It’s a familiar frustration for soccer fans in the Seattle area – sitting down to watch the Seattle Sounders game, only to find that the game has been blacked out on your local TV station or streaming service. Blackouts occur due to complicated broadcast rights regulations, leaving fans unable to watch their favorite team play. In this article, we’ll look at exactly why Sounders games get blacked out, who makes these decisions, and what fans can do to ensure they don’t miss a match.
What causes blackouts of Seattle Sounders games?
In Major League Soccer (MLS), broadcasting rights are segmented between national and regional contracts. This means different broadcasters have the rights to air games in different parts of the country.
Locally, the Seattle Sounders have a contract with a regional sports network to air games within their territory – which includes Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska. Nationally, MLS has contracts with broadcasters like ESPN, Fox Sports, and Univision to air select games.
When these rights overlap – like when a match is scheduled to be broadcast both locally and on a national network – a blackout is put in place. The blackout prevents the local broadcaster from airing the match, so that viewers have to tune into the national network partner’s feed.
This ensures that the national broadcaster gets high viewership from markets where there is also local interest – allowing them to profit from the rights they paid for.
Which networks have rights to Sounders games?
The current broadcasters with rights to air Sounders games are:
Regional
– Root Sports Northwest – airs most regional Sounders matches within their territory. Owned by AT&T Sports Networks.
National
– ESPN – airs select Sounders matches nationally, especially high-profile ones.
– Fox Sports – also airs a number of Sounders games nationwide.
– Univision/TUDN – Spanish-language broadcaster with rights to some matches.
When Root Sports has the exclusive right to broadcast a match regionally, no other network can air the game within their territory. That’s when fans in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska find the game blacked out.
Why are blackouts implemented?
MLS and its broadcast partners utilize blackouts to maximize revenue and viewership. Here’s why:
Protect national broadcaster’s rights
National networks pay a premium to broadcast marquee matches in primetime slots. Blackouts ensure viewers have to tune into ESPN or Fox Sports to watch these games, rather than viewing it on their local network. This helps the national broadcaster attract more eyeballs and recoup their investment.
Encourage cable subscriptions
Regional sports networks like Root Sports rely on cable subscriber fees for a major chunk of revenue. Blackouts drive hardcore fans to subscribe to cable packages that include the regional network, so they can watch most games.
Maximize reach of nationally televised matches
When games air exclusively on national TV, blackouts help maximize viewership in the local markets of the teams involved. Fans have no choice but to tune into ESPN or Fox Sports to watch their team play.
How are blackout regulations determined in MLS?
MLS blackout regulations are implemented in alignment with agreements made during the league’s media rights negotiations. Here are some key points:
National vs local rights
During negotiations, broadcasters bid for national or local rights packages. The amount paid factors into how many games they can exclusivity air.
Blackout zones defined
As part of these deals, blackout zones are defined – usually by zip code – ensuring regional broadcasters have exclusive access to viewers in their territories.
Game selection procedures
A structured process is followed for selecting games to air nationally, regionally or both. This avoids over-scheduling games and causing unnecessary blackouts.
MLS has final authority
While broadcasters have input, ultimately MLS executives have the final say in scheduling games and implementing blackouts as needed.
Are all Sounders games affected by blackouts?
While blackouts are common, not every Seattle Sounders game is blacked out:
Locally exclusive games
Many Sounders games – especially weekday matches – only air on Root Sports and are not scheduled for national broadcasts. These games are available for viewers in the five-state region.
Nationally exclusive games
A handful of matches each season air exclusively on national TV. In these cases, Root Sports cannot air the match – so there is no local blackout.
Streaming on ESPN+
For streaming, ESPN+ has rights to air all non-nationally televised out-of-market matches. Games exclusively on Root Sports are available on ESPN+ to out-of-region subscribers.
MLS Season Pass
A new streaming deal will launch next season, with Apple TV acquiring rights to all MLS matches. Local blackouts may still apply when games also air nationally.
Why are blackouts frustrating for fans?
While blackouts maximize profit for leagues and broadcasters, they create a frustrating viewing experience for fans. Some reasons supporters dislike blackouts:
Disrupts access to home team games
Fans pay for cable or streaming to watch their home team, not just nationally relevant matches. Blackouts unfairly block them from watching.
Impacts bar and restaurant viewing
Many fans turn to local sports bars when games are blacked out at home. But these venues also face blackouts if they don’t have the right subscription package.
Drives up costs
Cable packages that include regional sports networks are expensive. Blackouts pressure fans to pay more so they can reliably watch home games.
Causes confusion
With complicated broadcasting rules, many fans don’t understand why a game they expected to see is suddenly unavailable in their area.
How can Seattle fans watch when games are blacked out?
Diehard Sounders fans don’t let blackouts prevent them from watching their team. Here are some workaround options:
Subscribe to Root Sports
Getting a cable, satellite or live TV streaming subscription with Root Sports included ensures access to games exclusively on that network.
Try ESPN+
For nationally televised games, ESPN+ provides a legal streaming option. It carries all out-of-market, non-national MLS matches.
Listen on radio
Tune into local radio broadcasts – like 950 KJR AM in Seattle – to follow along when television access is blocked.
Head to a sports bar
Bars often have commercial subscriptions granting access to regional sports coverage. Call ahead to check availability for a blacked out match.
Use a VPN
Tech-savvy fans use a VPN service to spoof their location and avoid regional blackout restrictions when streaming.
Are MLS blackout rules poised to change?
Upcoming broadcasting changes provide some hope for fans regarding blackouts:
New streaming deal
The Apple TV deal starting in 2023 will make all MLS matches available via one streaming platform. But fine print suggests some form of blackouts may remain.
Expiring local rights contracts
As regional sports networks renegotiate deals with MLS teams in the next 5-10 years, fan pushback may drive changes to blackout regulations.
Pressure from fans and lawmakers
If dissatisfaction with blackouts continues to build, it could force action – especially with politicians threatening intervention.
Innovative workaround solutions
As technology advances and options like VPN streaming proliferate, MLS and broadcasters will need to adapt to fan behavior.
Conclusion
Seattle Sounders blackouts result from a complex broadcasting landscape where various networks split rights to air MLS games. While frustrating for supporters, these blackouts allow the league and partners to maximize revenues. Until broadcasting contracts change, fans have little choice but to explore both legal and innovative options to ensure they can watch their team regardless of blackout restrictions. With upcoming media rights shifts on the horizon, there is hope that MLS will find a solution that provides broader, more flexible access for fans across all markets.