ESPN suits at it again this year....

[GrizzlyEdd]

https://www.facebook.com/FCSvsESPN

Please check out the above site for the sake of FCS Playoff football... get involved...

Can you believe ESPN3 for the first two rounds???? If you are from a rural or somewhat rural area as a lot of the West is, then you know that a lot of ISP's do not carry ESPN3 so fans cannot view the upcoming two rounds of the FCS playoffs. We went through this two years ago with ESPN. Montana's congressional delegation ... ya all three of them signed on and sent letters of protest to ESPN. Ya, nothing happened... ESPN could give a isht!.... Somehow we have to figure out some way of convincing ESPN that there is more to "college football" than the FBS... Money & FBS is all ESPN cares about.

Since most of us on here are pretty much FCS fans and this involves all of our teams not just Montana or North Dakota State, Southern Utah, Northern Arizona, Eastern Washington.... there are a ton of Eastern & Southern teams that in relatively small markets and rely on TV to see their favorite teams play in the playoffs....

Time has come AnyGivenSaturday fans to step up to the plate and join in the fight with your brothers and sisters nationwide!!!! Time to take a stand to the corporate suits who really give a f... about us....

[centennial]

You need to get a login for someone who gets comcast, or any other ISP has has ESPN3. That will give you ESPN3.

[Grizalltheway]

What ISP do you have Ed?

[Hammerhead]

In the past year or two, they ended up putting some games on Gameplan after people in Fargo complained since the cable provider in Fargo didn't carry ESPN3 at the time.

[Bison56]

Not every ISP carries ESPN 3.

[centennial]

Can multiple users use one ESPN 3 login?

[GrizzlyEdd]

As I said, rural communities DON'T have access to these ISP's.... Just so you know... NDSU signed on to our page...

[GrizzlyEdd]

Bresnen/Optimum/Charter... you pick... it has changed so much I never know... BUT, point is rural communities don't have the choice.... all they have is cable TV.... FCS playoffs deserve a better deal than what they are getting from ESPN... ALSO... by NCAA rules, if ESPN does not claim their TV rights, then local/regional broadcasters can claim those rights... but of course ESPN does not want anyone to know that... they want everyone to pay them either for ESPN3 (definitely not like TV coverage) or buy pay-per-view GamePlan... Can you say anti trust suit...

[centennial]

As I said, rural communities DON'T have access to these ISP's.... Just so you know... NDSU signed on to our page...
The ISPs don't matter if you can use a login from someone that has it, you can even watch it from Europe or Asia.
Also you can use a VPN from Europe and then pay for ESPN 3.

[Bogus Megapardus]

East coast bias. The directors, officers and programming officials at ESPN all are Ivy, Patriot and NESCAC grads.

[GrizzlyEdd]

And... you are assuming that ALL rural people have the internet??????.... ESPN has the same attitude... Think about the Western part of your great state.. Minot, Williston areas... I have been there numerous times... it is mighty rural and I know they don't have access.... been there done that. A lot of Eastern Montana and statewide WE DO NOT HAVE internet access... I know there are older people who love the Griz & Cats but do not have nor do they want the internet... THEY should be able to watch on TV... That's the whole point here neighbor... Not all people like you and I have internet access... for what ever reason they just don't. Should they be discriminated against by some East Coast suits who give a isht about ND or MT and other rural states and areas of other states.... I think not... go to the page and like... share... you know you want to... NDSU did...

[Twentysix]

The ISPs don't matter if you can use a login from someone that has it, you can even watch it from Europe or Asia.
Also you can use a VPN from Europe and then pay for ESPN 3.

Some people probably don't want to break the law to watch a football game. Those people aren't represented very well on AGS. Though, I do think the entire state of ND now has ESPN3. As far as I know Midco provides service for the entire state except in Fargo, but cable one now has ESPN3.

[pike51]

Some people probably don't want to break the law to watch a football game. Those people aren't represented very well on AGS. Though, I do think the entire state of ND now has ESPN3. As far as I know Midco provides service for the entire state except in Fargo, but cable one now has ESPN3.

You can't get ESPN 3 if you have DirecTV. Just sayin'

[Twentysix]

You can't get ESPN 3 if you have DirecTV. Just sayin'

DirectTV doesn't provide internet...that makes no sense lol.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Some people probably don't want to break the law to watch a football game. Those people aren't represented very well on AGS. Though, I do think the entire state of ND now has ESPN3. As far as I know Midco provides service for the entire state except in Fargo, but cable one now has ESPN3.

