What channel are most suns games on?

[Azlen]

That is true now but not then. See below:

Under United Television ownership, the station carried programming from the Prime Time Entertainment Network programming service from January 1993 to January 1995.[2] In the fall of 1994, United Television and Paramount Pictures announced the formation of the United Paramount Network, lining up independent stations that were owned by both companies at the time as charter affiliates

So sounds like the FOX acquisition was more recent and had no bearing on previous contracts obtained by Channel 45. So that makes sense now why they wouldn't be betting against themselves today but evidently Channel 45 has plenty of clout in the past to compete with FOX. I seriously doubt there is a high demand for Suns games now which might have prevented other local affiliated networks from putting in serious bids.

That might change rapidly though and be a major win for FOX. Especially with a young core like we have and rebounding much sooner versus what people thought.

The regional Fox sports networks didn't even exist then though. The local basic cable broadcast rights were on ASPN which was owned by Dimension Cable.

Anyway here is the list of all the local NBA broadcasters for the NBA. Only the Nets, the Bulls, the Blazers, the Kings, the Spurs and the Mavs have OTA broadcasts and none of them are exclusively on OTA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_National_Basketball_Association_broadcasters

 

[AzStevenCal]

I wish I could do it. I love HBO like an addict loves CRACK. What about a HDTV Antenna? I have heard some are pretty good. You could get local that way and get more no?

Now that Amazon has a deal to stream HBO it's not so bad. You won't be current but you won't have to miss them completely. Besides, I started watching TV marathon style back in the late 90's when TV shows first started becoming available on DVD. I love watching an entire season of a show over a few days time and as a result, I never watch a show anymore week to week. And no, according to TVFool, we probably wouldn't pick up much even with a good rooftop antenna.

Steve

 

[Covert Rain]

The regional Fox sports networks didn't even exist then though. The local basic cable broadcast rights were on ASPN which was owned by Dimension Cable.

Anyway here is the list of all the local NBA broadcasters for the NBA. Only the Nets, the Bulls, the Blazers, the Kings, the Spurs and the Mavs have OTA broadcasts and none of them are exclusively on OTA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_current_National_Basketball_Association_broadcasters

FSN has been around since 96 but was called Prime Sports Arizona right? As far as I can tell it was rebranded that same year to Fox Sports Arizona and bought by FOX the same year. So FOX was around since 96.

Now that Amazon has a deal to stream HBO it's not so bad. You won't be current but you won't have to miss them completely. Besides, I started watching TV marathon style back in the late 90's when TV shows first started becoming available on DVD. I love watching an entire season of a show over a few days time and as a result, I never watch a show anymore week to week. And no, according to TVFool, we probably wouldn't pick up much even with a good rooftop antenna.

Steve

So how does that work? You pay Amazon Prime yearly fee of $99.99 plus the cost of HBO?

 

[SO91]

I don't understand the NBA blackout rules either.

I would pay the NBA directly for league pass but I can't watch the Suns even after the game has aired because of my location. I have tried the trial through a proxy but that is a pain.

It is like they are trying to punish people that don't have cable or satellite.

If I'm not mistaken, you can pay for league pass to watch it on phone or tablet, as well as roku (and similar devices). You should be able to watch whatever game is showing when you purchase league pass. No proxy necessary.

 

[SO91]

FSN has been around since 96 but was called Prime Sports Arizona right? As far as I can tell it was rebranded that same year so Fox Sports Arizona and bought by FOX the same year. So FOX was around since 96.



So how does that work? You pay Amazon Prime yearly fee of $99.99 plus the cost of HBO?

No additional cost.
http://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-prime-subscribers-can-now-watch-hbo-shows/

 

[AzStevenCal]

So how does that work? You pay Amazon Prime yearly fee of $99.99 plus the cost of HBO?

It's just like Netflix accept you pay yearly. I may have unintentionally misled you though. You don't get to watch HBO, you get to watch the shows they've made available to Amazon for streaming. Until recently, none of the HBO library was available for streaming on any of the services so it's a nice way to catch up on all their old shows. I haven't looked too closely to see how far behind they run the new stuff.

I've paid for Amazon prime since the 90's when it was 60 bucks or thereabouts and it just auto-renews so I hadn't paid attention to the fact it had gone up to 99.99. Originally it just gave you free 2 day shipping but it paid for itself many times over for our household since we bought all our books, movies and cd's from there. Now though it also includes their prime library (which is just a very small part of their overall tv and movie library - most of their content still has to be paid for). Anyway, it's like Netflix. It has a better catalog of newer movies but Netflix probably has it beat in most other ways. I pay for it and Netflix both but you'd probably want a Roku or an Amazon Fire TV box to use them effectively.

