed to be outside the blackout area. This can happen if a TV station near you is showing the game. Unfortunately, we do not control blackouts of sporting events. In our agreements to carry games produced by various leagues and associations, we are subject to clauses that keep us from carrying events near where the game is played, aired or broadcast locally. In some cases, if a game is blacked out from certain national channels, you may be able to see it on another national channel, or on one of your local broadcast channels.

Will there be blackouts for ESPN GamePlan?

Yes, there will be blackouts. The blackouts apply to the college football game telecasts that have been sold locally per conference and local rights holders agreements. Blackout applies to those areas that have the local telecast right.

How are ESPN GamePlan blackouts determined?

ESPN GamePlan is subject to blackouts for those games in your designated region. As ABC Sports simultaneously broadcasts several games to different regions of the country, ESPN GamePlan subscribers will see one game each week on their local ABC station instead of as part of the subscription. As a result, if you are an ESPN GamePlan subscriber, the games shown on the ABC affiliate within the local market will be blacked out. The same may apply to some regionally syndicated games. ESPN GamePlan subscribers may receive some games via local TV stations. Those games may also be available in the subscription or, in limited situations, could be available only via the local station and not duplicated in the subscription.

What are the blackout rules for ESPN GamePlan games?

There are two main components to the ESPN GamePlan college football subscription. The first part includes the ABC Sports regionally televised games shown simultaneously, and the second part includes regionally syndicated games from top NCAA Division I conferences shown in various markets around the country. ESPN GamePlan is subject to blackouts for those games in your designated region. As ABC Sports simultaneously broadcasts several games to different regions of the country, ESPN GamePlan subscribers will see one game each week on their local ABC station instead of as part of the subscription. As a result, if you are an ESPN GamePlan subscriber, the game(s) shown on the ABC affiliate within the local market will be blacked out. The same may apply to some regionally syndicated games. ESPN GamePlan subscribers may receive some games via local TV stations. Those games may also be available in the subscription or, in limited situations, could be available only via the local station and not be duplicated in the subscription.

Will there be blackouts for ESPN FULL COURT?

Yes, there will be blackouts. The blackouts apply to the college basketball game telecasts that have been sold locally per conference and local rights holders agreement. Blackout applies to those areas that have the local telecast right.

Which ESPN FULL COURT games are subject to blackouts?

ESPN FULL COURT blackout rules apply to select games in select areas. If you live in one of these areas, you may still be able to view these games on your local regional sports network or over-the-air network. Blackouts are determined by local stations or regional sports networks.

What are the blackout rules for ESPN FULL COURT games?

Blackout rules to ESPN FULL COURT apply to select games. If you live in one of these areas, you may still be able to view these games on your local regional sports network or over-the-air network. Blackouts are determined by local stations or regional sports networks. The ESPN FULL COURT subscription of college basketball games consists of two components: regionally and locally broadcast games. ESPN FULL COURT broadcasts games that are seen only in specific regions of the country. For example, a specific conference Game of the Week is normally seen only within that conference’s region of the country but not in other parts of the country. ESPN FULL COURT delivers these games (and others) on a national basis to viewers who previously could not see them. Games that are not part of ESPN or ESPN2's college basketball broadcasts cannot be seen on a national coverage basis anywhere other than on ESPN FULL COURT.