Well, before I wrote the last blog post, I sent a request to Fox 9 in the Twin Cities for an explanation of the Packer game blackouts and a broadcast schedule of this year’s Packer games, and was pleasantly surprised to have gotten a reply. I didn’t think the local network would have time for little old me, but they followed through.
Here is their reply:
Minneapolis/St. Paul is the Vikings home market and there are NFL rules that dictate what games FOX 9 can broadcast.
Per NFL rules, no game can be aired at the same time the home team is playing at home on another network.
So FOX 9 cannot air any game when the Vikings are playing at home and the game is airing on CBS.
On Sundays 10/18 & 12/13, FOX 9 cannot air the Packers game even though the Vikings are on CBS.
They also attached a full schedule of all the NFL games that will be broadcast this year on FOX 9.
Here is the confirmed list of Packer games that will be blacked out in the Twin Cities in 2009:
- Week 3: Sun 9/27/2009 @ St. Louis Rams 12:00pm on FOX [Vikings @ noon on FOX]
- Week 6: Sun 10/18/2009 vs. Detroit Lions 12:00pm on FOX [Vikings @ noon on CBS, but at home]
- Week 7: Sun 10/25/2009 @ Cleveland Browns 12:00pm on FOX [Vikings @ noon on FOX]
- Week 11: Sun 11/22/2009 vs. San Francisco 49ers 12:00pm on FOX [Vikings @ noon on FOX]
- Week 14: Sun 12/13/2009 @ Chicago Bears 12:00pm on FOX [Vikings @ noon on CBS, but at home]
There are a lot fewer blackouts than I was expecting, which is great. And FOX doesn’t hate the Packers, which is also great 🙂
Thanks again, FOX 9.