Steve

 

[Covert Rain]

It's just like Netflix accept you pay yearly. I may have unintentionally misled you though. You don't get to watch HBO, you get to watch the shows they've made available to Amazon for streaming. Until recently, none of the HBO library was available for streaming on any of the services so it's a nice way to catch up on all their old shows. I haven't looked too closely to see how far behind they run the new stuff.

I've paid for Amazon prime since the 90's when it was 60 bucks or thereabouts and it just auto-renews so I hadn't paid attention to the fact it had gone up to 99.99. Originally it just gave you free 2 day shipping but it paid for itself many times over for our household since we bought all our books, movies and cd's from there. Now though it also includes their prime library (which is just a very small part of their overall tv and movie library - most of their content still has to be paid for). Anyway, it's like Netflix. It has a better catalog of newer movies but Netflix probably has it beat in most other ways. I pay for it and Netflix both but you'd probably want a Roku or an Amazon Fire TV box to use them effectively.

Steve

Steve is there a reason you don't use OTA?

No additional cost.
http://www.cnet.com/news/amazon-prime-subscribers-can-now-watch-hbo-shows/

Oh man...this is making it harder for me. LOL. I might have to simply go to more Suns games when my DIRECTV contract is up.

 

[Mainstreet]

October 2nd, I cut the cord. No more Direct TV (or Dish or cable etc). It's a little scary because unlike most of you, I can't receive any broadcast channels. I'm just going to rely on NFL Game Rewind and NBA League Pass for my sports. Thanks to the Pac 12/DTV war, I've already adjusted to life without college sports. I have Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and a Roku 3 so I won't lack for entertainment but if somebody blows up the Internets, I'll be pretty bored for awhile.

Steve

If major television providers such as cable, Direct TV and Dish do not buy up internet sources, I can see entertainment going more and more to the internet. If the Suns were not so important to me, I would be doing what you are doing right now. Congratulations for making the break.

 

[AzStevenCal]

Steve is there a reason you don't use OTA?

I'm not sure what you mean?

Steve

 

[Covert Rain]

If major television providers such as cable, Direct TV and Dish do not buy up internet sources, I can see entertainment going more and more to the internet. If the Suns were not so important to me, I would be doing what you are doing right now. Congratulations for making the break.

I tried to wean my self off of DIRECTV by cancelling NFL Sunday ticket. I have managed to live without it now and survive off of the broadcasted games. However, I have been unable to do without regional cable sports coverage and my current HBO shows. I have not been able to take that extra step.

It's how they are sticking it to me. Between HBO and the Suns....it would be difficult.

 

[Covert Rain]

I'm not sure what you mean?

Steve

Over the air digital antenna so you can get local stations for free.

 

[SO91]

Steve is there a reason you don't use OTA?



Oh man...this is making it harder for me. LOL. I might have to simply go to more Suns games when my DIRECTV contract is up.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/12/hbo-go-subscription_n_5806846.html

Hopefully it happens soon.

And you can buy NBA League Pass and watch the games through your Roku
http://www.nba.com/leaguepass/roku/

 

[Azlen]

FSN has been around since 96 but was called Prime Sports Arizona right? As far as I can tell it was rebranded that same year to Fox Sports Arizona and bought by FOX the same year. So FOX was around since 96.

I'm not sure though if channel 45 and Fox Sports Arizona ever bid against each other for local broadcast rights for the Suns. I do know that initially the Fox Sports nets weren't bidding for exclusivity. Typically the broadcast channel would handle away games and the basic cable channel would handle home games. Fox Sports inherited the Suns contract when they essentially bought out ASPN. I know at some point the strategy for the sports nets changed and they starting bidding for exclusivity and that's why things are they way they are today.

 

[Covert Rain]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/12/hbo-go-subscription_n_5806846.html

Hopefully it happens soon.

And you can buy NBA League Pass and watch the games through your Roku
http://www.nba.com/leaguepass/roku/

Please let this be true. I hope it's a wave coming. I think I could get away with OTA (free locals), Netflix, Hulu Plus, and HBO GO. The only hole would still be the Suns games. However, make local providers like COX try and jump in on the a la cart action in partnership with HBO??

 

[AzStevenCal]

Over the air digital antenna so you can get local stations for free.

Yeah, that's what I thought you meant. I can't pick up any channels in my area. It's cable, satellite or nothing. This was just a farming community until the mid 80's and by then cable was thought to be all we'd ever need in this valley. Hills/mountains on all sides and nothing gets in.