Use of a VPN is not breaking any laws anywhere. ESPN willingly and happily supplies its feed to VPN networks for distribution in Europe, and no law says that Americans cannot subscribe to a VPN. You certainly cannot redistribute the ESPN feed, but you can watch it through an authorized VPN all you like.

[NoDak 4 Ever]

You can't get ESPN 3 if you have DirecTV. Just sayin'

I have Directv and a ISP that provides ESPN3. Works great for me.

[Twentysix]

Use of a VPN is not breaking any laws anywhere. ESPN willingly and happily supplies its feed to VPN networks for distribution in Europe, and no law says that Americans cannot subscribe to a VPN. You certainly cannot redistribute the ESPN feed, but you can watch it through an authorized VPN all you like.

Using the login information provided by a fee paid to an ISP who pays ESPN for ESPN3, and distributing to unauthorized users is certainly not legal. It is theft of service in the United States.

[centennial]

Some people probably don't want to break the law to watch a football game. Those people aren't represented very well on AGS. Though, I do think the entire state of ND now has ESPN3. As far as I know Midco provides service for the entire state except in Fargo, but cable one now has ESPN3.

I work in the tech industry. There are no laws that prevent you from using a VPN. Yes, it might cost you 20$ to watch the playoffs but it can be done legally. Sharing login is a grey area, however when you are giving it to 50 people that is when it gets doggy. When it is illegal for you to share your netflix or hulu+ then we can talk about espn 3.

[Twentysix]

I work in the tech industry. There are no laws that prevent you from using a VPN. Yes, it might cost you 20$ to watch the playoffs but it can be done legally. Sharing login is a grey area, however when you are giving it to 50 people that is when it gets doggy. When it is illegal for you to share your netflix or hulu+ then we can talk about espn 3.

http://techland.time.com/2011/06/03/share-your-netflix-password-and-you-may-go-to-jail/

Yeah that took 4 seconds. One of your CSCI courses should have taught googling. ;)

[BISON Thunder]

Use of a VPN is not breaking any laws anywhere. ESPN willingly and happily supplies its feed to VPN networks for distribution in Europe, and no law says that Americans cannot subscribe to a VPN. You certainly cannot redistribute the ESPN feed, but you can watch it through an authorized VPN all you like.

Not always true. I was in Mexico when the Bison played YSU a couple weeks ago, and tried accessing ESPN3 through my DirecTV and MidContinent accounts. I could watch as much soccer as I wanted, but American football via ESPN3...not so much.

[veinup]

i live in a major city and i can't get espn3 w/ my current internet. xeyebrowx

[centennial]

http://techland.time.com/2011/06/03/share-your-netflix-password-and-you-may-go-to-jail/

Yeah that took 4 seconds. One of your CSCI courses should have taught googling. ;)
Before you tell me what I should and should not know. The only place its illegal is Tennessee. Did you even read the article you just posted? At most it is against the terms of contract, there are no Federal laws around it. Please get over your self.
http://mashable.com/2011/06/03/tennessee-illegal-sharing-netflix/

[Hammerhead]

I live in a major metropolitan area and even though my ISP provides true 100 Mpbs internet, I have to pay an extra $60/month for 1Gbps to get espn3 without using a watchespn login provided by someone else.

[caribbeanhen]

Not always true. I was in Mexico when the Bison played YSU a couple weeks ago.

I was behind the goal post for part of the 3rd quarter, cant get ESPN3 in Puerto Rico but can see it in hotel near Cleveland on same computer..

[centennial]

I was behind the goal post for part of the 3rd quarter, cant get ESPN3 in Puerto Rico but can see it in hotel near Cleveland on same computer..
Use a US VPN with cable login, or europe VPN gets you a paywall which you can pay your way through.

[MTfan4life]

And... you are assuming that ALL rural people have the internet??????.... ESPN has the same attitude... Think about the Western part of your great state.. Minot, Williston areas... I have been there numerous times... it is mighty rural and I know they don't have access.... been there done that. A lot of Eastern Montana and statewide WE DO NOT HAVE internet access... I know there are older people who love the Griz & Cats but do not have nor do they want the internet... THEY should be able to watch on TV... That's the whole point here neighbor... Not all people like you and I have internet access... for what ever reason they just don't. Should they be discriminated against by some East Coast suits who give a isht about ND or MT and other rural states and areas of other states.... I think not... go to the page and like... share... you know you want to... NDSU did...

