As if we needed yet another reason to hate New England (rams-related)

[GreatestShow99]

By JOHN OURAND
Staff writer

Published July 14, 2008 : Page 34
For the first time in more than a decade, the St. Louis Rams will not be allowed to broadcast their preseason games into the Los Angeles market that housed the team from 1946 to 1994.

The Rams have made a point to broadcast preseason games in their old home city. In March, the NFL’s broadcast committee, headed by Patriots owner Robert Kraft, voted unanimously to stop teams such as the Rams from broadcasting games in faraway markets.

The Rams have broadcast preseason games in the Los Angeles market since 1995, their first season in St. Louis. But the broadcast committee decided to enforce a ruling that ensured that teams would not broadcast preseason games beyond their secondary market.

“This policy allows teams to maximize local marketing and ticket sales efforts, while also protecting the interests of other clubs and network TV partners,” said NFL spokesman Dan Masonson.

The move helps out the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders, both of whom consider Los Angeles a “contiguous” market.

The move also helps the league’s network partners, CBS, ESPN, Fox and NBC, by removing competition in the country’s second-largest market. This year, the four networks, plus NFL Network, will telecast 13 live preseason games nationally. Six of those games will be competing against local telecasts in at least one of the NFL’s other 30 markets.

“We don’t want those games competing against each other,” Masonson said.

[TheBritishRam]

I don't think there's a team in any sport i hate as much as the Patriots (with the New Zealand rugby team a close second).

Does anyone know if pre-season games are covered in NFL Game Pass?

[rampower]

I am not sure, but most games kick off 1/2 am UK time in preseason. If youat the site it says registration for this season starts mid august, so I guess not.

[MoonJoe]

I was already getting screwed by the NFL and Direct TV on this anyway. They consider LA the San Diego Market now because there is no team here. What does that mean to me. We'll it was the first time I faced "blackout" as a customer. If San Diego doesn't sell out, then I can't watch there games because I am in their market so even though I have the "Ticket" I can't watch it. Another trick they did was if a game is on locally, I can't watch that on the "ticket" either, I have to watch it from the local broadcast, which is a pain when it comes to switching back and forth.

Anyway, it's interesting how they sell it this way.."“This policy allows teams to maximize local marketing and ticket sales efforts, while also protecting the interests of other clubs and network TV partners,” said NFL spokesman Dan Masonson.

The move helps out the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders, both of whom consider Los Angeles a “contiguous” market. "

So that's my choice, Chargers or Raiders? Again I find myself asking the NFL "WTF" did I do to you?

[r8rh8rmike]

Originally Posted by MoonJoe

I was already getting screwed by the NFL and Direct TV on this anyway. They consider LA the San Diego Market now because there is no team here. What does that mean to me. We'll it was the first time I faced "blackout" as a customer. If San Diego doesn't sell out, then I can't watch there games because I am in their market so even though I have the "Ticket" I can't watch it. Another trick they did was if a game is on locally, I can't watch that on the "ticket" either, I have to watch it from the local broadcast, which is a pain when it comes to switching back and forth.

It is a pain. What I do now is set up 3 TV's in my living room. One for Directv, one for Fox and one for CBS. When you add my laptop to interact with the ClanRam chatroom, I usually have my hands full on Sundays during the season.

[LA Rammer]

Just getting back at us for "spy gate." Beli**** must be behind this! I guess they are looking forward to whipping our butocks! This is just "one" game I hope we can win and I mean outright, IN THEIR HOUSE!!! IN THEIR HOUSE!!! and again IN THEIR HOUSE!!!

So I guess no pre-season games for us. Hope they at least televise the one vs. SD. Need to see my Rammies in 08! Hopefully based on watching one game I can offer valuable insight.

Wow LA is almost completely fazed out, this might be the dagger!

[RamFan_Til_I_Die]

Originally Posted by LA Rammer

Wow LA is almost completely fazed out, this might be the dagger!

That is exactly the point. They are trying to disconnect LA Rams fans from the Rams so that when a new team comes to town they will hopefully embrace the new team instead. The less Rams fans left in LA when the new team arrives, the better it will be for the new franchise. I think it's rediculous, but I think it's part of their reasoning.

[MoonJoe]

I won't get behind a new team. I will only go if the Rams or the Packers will play in a stadium here. Personally I think the NFL lost LA when they let the Rams and Raiders go. We can buy the NFL Ticket now and if the Rams aren't part of my "Area" I can always watch them on TV as long as I have that, that's all I need anyway.

[Goldenfleece]

There really ought to be an exception for teams broadcasting to cities they had been located in for like 50 years. I mean what qualifies as a "faraway" market anyway? According to Google maps, Oakland is about 372 miles away from LA. If that's contiguous, I think we should just declare Los Angeles a contiguous market to St. Louis. After all, if you drew a straight line between St. Louis and L.A., you wouldn't pass through any NFL cities. We should just claim that entire area through Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and northern Arizona (surely the Cardinals' market doesn't extend more than a few blocks of scalpers outside the stadium).

[Mooselini]

here it goes to watching the little flash animation of the football flying across the field indicating a kick off. with little lines saying how many yards were made.

woo go rams.

[laram0]

Well maybe the "New England" Patriots shouldn't be able to broadcast their games to the Boston area?

[r8rh8rmike]

With Spygate, outrageous rookie contracts, player arrests, Brett Favre, Bryant Gumble and continguous markets, the NFL has more than enough FUBAR to go around.