Chat with League Pass, pt. ii

By VoxMediaUser71923 Dec 16, 2008, 10:14pm CST

I've already shared with you part i of my odyssey with League Pass Broadband. Now it's part ii.

This time around I tried to get a friendly Turner Sports customer service rep to tell me about what regulations or policies dictate the IP address requirements for paying customers who are too far away from the arena for broadcast TV or radio but who aren't far enough to be able to watch all of the games on line they thought they paid for with the broadband service. Here's a little sample:

12:23:33 natearch

ok, so can you please tell me how the nba would like me to watch my favorite team?

12:24:00 Jesse

On TV.

12:24:28 natearch

i've told you, i don't have cable; are you telling me the NBA wants me to buy additional cable service to watch their product?

12:24:43 natearch

to include games that are on free broadcast tv in the twin cities?

12:26:16 natearch

yes, no?

12:26:50 Jesse

I have said this before if it is on TV in your area it will be Blacked out. Even if you have to pay extra to get it is still available to you to access. Those are the blackout rules set by the NBA.

And my personal favorite:

12:32:58 natearch

is there any point to this at all?

12:33:15 natearch

or should i simply take the illegal and lazy route and watch it on justin.tv?

12:33:38 Jesse

well it is not pirated streams this is legally authorized by the NBA.

12:33:42 natearch

i'd really like to pay for the product. it's given away for free in the twin cities on channel 45

12:33:57 natearch

i'm sure you can find that regulation

12:34:21 natearch

how can i address this problem if i don't even know what regulates it?

12:34:26 natearch

where do i get that info?

12:35:00 Jesse

This chat is becoming unproductive, Is there any thing else I can help you with?

12:35:38 natearch

unproductive? really. i'm trying to find information that will allow me to legally watch the NBA's product and it's unproductive to you?

12:36:16 natearch

the NBA: where unproductiveness happens

Full chat is below the fold. Don't buy worthless products.

natearch

Initial Question/Comment: I have a question about blackouts.

11:58:27

System

http://www.NBA.com

11:58:27

System

Thank you for contacting NBA.com League Pass customer service

12:01:33

System

Jesse has joined this session!

12:01:33

System

Connected with Jesse

12:01:38

Jesse

Thank you for contacting NBA League Pass Broadband, my name is Jesse, how can I help you?

12:02:27

natearch

I am trying to get a question straightened out withi broadband

12:02:40

natearch

last year the nba gave me a code to use for an all access pass on broadband

12:02:57

natearch

this year I can't get it because of a new cable agreement

12:03:17

natearch

i.e. the rules regarding blackouts have changed

12:03:31

natearch

i am trying to figure out what these rules are and how have they changed

12:03:50

natearch

i live 90 miles from the wolves' arena and i can't watch 1/2 of the broadband games on line

12:04:03

natearch

1/2 their games aren't on radio either

12:04:08

Jesse

ok give me just a second

12:04:24

natearch

i bought this service because it was made to seem that i would be able to watch the games

12:04:31

natearch

and i can't

12:06:38

natearch

are you still there?

12:07:09

Jesse

yes I am trying to get you a link to the blackout rules.

12:12:44

Jesse

Ok well I was unable to get the link but I will do all that I can to assist you in this.

12:12:59

Jesse

What city and state are you in?

12:13:04

natearch

mankato, mn

12:13:09

natearch

56001

12:16:09

Jesse

ok well you would still be in the blackout range for the Timberwolves.

12:17:17

natearch

even though they are not on broacast tv?

12:17:48

Jesse

that is only about 81 miles away and the blackout range is 150 miles

12:17:50

natearch

and i can't watch games when they are on broadcast tv and not the local cable sports network?

12:18:13

natearch

so i would be better off moving further away from the team to follow them more?

12:18:41

natearch

they broadcast games on Channel 45 locally. it's not cable. those games are blacked out locally here.

12:18:56

natearch

they are only available in the twin cities over broadcast

12:19:17

natearch

i don't get channel 45; it's too far away

12:19:19

Jesse

well if the game is blacked out then it would be on TV and it would still be blacked out even if you don't get the channel or if it has been offered by a different provider then you have.

12:19:42

natearch

i don't have a provider. i can't afford cable.

12:19:52

natearch

that's why i bought this service

12:20:09

Jesse

if it is blacked out it IS available in your area.

12:20:33

natearch

what does that even mean?

12:20:40

natearch

i'm telling you that i don't have cable

12:20:53

natearch

it's not available in my area if you don't pay extra

12:21:18

natearch

this includes the games that are on free broadcast tv in the cities (channel 45)

12:21:22

Jesse

That doesn't matter at all if it is on TV in your area it will be Blacked out.

12:21:31

natearch

they aren't free here....they require cable

12:23:15

Jesse

Like I said if it is on TV in your area it will be Blacked out. Even if you have to pay extra to get it is still available to you to access, whether you have that access or not doesn't factor in.

12:23:33

natearch

ok, so can you please tell me how the nba would like me to watch my favorite team?

12:24:00

Jesse

On TV.

12:24:28

natearch

i've told you, i don't have cable; are you telling me the NBA wants me to buy additional cable service to watch their product?

12:24:43

natearch

to include games that are on free broadcast tv in the twin cities?

12:26:16

natearch

yes, no?

12:26:50

Jesse

I have said this before if it is on TV in your area it will be Blacked out. Even if you have to pay extra to get it is still available to you to access. Those are the blackout rules set by the NBA.

12:27:20

Jesse

There is Nothing that I can do about that.

12:27:42

natearch

and as i have asked before, are you telling me that I need to pay additional money to a cable service provider so that I can watch games that are broadcast for free in the twin cities?