What? Is this something new? I'm from there and every where in my home area had internet and still does. Small towns of 100 people and higher in northeastern montana. I don't remember knowing any one who didn't have access to it. It was through the phone company. If you had access to a phone, you likely had access to internet. I remember they'd have a listing of everyone who had access to DSL, and towns of 10 people were even on the list. Pretty much every community within the regional phone companies. I'm curious to hear what parts of Montana doesn't have internet. Since no later than the early 2000s, I know that every where from the ND/MT/Canadian border all the way down to the Interstate and over as far as Jordan had internet, and you can't get much more desolate than that area of the state. I can vouch for having internet in random-a** areas around Williston as well. I'm curious where you're speaking about, or maybe you're referring to the early 1990's? We used to always have trouble with cell phone service, but I never remember a lack of internet capabilities. I know I can watch ESPN3 whenever I'm home as well. That's in a town of 150 people.

[Twentysix]

What? Is this something new? I'm from there and every where in my home area had internet and still does. Small towns of 100 people and higher in northeastern montana. I don't remember knowing any one who didn't have access to it. It was through the phone company. If you had access to a phone, you likely had access to internet. I remember they'd have a listing of everyone who had access to DSL, and towns of 10 people were even on the list. Pretty much every community within the regional phone companies. I'm curious to hear what parts of Montana doesn't have internet. Since no later than the early 2000s, I know that every where from the ND/MT/Canadian border all the way down to the Interstate and over as far as Jordan had internet, and you can't get much more desolate than that area of the state. I can vouch for having internet in random-a** areas around Williston as well. I'm curious where you're speaking about, or maybe you're referring to the early 1990's? We used to always have trouble with cell phone service, but I never remember a lack of internet capabilities. I know I can watch ESPN3 whenever I'm home as well. That's in a town of 150 people.

My town of 800 had DSL in like 2000, in Western Nodak also. The government gave huge grants to the ISPs to outfit the rural areas. Even the farms in the area around my town have DSL.

[Skyhawk71]

Our tailgate crew is on board...........the power of Facebook!!!!!!! Good luck Griz

[BISON Thunder]

I was behind the goal post for part of the 3rd quarter, cant get ESPN3 in Puerto Rico but can see it in hotel near Cleveland on same computer..

By the way, that was a great story!

[GrizzlyEdd]

What? Is this something new? I'm from there and every where in my home area had internet and still does. Small towns of 100 people and higher in northeastern montana. I don't remember knowing any one who didn't have access to it. It was through the phone company. If you had access to a phone, you likely had access to internet. I remember they'd have a listing of everyone who had access to DSL, and towns of 10 people were even on the list. Pretty much every community within the regional phone companies. I'm curious to hear what parts of Montana doesn't have internet. Since no later than the early 2000s, I know that every where from the ND/MT/Canadian border all the way down to the Interstate and over as far as Jordan had internet, and you can't get much more desolate than that area of the state. I can vouch for having internet in random-a** areas around Williston as well. I'm curious where you're speaking about, or maybe you're referring to the early 1990's? We used to always have trouble with cell phone service, but I never remember a lack of internet capabilities. I know I can watch ESPN3 whenever I'm home as well. That's in a town of 150 people.

You are missing the point boys... I am from a very small town in Central Montana... not all people have internet access there... maybe in NE MT you are lucky or something. Besides the POINT is that there are lots of people out there in rural USA who DON'T want internet access and want to watch a game on TV... Just because you have access to ESPN3 and want the internet, doesn't mean everyone does... get a grip.. Besides, watching an internet stream vs HD TV doesn't even compare. I live in Missoula and there is no where here that has access to ESPN3... the ISP's don't carry it... Check out our page on facebook to get the REAL info... search "FCS petition" on facebook...

NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO BUY INTERNET ONE TIME A YEAR JUST SO THEY CAN WATCH THE FCS PLAYOFFS... you are "ASSUMING" that everyone wants the internet.... THEY DON'T

[montanan1234]

What? Is this something new? I'm from there and every where in my home area had internet and still does. Small towns of 100 people and higher in northeastern montana. I don't remember knowing any one who didn't have access to it. It was through the phone company. If you had access to a phone, you likely had access to internet. I remember they'd have a listing of everyone who had access to DSL, and towns of 10 people were even on the list. Pretty much every community within the regional phone companies. I'm curious to hear what parts of Montana doesn't have internet. Since no later than the early 2000s, I know that every where from the ND/MT/Canadian border all the way down to the Interstate and over as far as Jordan had internet, and you can't get much more desolate than that area of the state. I can vouch for having internet in random-a** areas around Williston as well. I'm curious where you're speaking about, or maybe you're referring to the early 1990's? We used to always have trouble with cell phone service, but I never remember a lack of internet capabilities. I know I can watch ESPN3 whenever I'm home as well. That's in a town of 150 people.

