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TV Sports via OTA in GTA?

152K views 369 replies 86 participants last post by  go4it  
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
From TV Week
NBCU Offers Digital Sports Net to Stations

By Sergio Ibarra

NBC Universal is offering its owned-and-operated stations and affiliates pickup of Universal Sports, a 24/7 digital sports network, in the wake of terminating its Weather Plus operation.

NBCU affiliate stations have been extended a first refusal offer until Dec. 1. Rollout has already begun on all O&O multicast signals and some affiliates, reaching 30 million homes.

Universal Sports offers some 2,400 hours of live programming per year, in addition to 5,000 hours of archival footage. The channel also has exclusive local coverage of many Olympic sports events, including track and field, skiing, swimming and gymnastics.

Local affiliates will also be given five minutes of local ad time per hour, 10 hours of infomercials or local sports programming per week, seven hours per week of local sports-related programming, highlight clips for local news shows and online content for local Web sites.

Universal Sports will begin airing the World Cup Ski Season from October through March, as well as the 2008 Beijing Paralympics beginning in November. The network will also air Olympic trials, highlights and encores throughout the year.
 
#4 ·
The Jays were my main issue as well.

So, I did the exact same thing - MLB.Com. However, all Canadian IP Addresses are blocked as all of Canada is considered "in market" - even when the Jays are on the road!!! (Boo Rogers!)

So, I bought a VERY inexpensive VPN service with a US based server and then log in to MLB.com to watch the Jays that way.
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
tenstu, I'm initially not too keen on going MLB.com route. Will check the Buffalo stations to see if they carry any baseball. Ideally, we'd like to follow the Jays but as long as there's some baseball I think we're good.

The major objection comes from Mom who will not allow me to 'deprive' our son (rep player) of his baseball games - she probably also feels that it's better he watch sports during his TV time than something else.
 
#6 ·
Unfortunately, there is little baseball (especially the Jays) available OTA. CBC has carried some games in years past, but not this season. Sportsnet and TSN/TSN2 are carrying the bulk of the games.
 
#10 ·
Mariners, Tigers, Pirates, Indians, Yankees, Mets OTA?

Depending where you are in Canada:
  • Seattle Mariners games on TV are licensed to FSN Northwest, which is a cable sports network so I'm not sure that there will be any OTA games. Anyone know for sure?
  • Are Michigan stations broadcasting Detroit Tigers games OTA?
  • Are Erie, PA stations broadcasting Pittsburgh Pirates games OTA?
  • Are Cleveland stations broadcasting Indians games OTA?
  • Are any stations in New York State broadcasting Yankees or Mets games OTA?
The idea of no OTA broadcasts of the Toronto Blue Jays (love 'em or hate 'em but they're our only remaining Canadian MLB team) is as lousy to me as no CFL games OTA either! :mad:
 
#11 ·
RTN, when on 7.2 last season, carried Mets, Yankees, & Indians games on the weekends. RTN is returning to Buffalo on CH 2, so maybe those games will be back.
I was wondering the same thing. Apparently the deal was with WNGS (not RTN) and as part of the bancrupcy, the rights were sold to, you guessed it, a cable-only sports station in Western New York.


... no OTA broadcasts of the Toronto Blue Jays ...
You don't suppose the team owners have something to do with this? ;)
 
#12 ·
Seattle Mariners games on TV are licensed to FSN Northwest, which is a cable sports network so I'm not sure that there will be any OTA games. Anyone know for sure
All Mariners games are broadcast on either FSN Northwest or FOX. You will only be able to get Saturday games that are broadcast on FOX if they do OTA that reaches southern BC. (FOX Seattle: KCPQ Digital Channel 18(UHF) or FOX Spokane: KAYU Digital Channel 28(UHF).

Are Michigan stations broadcasting Detroit Tigers games OTA?
All Tigers' games are broadcast on FS Detroit, a cable sports network.

Are Erie, PA stations broadcasting Pittsburgh Pirates games OTA?
All Pirates games are broadcast on FSN Pittsburgh, a cable sports network.

