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Why do NBA games even get blacked out anyway? Fans unable to watch favorite teams

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7 months ago

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Why do NBA games even get blacked out anyway? Fans unable to watch favorite teams

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NBA fans, specifically for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic, couldn’t watch their favorite teams in the playoffs Monday, thanks to the game being blacked out.

More fans will likely be angry Tuesday, as the Milwaukee Bucks-Indiana Pacers game will also be blacked out in some areas.

So why does this happen?

Why are NBA games blacked out?

“Blackout restrictions exist because local and national content providers have certain exclusive rights to televise live games and content,” according to NBA.com. So if you live in the Cleveland or Orlando areas, Monday’s game on NBA TV was blacked out so that fans would watch on Bally Sports Ohio.

“Blackouts are specific to your current location, so if your location changes, your blackout restrictions for live, locally televised games will also change,” the NBA’s website reads. “Your location is determined by the IP address or location services (if turned on). Within the US and Canada, a Zip code is used to determine what teams are covered by your local broadcaster.”

This, of course, causes problems for fans of teams with Bally Sports deals, as not all live streaming services carry the regional channel. If someone in Cleveland or Orlando has NBA League Pass and Hulu + Live TV, the game was blacked out on NBA TV and then not available on Hulu, as the latter doesn’t carry Bally Sports.

How to watch NBA games during a blackout

Bally Sports has its own streaming service, Bally Sports+, which costs around $19.99 a month or $189.99 a year. FuboTV, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers, has Bally Sports and has packages ranging from $79.99 to $99.99 a month.

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