Saturday night presents some scheduling issues across the nation as local coverage of NFL preseason games or other programming conflicts with the Sprint Cup Series coverage on ABC.
Here is the latest schedule change information and updates:
The following markets will have alternate viewing options for ABC’s telecast of the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Bristol tonight (DT2 = Digital Tier 2):
Detroit (WXYZ) – will show 7:30 – 9 p.m. on its DT2 channel then switch to primary channel at 9 p.m. due to coverage of annual Woodward Dream Cruise
Houston (KTRK) – will show entire race on its DT2 channel due to coverage of Houston Texans preseason game.
Richmond, VA (WRIC) – will show entire race on WUPV-TV (CW station in market) due to coverage of Washington Redskins preseason game.
Weslaco, TX (KRGV) – will show entire race on its DT2 channel due to coverage of Dallas Cowboys preseason game.
Madison, WI (WKOW) – will show entire race on its DT2 channel due to coverage of Green bay Packers preseason game.
LaCrosse, WI (WXOW) – will show entire game on its DT2 channel and in-market on CW station due to coverage of Green Bay Packers preseason game.
Wausau, WI (WAOW) -- will show entire game on its DT2 channel and in-market on CW station due to coverage of Green Bay Packers preseason game.
NOTE: Joplin, MO (KODE) and St. Joseph, MO (KQTV) are both showing Kansas City Chiefs preseason games. Neither station has DT2 channel and due to limited alternate clearance options in the markets, race will not air in either market.
There are two more Sprint Cup Series night races on ABC this season, in Richmond and Charlotte. Thanks to ESPN for providing the detailed viewer information for tonight's schedule conflicts.
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71 comments:
Wow, that's a LOT of pre-emptions!
Read 'bout the one in Madison via the MKFC FB page (that's the Matt Kenseth fan club). The rest- I'm just shocked at how long that list is.
Here in Orlando, the Tampa Bay football game was moved to WRDQ (the pre-season games are usually on the ABC affiliate), which has caused the Jacksonville/Miami game that would have normally been on WRDQ to be tape delayed to MIDNIGHT. I didn't think of the race when they first announced that lineup, but I'm thinking maybe it had something to do with that.
Local station agenda vs. network agenda. This is one reason that I liked it when ESPN moved most of the Cup races to cable TV.
Well, at least we here get to see it. I feel bad for those who don't.
Well Well Well
NASCAR, or ABC for that matter is in a no win situation. The ABC affiliates have their hands tied with the preseason matchups, although they are meaningless. NASCAR should not have been on ABC to begin with and it should stay on ESPN, which BTW is new and improved. Any ideas on why the chase is on ABC and not on ESPN? It is one big mess and I need answers, JD.
Chris
Saltsburg's biggest fan
Well, almost all the races including the entire Chase has been on ABC and that has been the problem.
Only the night races remain and we may see those move to an ESPN channel after tonight.
There are some big markets affected.
Wow I thought I had it bad when we missed prerace and the first 10 minutes because of a parade in Philly. That is just sad
How about those Mummers???!!
What are the options for the race for a DirecTV non-HD subscriber? Do I need to go get a digital box to watch the race in Houston tonite?
Nope, should be right on the ABC feed. These are only for TV folks in the affected TV markets watching on cable or over the air.
Jamie Mac's home town is Joplin, Mo. Geez.
Just checked Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse....all have the race, but I wonder what would have been if the Bills were playing tonight?
glen,
Would have been the local station's call. Just like when some of them left for live local news when NASCAR ran long.
Thanks for the response, but the Houston ABC feed on DirecTV will have the Texans game, states that in the Guide for today.....I don't get the East and West Coast networks. Any other ideas?
Sorry for being dense..I have Direct-TV so where do I find the race tonight in Detroit? Channel 7 is the reg local station and it shows Dream Cruise till 9pm, then NASCAR
Let me check with ESPN, give me a second.
Email off to ESPN, should have some info shortly on the DirecTV issues.
Thanks for asking!
well if you live in the Houston area you arent' going to be able to watch the race other than on the Hot Pass channel. Direct TV shows the race as being on chan. 387 but it isn't available in this area. I just got off the phone with some idiot at DTV and he said you will have to subscribe to Hot Pass--I said ummm HP is free.... this sucks and NBC sucks... Just show the race on ESPN for pete's sake!!!
I feel for the folks in those areas.
If memory serves, NASCAR wanted the Chase races on network TV so that folks without cable or with only basic cable would be able to watch those races. If ABC shifts all of their races to ESPN, then those folks will only get to watch the FOX portion of the season.
I have read so much about “if people aren’t going to the races, then the ratings should be up because these people would be watching on TV”. Some don’t seem to realize that with this economy, folks that are living with a reduced income are cutting cable and internet out of their budget.
It seems to be heading toward the “haves” can be race fans and the “have nots” will be left out. Seems like they are forgetting who brought them to the dance.
