Dish network and FSN Twins games

[Superduty]

Dish network has blacked out the twins games again. Just got off an online chat with customer service. They don't have a timeline for when the games will be back. Switching to Direct TV I guess. Unbelievable!!!!

[thorski]

Yep...mine is out again too. No HD or standard definition. I just got done with a CSA at Dish Network. They are saying this is not a Dish Network thing...it is a Fox Sport North issue now.

Anyone having the same issue but are a subscriber to a different programming provider? direct tv? comcast? You guys having the same issue?

[Duffman]

DirecTV here, watching the Twins losing 4-0 right now.

[thorski]

A buddy of mine just told me that he had heard on the tv news that this might happen because some part of the contract with Fox Sports North and certain programming providers did not get ironed out. He said he thought he saw in on the Fox 9 KMSP news... It sounded like Dish Network was not the only one that this might affect.

Sounds like we all need to start calling and cancelling our Dish Network systems, save our money and go fishing.

[thorski]

Well boyz, heres the explanation:

Twins-Yankees Partially Blacked Out Due to Cable Battle

Comcast, MediaOne subscribers affected

Published : Tuesday, 05 Apr 2011, 7:14 PM CDT

MINNEAPOLIS - Tuesday night’s Minnesota Twins vs. New York Yankees game will be blacked out for many households in Minnesota due to cable contract disputes. The blackout affects Charter, CableOne, Dish Network and MediaOne subscribers.

The blackout would also affect Thursday afternoon’s game against the Yankees and the Saturday, April 9 game against Oakland in the Target Field opening series. If an agreement isn’t reached, 33 Twins games could be blacked out this season.

FOX Sports North statement

FOX Sports North and the Minnesota Twins are bringing fans the most expansive television schedule ever featuring 150 games – 34 more on cable and satellite than in past seasons – plus pregame and postgame shows all in high definition. The additional games have been made available to all cable and satellite providers. All distributors, but a few, have decided to carry the additional games. If you are one of those few customers, you may miss the following upcoming games:

•Apr. 5 Tuesday at N.Y. Yankees 6 p.m.

•Apr. 7 Thursday at N.Y. Yankees 12 p.m.

•Apr. 9 Saturday vs. Oakland 6 p.m.

•Apr. 14 Thursday at Tampa Bay 5:30 p.m.

•Apr. 15 Friday at Tampa Bay 6 p.m.

•Apr. 22 Friday vs. Cleveland 7 p.m.

•Apr. 26 Tuesday vs. Tampa Bay 7 p.m.

We encourage you to contact your cable or satellite provider to let them know you’d like to see all 150 Twins games being offered on FOX Sports North.

Sincerely,

Mike Dimond

Senior Vice President and General Manager, FOX Sports North

Twins fans left out

This season, the Twins decided to put 150 of its 162 games on cable, dropping WFTC as a broadcast partner. Last season, KMSP/WFTC aired 26 games, mostly on Sundays.

Many Twins fans responded, saying the team is alienating fans. But Kevin Smith, executive director of public affairs for the Twins, said it’s an industry trend.

"What this ensures is that 150 of our 162 games will be telecast across the footprint of Twins Territory," he said.

[aanderud]

Last year, after being the 3rd year in a row that I was stuck watching games in standard definition on DishNetwork that I KNEW were being broadcast in HD, I decided to switch. I contacted dish at least 3 times over the 2+ seasons, during games that I knew for a fact were being shown on FSN in HD on comcast, time warner, and DirecTV. All 3 times they said that the game was most definitely not being broadcast in HD, that they were relaying exactly what FSN gives them, and that I would not have better luck with any other vendor.

Well, here's to DirecTV! Not only are their DVRs better (whole home DVR in HD) but they actually have shown EVERY game in HD that should have been. Getting what you paid for is always a nice bonus!

Here's looking forward to HD on sundays too, now that they ditched 45 or 29 or whatever they were using last year! Wahoo!

[thorski]

This is just my opinion here but after reading the article above it seems that Fox Sports North and the MN Twins are the ones holding us hostage now!

The Twins get their new stadium and reward us by raising ticket prices this year and taking all the games off of "Free" tv and put them on Fox Sports North, which, we have to pay for!

Other than the weekend Fox Sports games of the week...you have to have Fox Sports North in order to see the Twins on tv. No more My29 games.

[BartmanMN]

I am Torqued off big time by Dish doing this. Everyone else is carrying the game so it is not a Fox decision. I am ready to get rid of Dish Network because of this [PoorWordUsage]!

This game is on Comcast and DirectTV right now, so it is not a Fox thing

[PierBridge]

Edit..161 people viewing the baseball forum .....

Oh, we're tied up at 4's in the 8th!....

Go Twins!

[fishhuntwork]

I am calling media comm tomorrow they also didn't air the game. It really ticks me off that I have 50 other channels that I would give a [PoorWordUsage] if they didn't air them. These dish and cable companies are making to much money. I urge all of you to call and complain to your company if there not covering the games.