It isnt a lack of internet Service, its lack of internet with compatible speeds. Most people in Montana with internet have speeds that are less that half of the min. requirements to watch ESPN 3 without 10 minute buffers in the middle of the game. Also ESPN3 being an internet stream assumes the infrastructure can handle it.

We arent just fighting for the playoffs, We are standing up to ESPN for pure lack of exposure. They wont show our playoffs until the semis- when the FBS season is over. And im sorry but watching a game via computer/xbox/tv hooked to computer is NOT how football was meant to be watched

[montanan1234]

My town of 800 had DSL in like 2000, in Western Nodak also. The government gave huge grants to the ISPs to outfit the rural areas. Even the farms in the area around my town have DSL.

Our ISP's got those same grants but did nothing to improve our non-urban infrastructure. Many of the cities are ok but go 5 miles outside and you are stuck with DIAL-UP, yes old MODEM AND PHONE LINE DIAL-UP or you get stuck with unreliable connections. An ND radio personality, Jay Thomas, recalled watching a game in a bar in Fargo where the game kept rebuffering or pixelating. How is that a good way to watch a football game??
This hurts our local sports bars and watering holes who rely on these types of events to get through the year. Our slowest connection in this state is 26 kbps. the fastest is less than 20 mbps (guaranteed speeds). How is ESPN3, an online stream, conducive to these people watching a game???

[MTfan4life]

You are missing the point boys... I am from a very small town in Central Montana... not all people have internet access there... maybe in NE MT you are lucky or something. Besides the POINT is that there are lots of people out there in rural USA who DON'T want internet access and want to watch a game on TV... Just because you have access to ESPN3 and want the internet, doesn't mean everyone does... get a grip.. Besides, watching an internet stream vs HD TV doesn't even compare. I live in Missoula and there is no where here that has access to ESPN3... the ISP's don't carry it... Check out our page on facebook to get the REAL info... search "FCS petition" on facebook...

NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO BUY INTERNET ONE TIME A YEAR JUST SO THEY CAN WATCH THE FCS PLAYOFFS... you are "ASSUMING" that everyone wants the internet.... THEY DON'T

I wasn't defending ESPN3 by any cost nor did I intend to. The ESPN3 issue is a major inconvenience and should be changed. However, you were making claims about an area I used to live in and I wanted to clarify that life wasn't as old fashioned as that.

ESPN doesn't give a rats *** about the FCS. I don't understand why they have ownership of the televising of the playoffs.

[robsnotes4u]

You are missing the point boys... I am from a very small town in Central Montana... not all people have internet access there... maybe in NE MT you are lucky or something. Besides the POINT is that there are lots of people out there in rural USA who DON'T want internet access and want to watch a game on TV... Just because you have access to ESPN3 and want the internet, doesn't mean everyone does... get a grip.. Besides, watching an internet stream vs HD TV doesn't even compare. I live in Missoula and there is no where here that has access to ESPN3... the ISP's don't carry it... Check out our page on facebook to get the REAL info... search "FCS petition" on facebook...

NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO BUY INTERNET ONE TIME A YEAR JUST SO THEY CAN WATCH THE FCS PLAYOFFS... you are "ASSUMING" that everyone wants the internet.... THEY DON'T


So in your words ESPN does not want to show a game that has lower viewership, and less advertising revenue just so they can make FCS football fans happy....you are Assuming everyone watches FCS..they don't.

Sorry but I didn't feel they need to yell


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[caribbeanhen]

Use a US VPN with cable login, or europe VPN gets you a paywall which you can pay your way through.

sounds simple enough..:D

[tomq04]

i borrow a coworkers comcast log on... :(
or go to the sports bar if i want to support a local place. still a pain in the rump, but cheaper than buying cable for 3 months/year

[LetsGoNova]

Because no other network cares either. I hate to side with the Great Satan, but I don't understand the vitriol for a for-profit business operating in the manner it thinks will generate the most, you know, profit. ESPN isn't PBS, they don't have any duty to serve the public good or otherwise make programming available to the masses. Blame the NCAA or the schools themselves for not carving out local TV rights for the playoffs so that Missoula can watch the game.

[montanan1234]

Because no other network cares either. I hate to side with the Great Satan, but I don't understand the vitriol for a for-profit business operating in the manner it thinks will generate the most, you know, profit. ESPN isn't PBS, they don't have any duty to serve the public good or otherwise make programming available to the masses. Blame the NCAA or the schools themselves for not carving out local TV rights for the playoffs so that Missoula can watch the game.