Wow, I feel bad for all those in the affected markets. Los Angeles market here, looks like no issues. A major Nascar race pre-empted for a who-gives-a-crap pre-season it-don't-matter football? lame
For Detroit Direct TV looks like an option is Hot Pass channels 785,86,87,88 which will be carrying the race.
Didn't think about that; at least we have the Hotpass option...don't usually watch it but it's better than nothing. Though I agree, this is BS.
Well, I have Dish & no Hot Pass option. I'm gonna try one of the upper tiers ABC channel, but I don't have high hopes.
All of this bodes for lower ratings for this race.
And they wonder why?
ESPN says Detroit can use upper tiers 380-389. Direct TV shows those are scheduled for upcoming MLB games...so at 7:30 it looks like surfing time.
What is weather forcast - nascar site shows there are showers now.
Marsha - Iowa
to be honest, as a Redskins fan, I might have been just as pissed if their game wasn't on because of the race. But still . . . it is only pre--season, NASCAR should really be the priority of even the local channels. I'm surprised the Richmond affiliate went for football
Marsha,
Raining on and off there for hours now. Looks touch and go for tonight.
There are no worries in Salt Lake City (yay!). KTVX is good to go for everything from Countdown to the end.
I can remember back when NBC aired NASCAR, though...their SLC affilate, KSL, is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This means the first weekend of every April and October, all NBC programs get pre-empted for the LDS General Conference and other themed religious programming.
The CW station - KUCW - usually picked up the races and the other NBC Sports programs, so it wasn't so bad. They just did a lousy job of publicizing it.
Update: Just told by NASCAR.com reporter that rain has stopped and it's looking good for tonight.
JD, I was also thinking of the mummers! HA HA I don't see on our guide the race on ABC here in Houston. Maybe Mike can find it.
This will be the first race I'll be able to see on tv since Fox ended their part of the schedule, so I'm looking forward to it. I'm in the Grand Rapids, MI market and the Lions are playing, but they're on Fox in the preseason. I feel for the people who won't be able to watch the race tonight.
Question for you JD. If the race would get rained out tonight, would it still be on ABC tomorrow or on one of the ESPN stations?
Vicky, it's not on in Houston if you have Direct TV other than on Hot Pass. We don't get channel 387in this area.
I was upset that my local ABC affiliate, WDAY, is airing the local news rather than the Countdown but at least they're airing the race. And honestly, I'm not surprised. They did the same thing last year. I emailed them to complain, but I guess it did no good. I do remember one night race last year where they left right after the victory lane interview even though ABC was still on-air interviewing other drivers.
Marsha, it's been raining on and off around here all afternoon and the weather forecast predicts (per Wunderground):
Tonight
Mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 60s to lower 70s. Light winds. Chance of rain 50 percent.
You would think Direct would put the race on one of the ESPN alternate stations. I have Dish and it has 4 ESPN alternate stations available.
Under the circumstances, I wonder what the thinking was to leave Bristol on ABC rather than moving it to EESPN?
I'm in Houston with AT&T U-verse and it looks like I'm screwed!! I've been in online chat and on the phone with u-verse support and no race!! What is the deal with the DTV-2 stations? If I go buy a digital antena can I see the race? Or is the local affiliate's DT-2 chanel a cable exclusive?
Chris, yes we have DirecTV so we'll only have one of the Hotpass or maybe to find a sports. That's terrible. Thanks!
Ann, maybe you can tell us where there's a sports bar to go to. We live in Spring Branch!
I'm in Clear Lake and I haven't been in a bar in at least 15 years! I have no idea. I don't think I could take the cigarette smoke either.
Ann, same here haven't been in a bar in years and years. My husband is working and when he comes home he will be one unhappy person! Geesh, this is awful!
It's a good idea for anyone with cable or satellite to have a a set of rabbit ears with a digital tuner for this kind of situation or a loss of signal.
bevo, rabbit ears or an antenna might work for city folks but I have a satellite bacause the only over the air station available to me is PBS with a large antenna.
Ann, I'm not exactly sure what the
D2 tiers are but when talking to the idiot at DTV support he said something about it only being for people in certain areas and ours is not one of them.
Vicky, my husband just got home and he is fuming and cussing!!!!
I'll be on the internet until Detroit picks up the race.
http://www.atdhe.net/19904/watch-nascar-sprint-cup-irwin-tools-night-race
Well, ABC/KTRK isn't treating a person who just did their civic duty this week nicely. Hmmm. I do have to admit I just remembered taht I have been to a sports bar last year at my son's in Atlanta. But it was a big place. Waiting for husband to walk thru the door to tell him the good news. I better put my ear muffs on! LOL
In Houston, you can pick up channel 13.2 with a DTV box, but that's the only way we're going to be able to see it except for the HotPass option.
If you have DirecTv HD, you can pick it up on that box. Otherwise we're SOL.
I'm disappointed they aren't putting the race somewhere else so we can watch it.