Are Cleveland stations broadcasting Indians games OTA?
Most Indians games are broadcast on STO (SportsTime Ohio), a cable sports network. There are also 20 games each season that are broadcast on WKYC-TV, an NBC affiliate which is a local station in Cleveland and has an OTA transmitter in Parma Ohio. Digital: 2 (VHF) moving to 17 (UHF) in 2009.

Are any stations in New York State broadcasting Yankees or Mets games OTA?
In New York, Yankees games are broadcast on either YES(Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network) which is a cable sports network or MY9 which only operates in New York City & New Jersey. (Probably OTA in those areas)

Mets games are either on SNY (Sportsnet New York) which is a cable sports network, or WPIX (formerly the WB11, now CW11) which is a local channel and covers the tri-state New York metropolitan area.

WNGS 67(which used to air a lot of RTN-Retro Television Network Programming), out of Buffalo was simulcasting games of the Indians, Mets & Yankees by piggybacking off WKYC,WWOR and WPIX respectively. Wikipedia doesn't comfirm if the station is still activeley airing MLB games but it is in the process of rebranding itself.

Of course there are a lot of Mets/Yankees games on ESPN as well but no OTA there either.

Not sure how anyone is recieving any of these OTA in southern ontario.

Some markets brand Fox Sportsnet as "FS" now, like Detroit but many affiliates still use the "FSN" in front of the regional name. Most of the stations use the "FSteamnamehere" style for broadcasting though and all use the new box-style scoreboard.
 
#14 ·
Years ago, WUTV use to carry Yankee games, and WSEE carried Pirate games; the only OTA MLB, as metioned, is the FOX weekend game/playoffs, when the real baseball starts- see CBC Stanley CUP in HD. So I guess about 30-35 MLB games? Also, atleast 2 games a week of NFL via OTA, and don't foget,...the grandaddy of OTA broadcasts- the SUPERBOWL in glorious HD from the original US feed.

When you want the best TV sport experience, gotta go OTA, see also The Masters, Kentucky Derby, Olympics, etc. (sorry for the rant, can't help it, I'm cable/sat free and love it $$$).
 
#15 ·
Stampeder, thanks for starting this thread. I was quite surprised to see 'my' thread here. And everyone - thanks for the replies.

It's been a busy weekend.

It looks like MLB OTA options may be limited. I'm really keen on dropping my monthly bill and will continue to persuade the family. At some point I may just install the antenna and hook up one tv - maybe that way I'll be able to convince them that it's got enough that paying a monthly bill for all the other channels that we don't watch is not worth it.
 
#19 ·
TV Sports via OTA in GTA area?

ok this may sound like a dumb question but what the hell. is it possible with an ota hd antenna to pick up sports channels like TSN? there must be tons of sports guys who get free HD tv i'm just wondering what you guys do about it or do you just use the internet for your sports streams?
 
#21 ·
The last 11 NASCAR Sprint Cup races are OTA on ABC in HD.
Starting with the Richmond Chevy Rock & Roll 400, September 6 and every week on ABC all through the Chase.

goforit, I thought the Grand Daddy of all OTA sporting events is the Datona 500, OTA on FOX-HD in February. :)
 
#22 ·
NFL - you get a good spread of games id say 4-6 games a week

NHL its slim pickings. about 1-2 games a week

NBA - most of the playoffs for sure but some season games

PGA - almsot always sunday for the majors are on and ususaly the sat / fri as well

Tennis - ususaly NBC has coverage of finals usualy

Nascar - every weekend theres a race usualy on FOX or ABC

theres Baseball games on the TV every week too but not many. maybe 1-2 again

Universal sports has lots of odd ball stuff liek rowing , swiming, vollyball, track and feild etc

so thers still tons of stuff just dont expect to be able to watch the teams you want. hey its free. and im sure im missing some stuff
 
