TV Answer Man, I’ve been reading about Bally Sports and their sports channels. How can you tell if Bally Sports is available in your area and which TV companies carry it? I can’t figure it out when I search the Net. — David, Scottsdale, Arizona.
Dave, the 19 Bally Sports regional sports channels, which are owned by Sinclair Broadcasting, offer the live broadcasts of dozens of NBA, NHL, WNBA and MLB teams as well as college football and basketball action. But how can you tell if one of those channels is available in your market? And if it is, how can you tell which TV providers in your area carries it?
It’s easy. Go to Bally’s web site, GetMyHomeTeams.com, and type in your zip code. For instance, let’s use a zip code for Scottsdale, 85054. When you type in that zip code in the ‘Find Your TV Provider’ box, you’ll see that Bally Sports Arizona is available in your area. The channel broadcasts the games of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Phoenix Suns, Phoenix Mercury, and Arizona Coyotes.
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The search also reveals that the TV providers in your area that offer Bally Sports Arizona are AT&T TV, DIRECTV, and Cox Communications. You may notice that several live streaming services, such as FuboTV, Hulu Live, YouTube TV, and Sling TV, are not on the list. They are involved in separate carriage battles with Sinclair and do not carry the Bally Sports channels.
It’s also worth noting that if Bally Sports is available in your area, the only one you can watch is your specific regional sports channel. The rest are blacked out because they are out-of-market. If you want to watch the out-of-market games, you’ll have to subscribe to a pay package such as MLB.TV or NBA League Pass.
David, hope that helps. Happy viewing, and stay safe!
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvpredictions.com. Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
