Bucks games in HD

[aaron]

Does anyone know why TW is blacking out the HD broadcasts of the Bucks playoff games? All of the other games are being broadcast in HD, and the Bucks games are supposed to be, but when you tune to the channel they're playing on you just get a gray screen. They're only playing it on channel 24 in really crappy SD with horrible color, the court is a bright, ugly orange.

[AndrewP]

:OnAir: Ch. 24 did a poor job when we needed it most. They failed to pickup HD broadcast and also blacked out us from getiing HD broadcast from NBAHD.
 :mad:

[Jimboy]

:OnAir: Ch. 24 did a poor job when we needed it most. They failed to pickup HD broadcast and also blacked out us from getiing HD broadcast from NBAHD.
 :mad:

Huh? Poor Job?
We don't produce the games. The Bucks do. They provide us the analog SD feed which is what they (the Bucks) produce.  If the Bucks provide us a HD feed then we air a HD game. Hasn't happened yet.
The HD feed (not produced by the Bucks) was for either ESPN, FOX Sports Net, or the NBA and was probably blacked out due to NBA local market rules.
We didn't have the rights to air the HD version because it's not our production!
If you didn't see the game at all then we did fail!  

 :bang:

PS...The HD feed was the Detroit market game with the Detroit announcers.

[brewtownska]

Jimboy & all,

I think sometimes everyone has to take a deep breath and/or a step back before pointing fingers on this board.  I see tons of posts about "so and so clipped the HD a few seconds before the commercial" or "it took 1.5 mins to come back in HD after the commercial".  Sure, it's annoying, but is it really worth complaining about EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS?

It's nice having Jimboy around to explain these things from the station's point of view and give us the truth about why things happen (or don't happen).  Not all the stations do that, and maybe the reason they DON'T do it is because we jump down their throats everytime something questionable happens (put yourself in their shoes, would you want your job to be answering negative posts all day about your station).

Mike

[hggeorge]

Jimboy, excellent SD picture on Bucks game last night in Howards Grove.  Are you getting ready to pop the other amp. tubes in soon?



George K9GM

[Jimboy]

Jimboy, excellent SD picture on Bucks game last night in Howards Grove.  Are you getting ready to pop the other amp. tubes in soon?



George K9GM

It was suppose to happen next week (and I was planning on mentioning it) but it has now been put on hold again. It will happen before July 1st.
It'll be posted on the forum when we get started.

[AndrewP]

Huh? Poor Job?
We don't produce the games. The Bucks do. They provide us the analog SD feed which is what they (the Bucks) produce.  If the Bucks provide us a HD feed then we air a HD game. Hasn't happened yet.
...

PS...The HD feed was the Detroit market game with the Detroit announcers.

Why Detroit station cared about their viewers?
Did you let Bucks know that you are capable of providing HD feed?
Did you insist, put it in contract about providing HD feed?
The answer is most likely NO.
But if you did that, then the Bucks are to be blamed.

[Jimboy]

Why Detroit station cared about their viewers?
Did you let Bucks know that you are capable of providing HD feed?
Did you insist, put it in contract about providing HD feed?
The answer is most likely NO.
But if you did that, then the Bucks are to be blamed.

#1) I don't know if any local Detroit station aired the game in HD, it's possible. I don't live there so I wouldn't know. If the HD feed was part of a Pay-per-View NBA package they may have had exclusive rights to it. (just checked and yes WB20 in Detroit carried the game in HD - my guess is that the Pistons produce their own games)

#2) The Bucks are aware we can air HD. (since January of this year) I'm sure they contract services (for production) months in advance. This stuff doesn't happen overnight. They would need to plan for it.

#3) I don't do contracts. Then again see #2.

#4) Most likely no? I'm just trying to do my best to provide a clue for those who don't have one!   :confused:


Go Bucks!

[robster1970]

At least you guys got to see it. In Green Bay we didn't get it at all! Only if you subscribed to a sports pack would we get it up here. I sure hope one of the locals picks them up next year. At least the Brewers are on Fsn most of the time. When the the Bucks are on 24 we don't get them at all up here.

[Jimboy]

When the the Bucks are on 24 we don't get them at all up here.

24 airs the Bucks produced telecasts. And yes a station in your market would have to "pick them up".
WISC in Madison "picked up" the playoff games this year.

[TAS]

I believe UPN 14 Madison picked up the bucks game.  They are showing tomorrow's game.  UPN 14 is OTA only on 50.2 Digital, and through Madison cable.  UPN 14 aired some games last season.

What the bucks need to do is expand "the bucks tv network" beyond Milwaukee.  WACY in GreenBay could pick it up and UPN 14 (better yet WB 57) in Madison.  Maybe Wausau/LaCrosse will catch on.

Once a Statewide TV network is established they could do HD.  WACY and WCGV  are on the air in hd.  UPN14 is a subchannel and looks like it will stay that way (but WBUW the WB/CW channel is HD).

Take Detroit for example their "Detroit pistons TV network" includes: Grand Rapids, Toledo, Lansing, Flint, Traverse City, Detroit.  TV20 in Detroit has much of the games in HD.

The advantages of this "bucks tv network" would be:
Free Bucks games for the majority of the state (Milw, Madison, GB...)
Increased possibility of HDTV games (FSNHD is much harder to get $$$ than OTA)
All games on "Bucks TV Network" {road = SD} {home = HD}
Maybe the brewers will follow

[Jimboy]

What the bucks need to do is expand "the bucks tv network" beyond Milwaukee.  

It's not totally up to the Bucks to make that happen. The stations you mention would have to "want" to participate.  A Bucks OTA HD network.
Good idea though!

[TAS]

With Networks switching over to "My TV" or going independent, many are looking for local programming to fill up time.  There might be a new interest this fall.

[vegasvic]

I agree, we need to be careful before making accusations.  I've been in contact with the Bucks for a year now about broadcasting in HD.  They should be, SHOULD BE, ready to go in November.  But their overall production is absolutely lousy.