Steve

 

[Covert Rain]

Yeah, that's what I thought you meant. I can't pick up any channels in my area. It's cable, satellite or nothing. This was just a farming community until the mid 80's and by then cable was thought to be all we'd ever need in this valley. Hills/mountains on all sides and nothing gets in.

Steve

What general area do you live in? It's that remote? I am wondering if I am going to have the same problem. I am in a new community out pretty far in the East Valley and I have foothills around me.

 

[Azlen]

Please let this be true. I hope it's a wave coming. I think I could get away with OTA (free locals), Netflix, Hulu Plus, and HBO GO. The only hole would still be the Suns games. However, make local providers like COX try and jump in on the a la cart action in partnership with HBO??

I'm really curious to see if a la carte ever happens and what it will mean to sports fans. Most of the time, the people who are clamoring for a la carte are non-sports fans and that's because sports programming is by far the biggest programming cost and non-sports fans are helping subsidize the costs for sports fans. With a la carte the entire bill would have to be picked up by people who want to watch sports. That could definitely mean the additional costs would far outweigh the savings from not having to pay for channels you don't watch.

 

[Azlen]

What general area do you live in? It's that remote? I am wondering if I am going to have the same problem. I am in a new community out pretty far in the East Valley and I have foothills around me.

Go to tvfool.com and enter your address. It should tell you how good the reception is in your area.

 

[Covert Rain]

I'm really curious to see if a la carte ever happens and what it will mean to sports fans. Most of the time, the people who are clamoring for a la carte are non-sports fans and that's because sports programming is by far the biggest programming cost and non-sports fans are helping subsidize the costs for sports fans. With a la carte the entire bill would have to be picked up by people who want to watch sports. That could definitely mean the additional costs would far outweigh the savings from not having to pay for channels you don't watch.

Great question. I can already live without NFL SUNDAY ticket and deal with network games. DIRECTV rolled back their NFL SUNDAY ticket prices because their subscriptions were falling. They have been trying to get me back with deep discounts every season since I dropped it and even promised I could get discounts every single year since I am an "A" customer.

However, you have a great point. What would that mean for many other sports and their broadcasts? It would be painful to not watch Suns games for sure but I would be willing to pay for FSN for example if that was available. If not, I could only watch national televised games or if I have a subscription to TNT catch those games when on.

I wonder if eventually these networks will cut out the middle man and just offer their package of stations for a lower price directly to consumers? It wouldn't exactly be a la cart but it would be something similar.

 

[AzStevenCal]

What general area do you live in? It's that remote? I am wondering if I am going to have the same problem. I am in a new community out pretty far in the East Valley and I have foothills around me.

Not really. I live about a mile from the old Riverside International Raceway. If you've ever driven from Phoenix to Orange County you've driven right past me basically. If you're taking the 60, there's a hill that leads into Riverside, those of us at the bottom of the hill get nothing and those on the other side of the hill have no problems. It's more a function of when this area developed than anything else.

Steve

 

[Covert Rain]

Not really. I live about a mile from the old Riverside International Raceway. If you've ever driven from Phoenix to Orange County you've driven right past me basically. If you're taking the 60, there's a hill that leads into Riverside, those of us at the bottom of the hill get nothing and those on the other side of the hill have no problems. It's more a function of when this area developed than anything else.

Steve

Ahhh. I know exactly where your at. I always visit my Uncle and Aunt in Victorville which is a little less than an hour away from you but we drive through your area every single time we are there. I also have a cousin that lives in Riverside from what I understand. Obviously we are not close. LOL.

 

[Chaz]

If I'm not mistaken, you can pay for league pass to watch it on phone or tablet, as well as roku (and similar devices). You should be able to watch whatever game is showing when you purchase league pass. No proxy necessary.

I tried the trial at the start of last season.
Every game was available to me except the Suns. I might even do it if it was available the next day like NFL game rewind. Cardinals are on free TV plus game rewind. Suns are only on cable or satellite.

Needless to say I was not impressed.

 

[Azlen]

I tried the trial at the start of last season.
Every game was available to me except the Suns. I might even do it if it was available the next day like NFL game rewind. Cardinals are on free TV plus game rewind. Suns are only on cable or satellite.

Needless to say I was not impressed.

VPN's are typically used to get around that. Makes it seem like you are in another US city so the Suns aren't blacked out.

 

[Covert Rain]

VPN's are typically used to get around that. Makes it seem like you are in another US city so the Suns aren't blacked out.

Any helpful links for that setup and more info?

 

[Chaz]

VPN's are typically used to get around that. Makes it seem like you are in another US city so the Suns aren't blacked out.

I setup a proxy in Firefox to get around it but it was kind of a pain.

Might as well just get an internet stream and save the money.