Talked to a friend and he says that the new improved digital rabbit ear antenas will get the second tier digital chanels, so if I get one I should be able to get the race... of course I might have to stand on my head wearing tin foil booties with one of them touching the attena to get it to tune in!! He has cable, but he's watching football tonight!!
Ann, could you send along of pic of that if it happens please?
OH NO. Hubby is very upset about KTRK.
On the bright side...sorta, ABC will be dropping a load of football fans into the middle of an exciting short track race. Hopefully they will stick around.
Mike says we have that channel he just found it. We do have an antenna in our attic so he found it. Happy about that now he can settle down.
Buffalo Wild Wings is in just about every city and they'll notify NASCAR for a red flag if you want to hang out there a little longer... at least according to their commercials they will
So I'm just screwed because I have Dish? Anybody...
Appears those of us in Detroit area with Comcast are screwed as well... Time to rant at them AGAIN... Ugh...
Might have to either head out to a sports bar or try to find one of those illegal online links.
Too bad NASCAR.com just does not stream tonight's race online for free. Just take the ABC telecast.
Sue-do you not get the higher tier Comcast channels? They were showing on 7 a comcast channel that was supposed to show the race.
PammH - I've scrolled the entire Comcast channel guide (all 900+ channels) twice and the only race coverage I can find starts at 9 p.m. on 7... AFTER the Dream Cruise coverage... Ugh...
hate to say it but this is just sad sad sad! Bristol is one of the biggest races of the year and we have this, JD do you see this hurting the ratings??? Jacked up ;) for the races tonight can not wait!!! Next season I say ABC no more
Pre season football is a waste of time, the players, coaches, and everyone else know this.... you would think ABC would know this as well and reverse this and have the football games on another station!!! UGHhHhhhh
this is one reason why I kept my basic cable. It's $10 a month, but I get two choices of each network. Once in a while, I do use them. It would only be a few dollars less to get local channels on the DISH, and this gives me an alternative if the DISH is out (which is rare.)
Our ABC affilate shares services with the CW station, so I suspect if there had been a Bills game, that's where one of them would have landed. I am in the country and just haven't gotten one of those expensive antennas yet.
Jonathan,
It's not a surprise. NASCAR and ESPN have known about this for many months.
If they wanted to offer a viable solution for the fans, they would put the race online or on another ESPN cable network.
This is simply a function of a big network like ABC that is still distributed through local stations.
My prediction is that it's going to be a disaster in many ways.
Yes I want to see a picture of that too Ann *giggles* But I do hope you get to see it without hassle :(
This is such a shame pissing off viewers and even if there were a dedicated NASCAR channel as many have said folks have had to cut back/eliminate cable so you'd still have fans with no access :(
Thank god ABC-11 in Raleigh,NC understands that there is an large number of NASCAR fans in this area. They are showing the race on ABC-11, and showing the Panthers-Jets game on CW-22. I feel bad for those who cant watch all or most of the race tonight. I used to live in Detroit area, and the dream cruise is big there, but it never had to interrupt NASCAR because the race was either on ESPN or TNT.
Is this not the perfect case that ESPN should show all races on the internet via ESPN3.com
Jonathan-
It's all about money. Pre-season games are a gold mine for the individual teams and the local stations carrying the games. All of the revenue goes to the team, it's not part of the shared amount for the NFL. They get to sell all of the commercial time.
Add to this that all teams make season ticket holders buy these games too and you're talking millions and millions of dollars even in small markets.
I will admit I've gone to bars to watch. We didn't have FX when Fox first was showing races on it. But then, bars in NY have been smoke free for many years.
Oh, the good old FX days! Wow, flashback.
This mess has to skew the ratings with so many large places unable to watch the race. I'm glad my ABC station is about 15 miles from the track. There would be rioting in the streets if they didn't show it live. We became accustomed to watching the race on TV when we couldn't buy a ticket due to the demand. We don't buy them now due to the cost. We get most of the activities such as fan night and drivers making appearance for their sponsors for free.
OK... Channel 7 (WXYZ) in Detroit is reporting the race will be carried on channel 297 for those with Comcast (sorry, didn't catch the other provider info). Won't believe it till I see it on my TV, but maybe a light at the end of the tunnel...
JD, I'd almost forgotten myself. I think we got it *just* before Richmond. Missed a lot of 'then' Busch races, I think. I remember having a late lunch and nursing a Coke for about 2 hours, lol.
Hey, what Jeff Burton just said--agree 100%. Racing track, not a wrecking track.
I just turned on my laptop for the first time today and opened up TDP Blog. Luckily I will not be affected by this confusion (in Cols, OH).
It will be interesting to see what happens with the ratings after tonight.
This viewing confusion could be ugly.
Tonight's race could really affect the chase for Kurt, Mark or Clint.
OK folks, the live blog is up. Please move your comments to that location. Hope we have good racing tonight.
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