FiOS blacking out NHL programming at random again

[Anastasio]

Last night I was half way thru a hockey game (Chicago Blackhawks vs. Tampa Bay Lightning from Winnipeg Manitoba at 8:00PM) on channel 587, The NHL Network. The game then changed to blacked out on the HD channel only. I could get the SD feed just fine. This game was between a Florida team and a Chicago team. Neither are even close to my area (Maryland). This game took place outside the US. This game was a sellout. This game was preseason which means that it is never blacked out. This game was a national feed for the entire country and was broadcast by a channel run by the league. However, you still blacked it out for no reason. My friend across the street using Comcast was not not blacked out nor was another friend down the block that has DirecTV. Only FiOS blacked this out. That tells me this was an error. I called support and after first being told that I no longer had the NHL Network in the UItimate HD package I was then on the phone for at least 30 more minutes and then told the game was blacked out. I explained the game was on in SD without issue but that apparently fell on deaf ears.

This is the same problem that plagued NHL Center Ice at the beginning of last year and I had to write letter after letter until you got it figured out. At that time, even though I had NHL Center Ice and games were being played by two Canadian teams I was being blacked out. FiOS eventually admitted mistakes and fixed the issue after several weeks of this. Please get on top of this so I don't have to waste my time begging to watch programming that am paying for and that I should be able to watch.

Regards,

Brian

[Caps09]

The only reason for a blackout would have been if you were in the region for CSN Chicago (since they were showing the game), which you obviously aren't. From what I understand though, the programmers send a signal to the Verizon VHO whenever they have a game "blacked out". It was definitely an error, but maybe not the fault of Verizon.

[Bwayblue420]

They blacked out the Devils-Flyers game on Tuesday night. The game feed was from the CSN Philly and the game was not broadcast anywhere in the NY Area. This game should not have been blacked out in the NY area on NHL Network if it was not televised locally.

[Hubrisnxs]

Blackout rules are complicated, and the NHL is has even wierder rules, so I don't even begin to understand them sometimes.  But Verizon has some stuff that might help you.

How can I tell if a game is blacked out in my region?

Use our Sports Blackout lookup tool to view games that are scheduled for blackout. Please note that certain blackout restrictions can change from day-to-day. Our Sports Blackout lookup tool is updated daily.

Who is responsible for blackouts occurring?

Sports leagues and associations negotiate broadcast rights with local and national channels. As a TV service provider, Verizon is bound to adhere to the broadcast restrictions that are contracted between governing sports bodies and broadcasters.

Whenever there is a black out in my area, I usually can find the game on a different channel.  I would say this is true for about 98% of the games I watch, there has RARELY ever been an occasion where I couldn't find the game "elsewhere"

 Go to TV Guide.com to find the game.

Just put in your zip and cable provider  (in this case FiOS) and let it search for the game. 9 times out of 10 you will find it on a different station.