NHL Playoffs Caps vs Penguins Didn't Appear on Versus Channel?

[MadHatter]

I live in Northern Virginia just outside of DC.  Versus said on the program guide that it was going to show the NHL Playoffs Capitals against Penguins last night, but when I went to the channel there was a bullriding competition.  I left it on the channel but nothing NHL ever came up.

So here is what is strange.  We have 2 STBs.  The night before,  there was also an NHL playoff game.  I went to Versus on one STB and it wasn't showing the playoffs but after about 2 minutes Versus just "changed" from one program to show the NHL playoffs, right in the middle of the programming.  My other STB was still showing the other program, not the NHL, and I couldn't get it to change over by just leaving it on.  So I had 2 STBs in the same house on the same channel with different programs showing.

WHAT IS GOING ON??? 

[mark_e]

In the DC/Baltimore area, the game was on Comcast Sportsnet, so the Versus feed was blacked out. 

Maybe someone else has an idea about why your STBs behaved differently.

[KenAF]

---

@mark_e wrote:

In the DC/Baltimore area, the game was on Comcast Sportsnet, so the Versus feed was blacked out. 

Maybe someone else has an idea about why your STBs behaved differently.

---

As alluded to above, Comcast Sportsnet has exclusive rights to Caps for games 5, 6, and 7 in the DC/VA/MD area.

As for what happened with one of your STBs the previous night, I couldn't say.

[Techman28]

Guys,

Try NESN the games are on there, Versus is blacking out the games within a 50 mile radius of each home city which I think is completely silly please put in your zip code for the correct listing for NESN please channel lineup

Also Versus blackout schedule

Message Edited by Techman28 on 05-12-2009 07:33 PM

[Caps09]

This is because of the complex deals that the NHL made with the TV Networks. In the first and second round of the playoffs, the regional networks have priority within their regions, so Versus cannot show these games in the respective footprints. It's nice to get to see the games with the home teams announcers, plus the regional networks are scoring big ratings this year. FSN Pittsburgh set a ratings record with game 6, and I know CSN DC got a huge boost, too.

BTW- the Bruins are only available on NESN within it's territory in New England states. None of this will matter in the 3rd and 4th rounds though, when all games are exclusive in the U.S. to either Versus or NBC.