[rundrave]

I called Dish and vented, got hung up on the first time and I wasn't even nasty to them. 2nd person was useless when I put them on the spot, so I got transferred up to someone higher and I all I got was a $5 credit.

I am so frustrated, especially after seeing the outcome of the game.

then I question why my bill suddenly increased $5 dollars from Feb to March and they tell me it was a rate hike across the board. Now that I go back and read the fine print I see a section in there stating they have the ability to change the price. Grrr

[winniewalleye777]

I contacted Mediacom during the 10th inning after I heard the Twins scored and I about threw my remote through the TV. The woman I talked to was clueless at first but then was passed a note saying the game was "blacked out." I told her that was not true, because it was being shown elsewhere. She had no answer. This ticks me off.

[Superduty]

The Dish Network rep flat out lied to me. She said that some games are blacked out to the entire viewing area due to local restrictions. They refuse to admit that they are unwilling to pay the fees to FSN to provide the service they are charging us customers for every month. I paid for the channel and they refused to televise it. I will be enjoying the games on Direct TV and saving money for two years under the new subscriber packages. I'll be paying about $70/month for what I was paying Dish $100+per month. I can't believe I let them sucker me again after the same stunt last fall. I encourgage everybody that is a Twins fan to get online and "chat" with a rep or make the phone call. You are paying for this channel!!!

[winniewalleye777]

Just got off the phone for the 2nd time with Mediacom. I asked the guy how many games I would get this week and he says "Unless something changes, you will not be able to receive any more games this season." !!!!!!?!?!?!? He probably lives somewhere in India or something so he could be mistaken, but still it scares me.

[SledNeck]

What a game! Boy am I glad I have direct tv!

[Jim Almquist]

I switched to Mediacom because I could get cable internet and TV. They have the worst DVR I have ever seen and I have had more weird pictures with them then DirectTV. I will keep the internet but DirectTV will be getting a call today. Just plain B S in my Book

[Rippinlip]

Yea, I am a little peaved myself!

Just got off the phone from a whole lot of this and that....

Plain & Simple I need to find a carrier that supplies me with my Twins!

A Blackout from 1500 miles away?????

Not like I could drive there in a few hours....

Bunch of political [PoorWordUsage]....

Who needs more money up there?

[thorski]

So...what is going to happen when DirecTV and MidContinent Communications contract expires with FSN? I am guessing that those customers will be held hostage too. Up will go the programming prices for them if they want to watch the Twins.

I don't care what programming provider you have...don't you think you are paying enough already? I think it's ALL getting ridiculous.

I wonder how long it will be before the only way to listen to the Twins on the radio will be to pay for it.....oh, wait....the technology is already there called satalite radio!

[LwnmwnMan2]

Seriously people, it's just 33, 34 games. All it is, is the games that "normally" would have been on channel 29, and Dish, Mediacom, and a couple other carries decided not to pick those games up.

If anything, blame the Twins for taking all games off of "free" TV.

I hsve Dish and watched the whole game online while doing taxes.

It's not that hard to find the game online for free if you really really want to watch it.

[jentz]

I was in Spicer,Mn yesterday,came home 8PM the twins were on Dish out there.Ice is going bad fast so we watched the game,Part of it anyway.

How do they determine the blackout area??

[Bjjams]

I don’t know who to blame for the blackout. Dish network, FSN or the Twin? I don't mind listening to it on the radio though. My wife can be pretty persuasive, after a phone call to Dish we got 10$ off our bill a month for the next year. I will probably be switching over to Direct after my contract is up.

[pikestabber]

Bought a new TV yesterday just to celebrate getting FSN on Dish... Got it hooked up and watched the pre-game, then 6pm rolled around... Imagine my suprise/anger/tantrum...

[SledNeck]

Mondays game was on ESPN HD, how many people knew that?

[LakeDocktor]

Calling and complaining will only go so far with stubborn companies. These companies feel like the networks are in the wrong when they will not agree to the proposal of the provider. Having been in the industry for quite some time, I have seen it with most companies. While certain companies only put a temporary patch on things to satisfy their customers, others have ironed their problems and often it results in a price hike for the customer. With that being said, in my opinion, DirecTv right now has the market right where they want it. They are sitting back and enjoying the ongoing contract battles other providers are dealing with when negotiating.

While contracted for these companies, I was generally bias towards the one I was contracted by. Now, being I have expanded into being able to work with multiple companies, DirecTv is the way to go. Their pricing is far superior to their competitors and technology is one step ahead. The picture quality in HD trumps any that I have seen. There are great promotions going on right now with them.

[Superduty]

My Direct TV installer will be out Friday morning. My only regret about losing Dish network is the loss of WFN(world fishing network). Other than that, I am getting a lot more for less money.