#23 ·
yep i would have guessed..ah well thats not bad considering you're getting hd for free

nhl wouldn't be too bad but their sunday noon games on nbc start usually after the new year

nba double headers on nbc on sundays aren't bad

as for the cfl, cbc doesn't broadcast games like it did years ago which sucks for ota guys

the good thing is that most sports events are streamed online for free and the quality is getting slowly better

i've watched a few Laker games last season in semi HD streamed so that ain't too shabby

great forum btw well organized
 
#24 ·
It seems like some sports are cable/sat. only now, e.g., CFL, MLB during the week, but I bet they will eventually come back to the major networks. Look at the NFL- the biggest TV contract in sports, and why? They can pull in the biggest audiences since most games are on the major networks (FOX, NBC), not everyone has the sports channels. The CFL will come back to CBC or CTV one day. Also, with the advent of more sub-channels we could possibly see more NHL during the week. And don't forget, what happens when the real games begin (i.e., the playoffs), where are they broadcasted on? NHL = CBC HD/NBC HD, MLB = FOX HD, NFL = FOX HD. So I'm happy to get the occasional HD game on the weekend, and then lots during playoff times, a beter picture than cab./sat., and FREE!!!

CHEERS! :cool:
 
#25 ·
NASCAR - the first dozen or so Spint Cup races of the season are on Fox, the next dozen on TNT, the third dozen on ESPN, and the last dozen (or so) are on ABC. If a race is rain delayed or postponed (which happened a lot this year) it may be broadcast on TNT/ESPN/ESPN2 instead of Fox/ABC.

This year TSN picked up the TNT/ESPN broadcasts; and the two which were on TSN2 came during the free preview. In the past SPEED (Canada) has also shown the Cup races. (SPEED also has lots of pre/post-race coverage.) Practice, qualifying and the Nationwide and Truck races are sometimes broadcast, sometimes not (or are tape delayed until middle of the night or middle of the week).
 
#26 ·
Sports on CHCH - Channel Zero

Since the take over of CHCH by Channel Zero, the programming format has changed to news and movies. However, the programming manager for CHCH/Ch 0, commented in the Hamilton Spectator, that they could also run sports... Who knows what will happen, but CHCH is now promoting itself as "Canada's Superstation" , so maybe they could end up like a WGN, WTBS, and show a weekly game of the Blue Jays, Tiger-Cats, McMaster Mauraders, Leafs, or dare I say..., Hamilton Coyotes? :eek:
 
#27 ·
so maybe they could end up like a WGN, WTBS, and show a weekly game of the Blue Jays, Tiger-Cats, McMaster Mauraders, Leafs, or dare I say..., Hamilton Coyotes? :eek:
  • If the Blue Jays games are too pricey for CBC, I don't see Channel Zero being able to afford them
  • Forget the Tiger-Cats, as long as the CFL is exclusive to TSN.
  • Assuming that nobody else has broadcast rights, McMaster Mauraders would be a natural fit.
  • Ditto for the Hamilton Tigers, but I don't see an NHL franchise happening in Hamilton. What is more likely is a franchise in a new WHA, should the NHLPA commit suicide and strike again.
 
#28 ·
Universal sports has lots of odd ball stuff liek rowing , swiming, vollyball, track and feild etc
Universal also carries a lot of cycling for those that are interested. Right now they are showing the Vuelta a Espana, which is one of the grand tours along with the Tour de France, and the World Championships are at the end of the month. Back when I was on cable the only cycling was the Tour de France on OLN and they didn't show any of the other big races.

The down side of Universal is a pretty poor picture quality a lot of the time.
 
#29 ·
Saturday Sept 19th, besides all-sports-all-the-the-time channel 2.2, we have...
  • WGRZ NBC
    • LPGA golf
    • US college football
  • WIVB CBS
    • US college football
  • CBLT CBC
    • Rowing
    • Mountain biking
    • Triathlon
    • Equestrian
  • WKBW ABC
    • not 1, but 2 US college football games
  • WUTV FOX
    • MLB baseball

And on Sunday we have...
  • WGRZ NBC
    • LPGA golf
    • NFL football
  • WIVB CBS
    • NFL football
  • WKBW ABC
    • NASCAR racing
  • WUTV FOX
    • NFL football
CFTO and CITY will each duplicate one of the NFL broadcasts on the US networks. Nice for those whose can't get Buffalo.