watching Boston sports in Raleigh (Durham: home, neighborhood, schools)

[ncwannabe2]

Relocating from MA to Raleigh next summer. Everyone in MA keeps saying "isn't it going to be hard leaving your friends in family". In short, "NO". The tough part, and I am serious here, is leaving our Boston sports teams.

I have DirectTv now in MA and can get all the local games I want. I assume that I will have to stick with DirectTv, as I don't believe I can get all 4 major sports teams through TW. I have had good luck with DirectTv, so that is not an issue.

I assume that I will need the following:

Sports Pack - will get me NESN for Sox / Bruins and Comcast for Celts

NFL Ticket - will get me Pats

But - I would like to hear from those watching Boston sports what your experience has been. Will the above packages work for me? What are the rules around blackouts in the area?

Thx.

[DebbieF]

I will have to ask my son for you. He is the BIGGEST red sox fan ever, and doesn't miss any games. Not sure about that blackout thing but I have heard some talk about it. He is also a bartender and if he can't get it at home for some reason, he knows where to go to watch it. I love Fenway Park, and go when I go home and visit family in CT.

[Desdemona123]

Originally Posted by ncwannabe2

Relocating from MA to Raleigh next summer. Everyone in MA keeps saying "isn't it going to be hard leaving your friends in family". In short, "NO". The tough part, and I am serious here, is leaving our Boston sports teams.

I have DirectTv now in MA and can get all the local games I want. I assume that I will have to stick with DirectTv, as I don't believe I can get all 4 major sports teams through TW. I have had good luck with DirectTv, so that is not an issue.

I assume that I will need the following:

Sports Pack - will get me NESN for Sox / Bruins and Comcast for Celts

NFL Ticket - will get me Pats

But - I would like to hear from those watching Boston sports what your experience has been. Will the above packages work for me? What are the rules around blackouts in the area?

Thx.

I've not seen a 'black out' in the area....Raleigh doesn't have any professional sports besides the 'Canes (which are great, AND we won tonight! YAHHOOO!! but the NHL isn't so militant about such things) so we don't get the 'black out areas' and issues that some other areas may experience).

There is a large Red Sox Nation group in the area...you won't want for sports.

[LeavingMA]

You can also get the MLB package and watch Red Sox games online, if you don't mind doing that.

Your one of many people leaving MA. Almost everytime I speak with someone they are seriously considering relocating. It is getting almost ridiculous.

[ncwannabe2]

Originally Posted by LeavingMA

You can also get the MLB package and watch Red Sox games online, if you don't mind doing that.

Your one of many people leaving MA. Almost everytime I speak with someone they are seriously considering relocating. It is getting almost ridiculous.

I subscribe to MLB package online now since I am on the road so often and hate to miss a game. It's a good option, but when I am home, I want to watch it on the big screen. Sounds like I will be able to get most games on NESN. I was on the phone w/ DirectTv last night asking about blackout rules. She couldn't really explain it to me, so I was hoping someone in the area could.

I agree with the exodus from MA. The reaction from most people up here in MA when we tell them we are moving to Raleigh next summer, is that they would love to move to the Carolinas as well. And, it seems that over 1/2 the families in our new neighborhood-to-be are from MA.

[Vnyrd]

I'm from the Boston area and moved down this year. I had Time Warner cable but switched to Direct TV to get the Pats. You can get the MLB package and it includes NESN for all the sox games with Gerry Remy. The NFL ticket has all the Patriot games. Almost all the Pats games have been nationally televised this year so there were only a few we needed the package for. Direct TV has the NFL network so we will see the final game against the Giants. There is also a package for the NBA and that gives all the Celtics games. Many BC games are on here because they play in the ACC and most of the schools here play in that conference.
There is a Red Sox Fan Club here in Raleigh and it is the biggest in the nation with over 700 members. I joined and it is a great group. They get together for all New England sporting events of interest.
I took my son up to Baltimore to see the Red Sox and getting a ticket there is easy and the seats are great.
That is my experience so far.

[ncwannabe2]

Originally Posted by Vnyrd

There is a Red Sox Fan Club here in Raleigh and it is the biggest in the nation with over 700 members. I joined and it is a great group. They get together for all New England sporting events of interest.
I took my son up to Baltimore to see the Red Sox and getting a ticket there is easy and the seats are great.
That is my experience so far.

THis is the first I heard about the Sox fan club. Is there a web site?

We have seen many games at Camden Yards, referred to as Fenway South up here in MA, since there is usually a 4 to 1 ratio of Sox fans to O's fans at most games. Once we move to Raleigh, we are planning an annual trip to Balitmore to see Sox and meet friends from MA.

[mistydew]

We have direct TV and the MLB and NFL extra options. We have had some Red Sox games blacked out if they were in Baltimore...strange, but true. We just moved here in July and have enjoyed keeping up with our Boston teams. We also really enjoyed the Durham Bulls this summer and are looking forward to seeing more of those games this coming year. It's a great family outing and very reasonable price wise. There are meetup groups for Red Sox and Patriots fans, but we haven't felt the need to leave home for a game.
Judy

[ncwannabe2]

DirectTv told me that Orioles and Braves are considered the local teams. That would explain why the Sox would be blacked out in Baltimore. It should have been covered on local broadcast though, I would think.

[Desdemona123]

Originally Posted by ncwannabe2

THis is the first I heard about the Sox fan club. Is there a web site?

We have seen many games at Camden Yards, referred to as Fenway South up here in MA, since there is usually a 4 to 1 ratio of Sox fans to O's fans at most games. Once we move to Raleigh, we are planning an annual trip to Balitmore to see Sox and meet friends from MA.

During the play offs and Series it was all you heard about....articles in the paper and everything. (Sorry, not much of a Sox fan, in my book they are only one small step above the Yankees...but the fans do seem loyal, something I can respect.

http://redsox.meetup.com/106/?gj=sj5

This is the meet-up listing....it should have most of the information you are looking for.