How can I tell if this is a blackout?

[Ichinisan]

I'm in Newnan, GA (not regionally affected by blackouts). The provider is Newnan Utilities, a local cable/Internet provider. CBS has been advertising this game all week. When the game was supposed to start, it began showing infomercials instead.

I can't find another network playing the game locally, so there is no reason for this blackout.

I just got a call from someone who invited people over to watch the game and now it's a disaster. How can this happen? Don't CBS and the NFL/team web sites have an obligation to let people know which games will be blacked out and why? CBS has advertised this game all week long and there is no explanation for why it's not coming through.

 

[dmcowen674]

Georgia, no wonder

Go sraight to the NFL, they should know wo paid and who didn't.

 

[dmcowen674]

Somebody is ripping you.

9-17-2006 Week 2 games sold out. All TV blackouts lifted

For the second consecutive week, all 16 games of the NFL schedule have sold out in advance of the local TV blackout deadline, enabling every game to be televised in the home-team market.

This is the first time since the NFL blackout policy took effect in 1973 that all blackouts were lifted for the season's first two weeks. Blackouts were lifted on NFL Kickoff 2006 Weekend (Sep. 7, 10-11).

It will be the 15th time in NFL history that blackouts have been lifted for all games on a single weekend. The previous 14 times have been on Kickoff Weekend in 1998; three times in 2000; once in 2001; four times in 2002 and 2005; and on Kickoff 2006 Weekend.

The NFL blackout policy states that games sold out 72 hours prior to kickoff can be televised in the home city.

 

[UncleWai]

What the hell, I stayed up late 2am (in HK) hoping to watch a decent game, but I am only getting one game on CBS. It is the crap ass raiders vs ravens, the worst game in week 2.
Man I want to watch a decent game.

 

[sciencewhiz]

Why don't you call your cable provider?

 

[Ichinisan]

I work for the cable provider. I take calls to tech support. No one has any idea what's wrong with CBS' feed.

The blackout policy is not in question here because Newnan, GA is not local to either team. I can only assume that another network paid for regional exclusivity, but I surfed through the channels and I couldn't find another network that was airing it.

 

[SludgeFactory]

My only possible explanation would have been that they opted to show a 4:00 game with more regional interest than Bills/Dolphins, but CBS has the doubleheader this week, they should be showing both a 1:00 and 4:00 game. Maybe your local affiliate screwed up.

 

[Chaotic42]

Weird. I'm watching it now. My provider is Time Warner, but it's the HD feed.

 

[Ichinisan]

I just found out that the local CBS affiliate usually decides to show infomercials while Fox is showing a local Falcons game at the same time.

How is it OK to advertise/promote this game all week long and then show infomercials without so much as a text scroller to explain?! The pre-game program that was on even stated that the game was coming on when they started playing infomercials. If I had invited people over to enjoy the game, I would be PISSED also.