12:28:01

natearch

do you have the blackout regulations yet?

12:28:10

Jesse

Yes, Yes you would.

12:28:36

natearch

ok, so that money is in addition to the money i spent on broadband league pass...which doesn't cover 1/2 of the games i would like to watch.

12:29:09

natearch

how do i get my money back?

12:29:21

natearch

so that i can actually watch the nba's fantastic product?

12:29:30

Jesse

Unfortunately, I am not able to discuss refunds via chat. To request a refund, please call our customer service line at 1-888-622-0178.

12:30:13

natearch

so you don't know the regulation that guides your action, you can't discuss refunds, you want me to pay extra for a product i thought i already paid for and...am i missing anything else?

12:30:41

natearch

have i mentioned the Wolves have 4 wins?

12:30:54

natearch

or that they had a local broadcast last year with 1700 viewers?

12:31:03

natearch

i really want to watch them

12:31:22

Jesse

No the only way you could see those games is on TV. If you get the channel you will still be blacked out on the Broadband.

12:31:46

natearch

and the product i paid for doesn't work and/or requires me to pay money i don't have to a cable company for a bunch of crap i don't want

12:32:10

Jesse

like I said There is Nothing that I can do about that.

12:32:19

natearch

why shouldn't i simply watch pirated streams at this point?

12:32:43

natearch

why should i continue to try and resolve this with your customer service?

12:32:58

natearch

is there any point to this at all?

12:33:15

natearch

or should i simply take the illegal and lazy route and watch it on justin.tv?

12:33:38

Jesse

well it is not pirated streams this is legally authorized by the NBA.

12:33:42

natearch

i'd really like to pay for the product. it's given away for free in the twin cities on channel 45

12:33:57

natearch

i'm sure you can find that regulation

12:34:21

natearch

how can i address this problem if i don't even know what regulates it?

12:34:26

natearch

where do i get that info?

12:35:00

Jesse

This chat is becoming unproductive, Is there any thing else I can help you with?

12:35:38

natearch

unproductive? really. i'm trying to find information that will allow me to legally watch the NBA's product and it's unproductive to you?

12:36:16

natearch

the NBA: where unproductiveness happens

12:37:15

Jesse

No I have assisted you in what you have asked about and advised you that there was nothing that I could do and you keep asking the same questions over and over that I have already answered.

12:37:53

Jesse

THE ONLY WAY YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THOSE GAMES IS ON TV.

12:38:11

natearch

you haven't. my first question was about the blackout regulations. you said you couldn't find it. i am now asking if you can point me in the right direction so that i can better understand the changed blackout rules.

12:38:19

natearch

and now you're yelling at me in caps.

12:38:20

Jesse

Now is there anything else that I can assist you with today?

12:38:35

natearch

you haven't assisted me yet, why start now?

12:39:15

Jesse

no I am trying to get my point across, and I have repeated my self many times.

12:39:50

natearch

and i have asked several different questions....my lastest being where do i need to go in order to find out how the rules have changed?

12:40:11

Jesse

The blackouts are based off of your IP address.

12:40:41

Jesse

Any game in your local area (over the air station or regional sports network) and any game that is on national TV or picked up by a national TV station will be blacked out.

12:40:47

natearch

and i'm trying to find specific language that details how this is different than last year when i was able to watch

12:41:28

natearch

something has changed and whether that is internal policy or contractual obligation, i want to find out what it is and to read it

12:41:56

natearch

i've never asked how the blackouts work...which is what you keep on claiming is your "point"

12:42:11

natearch

i've asked how they've changed from last year and where i can get that information

12:42:16

Jesse

Last year the broadband was run by time warner and it was not based off of IP addresses, now it is run by Turner Sports and is based off of IP addresses.

12:42:33

Jesse

that is what has changed.

12:42:40

natearch

so who do i need to talk to in order to get this specific info?

12:45:16

Jesse

well for one you are in the blackout area and the games are available in your local area, I don't know how specific you would like it?

12:45:26

natearch

12:03:31 i am trying to figure out what these rules are and how have they changed

12:46:48

natearch

ok, when companies or organizations decide to do things, they typically put their decisions down in writing; i'd like to see the specific regulation guiding Turner Sports decision to run with IP addresses as a threshold for viewership

12:47:10

natearch

i've told you several times exactly how specific i would like it

12:47:16

Jesse

the blackout range is 150 miles, if it is on TV in your area it will be Blacked out. Even if you have to pay extra to get it is still available to you to access, whether you have that access or not doesn't factor in.

12:47:18

natearch

should i yell in caps too?

12:47:35

natearch

good lord, should i just call the 1-800 number and ask for a lawyer?

12:47:40

natearch

or a manager?

12:47:46

Jesse

you can if you like that would not bother me at all

12:48:05

natearch

i don't think i'm worried about that at this point

12:48:21

Jesse

well I have already given you the number to call in.

12:48:41

natearch

fantastic, one piece of solid info in almost an entire hour of service

12:48:57

Jesse

Well is there anything else that I can assist you with today?

12:49:31

natearch

only if you can respond to the trouble ticket i put in about this issue back in october but haven't heard back from yet

12:49:46

natearch

the NBA: where customer service happens

12:50:02

Jesse

ok what is the ticket number?

12:50:40

natearch

i have an email...

12:51:01

natearch

starting with an October 14th email

12:51:52

Jesse

ok give me gut a second and I can pull that up for you.

12:52:01

natearch

it's the same issue

12:52:14

natearch

there's little sense in re-hashing the whole thing

12:52:23

natearch

i'm just going to call the 1-800 number

Next up: 1-800 madness or salvation?