I did email the station general manager one time to let some steam off. As mad as I was, I'm glad I didn't write something to get myself arrested- and no it didn't do any good.
I feel your pain. In Rochester earlier this week, SU fans had the pleasure of having the Bonnies game "blacked out" because of a corporate power struggle. I turned on the channel carrying the game, 393 (which I pay extra for), and the screen was blank. After spending most of the first half on hold with TW, it seems that ESPN, knowing that MSG/FOX didn't have any channel room on the night of the Bonnies game, sold the rights to MSG anyway, which promptly shuffled the game off to a station that isn't widely carried in upstate NY (MSGPlus2). This was, of course, no accident. FOX wants TW to carry MSGPlus2 here, so they were more than happy to "blackout" the game in the prime viewing area, in order to upset as many SU fans as possible so that they would call TW and complain.
Mission Accomplished.
Something similarly nefarious is going on with ESPN3. I'm sure most exc's at ESPN realize, while they're not leg-humping the wildcats, that the vast majority of viewers not-20-something absolutely hate online broadcasts. And for good reason. The internet is not even close to being comparable to a conventional TV. "Streaming" the game is ok if you're using your cell phone on a bicycle trip. If you're at home, you have to sit in front of your tiny computer screen, or try using the computer features of your smart TV. I attempted the latter option during the Bonnies game, with REPEATED problems. There was no audio for the entire game, so we had to leave the computer on in another room to hear the announcers. Then, the signal started fluxuating, with a message warning us that the bandwidth wasn't sufficient (despite our expensive internet package). After that, the "broadcast" stalled a number of times. The resolution was poor for most of the second half that we caught. Overall, from a viewing standpoint, the experience sucked.
So why does the ACC allow ESPN to get away with this, contractually? I have no idea. There is a 3d tier rights system in the conference contract, so that regional carriers can buy the games ESPN doesn't broadcast nationally (this may be through Raycom, not sure). Either way, it's clear to me that the definition of "national broadcast" should NOT include ESPN3. It's not a viable medium. Therefore, if ESPN isn't willing to broadcast the game over a television channel, they should be required to sell the rights on the 3d tier market to someone that can. And if the 3d tier rights are purchased by a regional carrier, that carrier should promise to air the game on a channel available in the prime viewing area. It doesn't do SU fans in upstate NY any good for MSG/FOX to buy the rights if they're going to stuff the broadcast down a toilet.
So yes ... we're in the middle of a giant media cess pool as SU fans.