That's where Gameplan comes in. We get to see game, and ESPN gets $25 per buyer so ESPN gets money. It's a win-win. Schools and NCAA arent to blame as the broadcasting manual says: "If Turner/CBS and/or ESPN do not activate their television rights to any round of an NCAA championship, the NCAA may elect to sell these rights for local syndication in exchange for a rights fee. Local campus and/or non-commercial television stations may have the rights fee waived."

NCAA didnt do anything wrong as on paper, it's a great idea having ESPN televise playoffs, which in turn would bring more exposure to the FCS. The NCAA was right in letting ESPN have the rights, it's ESPN who is NOT INVOKING their TV rights (online streams do not count as television as NCAA has different rights for online only streams). For regular season, various local/regional sports networks have broadcasting rights. ESPN has playoffs, doesnt invoke tv right but wont let the local/regional to carry

You people make it sound like ESPN can not be toppled. In 2011, ESPN did the exact same thing. Montana and Montana State fans stood up to ESPN and after days of pressure from fans, senators, pressure from the NCAA, and our governor, ESPN gave in and put the FCS games on ESPN pay-per-view. So it can be done.

ESPN College Gameday went to NDSU, the 2-time defending FCS champs. They have similar issues to Montana. This petition has Eastern Washington (the 2010 Champs), Montana, Sam Houston State, NDSU and a few from other FCS markets on board with it.
This isn't just about people not wanting to watch ESPN3, it's about the ignorance of corporate america. They assume that everyone has the same infrastructure to support everything. Montana and North Dakota both have severely rural areas with less than stellar internet access. What we are doing here, is we are saying enough is enough. why should the thousands of fans of the various FCS schools be left in the dark if they don't have ESPN3?? We are also showing the world how ESPN breaks multiple rules and gets away with it. We are also showing how corporate greed hurts rural america. Montana doesn't have the infrastructure because the companies used the same excuse i've seen here "there's no money there". We are tired of being screwed because we are small, a minority. If the minority doesnt stand up and make their voices heard, who is going to stop corporations from doing this? Many people don't care out of ignorance, that everyone has the same internet as found in new york or something, others can't even name where Montana is. We are the voice for thousands of voiceless fans of the various FCS schools. We aren't asking for them to be on ESPN, ESPN2 etc, all we are asking to have it on Gameplan like they gave in and did 2 years ago. And last year, they just had them on both ESPN3 and Gameplan. then this year they decided to go back to what they tried in 2011. What's wrong with this picture???

[Winindy]

Because no other network cares either. I hate to side with the Great Satan, but I don't understand the vitriol for a for-profit business operating in the manner it thinks will generate the most, you know, profit. ESPN isn't PBS, they don't have any duty to serve the public good or otherwise make programming available to the masses. Blame the NCAA or the schools themselves for not carving out local TV rights for the playoffs so that Missoula can watch the game.

100% agree. The blame lies with the NCAA. They made the deal.

[montanan1234]

100% agree. The blame lies with the NCAA. They made the deal.

We aren't targeting only ESPN. We pressure and blame the NCAA equally with ESPN. ESPN is more of the public target because they have the rights and they aren't using them. We pressure the NCAA to get ESPN to actually follow the NCAA rules. The NCAA isnt spared, we attack them as well. We have pressure on ESPN and the NCAA right now. While the petition names ESPN, it's more of an ESPN/NCAA petition to get NCAA to recognize ESPN isnt invoking TV rights nor are they letting locals/regionals carry it

[iamlostmrw]

https://www.facebook.com/FCSvsESPN

Please check out the above site for the sake of FCS Playoff football... get involved...

Can you believe ESPN3 for the first two rounds???? If you are from a rural or somewhat rural area as a lot of the West is, then you know that a lot of ISP's do not carry ESPN3 so fans cannot view the upcoming two rounds of the FCS playoffs. We went through this two years ago with ESPN. Montana's congressional delegation ... ya all three of them signed on and sent letters of protest to ESPN. Ya, nothing happened... ESPN could give a isht!.... Somehow we have to figure out some way of convincing ESPN that there is more to "college football" than the FBS... Money & FBS is all ESPN cares about.

Since most of us on here are pretty much FCS fans and this involves all of our teams not just Montana or North Dakota State, Southern Utah, Northern Arizona, Eastern Washington.... there are a ton of Eastern & Southern teams that in relatively small markets and rely on TV to see their favorite teams play in the playoffs....

Time has come AnyGivenSaturday fans to step up to the plate and join in the fight with your brothers and sisters nationwide!!!! Time to take a stand to the corporate suits who really give a f... about us....give em hell GRIZZLYEDD i'm going