Blackout rules according to DirecTV:
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</td><td class="textdarkbluebold12" valign="top" width="21">Q:</td><td class="textdarkbluebold12" valign="top">How do blackouts work?</td></tr><tr><td>
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A:</td><td class="textdarkblue12" valign="top">
NATIONAL RIGHTS
If a national broadcasting service such as ABC, NBC, CBS or FOX has the national rights to broadcast an NBA, NHL<sup>®</sup> or Major League Baseball<sup>®</sup> game, customers may or may not be able to receive that game through their DIRECTV subscription(s), depending on the local market in which they live. If a service that DIRECTV carries -- such as ESPN, ESPN2, TNT, TBS or USA Network -- has the national rights to broadcast a game, subscribers will be able to receive it through their programming package, although some of these games are also subject to blackouts. Regional sports networks do not obtain national broadcast rights to professional sports.
LOCAL RIGHTS
If a local off-air broadcast channel (not ABC, NBC, CBS or FOX) or local cable system has the rights to broadcast a pro game in a certain region, customers in that area will be unable to receive that game through their DIRECTV<sup>®</sup> subscription(s). If a regional sports network that DIRECTV carries has the local rights to broadcast a game, customers within the region can receive that game through any DIRECTV<sup>®</sup> TOTAL CHOICE<sup>®</sup> or SPORTS Pack subscription, which includes customers' local regional sports network(s). Customers outside of the region will receive that game through the appropriate out-of-market pro sports subscription.
Click here to find out what your local regional sports networks are and which pro teams can be viewed on those channels.
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</td><td class="textdarkbluebold12" valign="top" width="21">Q:</td><td class="textdarkbluebold12" valign="top">Why do blackouts exist?</td></tr><tr><td>
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A:</td><td class="textdarkblue12" valign="top">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.
DIRECTV does not arbitrarily institute game blackouts, but simply follows the restrictions set forth by the various sports leagues or by their rights holders, such as ESPN and TNT.</td></tr></tbody> </table>