2008.12.25
UVa, Redskins won't be on TV
UVa and Redskins fans will be out of luck Sunday. You won’t be able to sit on your couch and watch either team’s game. FoxSportsNet is televising UVa’s 5:30 p.m. basketball game at Georgia Tech for all of its regional affiliates, but the affiliate in our region, CSN, is taking a pass. CSN will be airing a 7 p.m. Washington Capitals game instead. And its overflow channel, CSN Plus, isn’t broadcasting the game, either, because it will be televising a live Redskins postgame show at 7 p.m. Then again, you may want to watch the postgame show, because you won’t be able to see the Redskins game itself. WFXR isn’t showing the 4:15 p.m. game against the 49ers, and will instead air a more meaningful contest: Dallas against Philadelphia. -- Mark Berman
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"FoxSportsNet is televising UVa’s 5:30 p.m. basketball game at Georgia Tech for all of its regional affiliates, but the affiliate in our region, CSN, is taking a pass. CSN will be airing a 7 p.m. Washington Capitals game instead."
So, they feel that after paying for the rights to air the UVa-Georgia Tech game, and then trying sell ads for the Virginia-Georgia Tech game in a recession, that the end result is that they'd make more money showing the the Washington Capitals game?
Comment by Nelson — December 26, 2008 @ 5:29 am
CSN only cares about University of Maryland athletics. Anything downstate evidently doesn't matter including their viewers in the Lynchburg/Roanoke market.
Comment by Wokisan — December 26, 2008 @ 7:37 am
augh. Seriously, this is terrible. I'm at my wit's end with WFXR's NFL coverage. First we had a month of games only in standard definition, with them claiming annual sun activity... which is funny because it didn't affect affiliates in other markets. Now, they take away the last game of the season? Yeah Dallas and Philly are more important, but they're also markets WAY out of our range, and there are plenty of Redskins fans around these parts.
Someone at FOX needs to have their head examined, this bush league television coverage has got to end at some point. I know we're a relatively small town, but come on....
Comment by scott — December 26, 2008 @ 10:11 am
No, nothing is wrong with decision since few would watch a pair of looser take to the field/court. You can bet if either teem were in the "top" tiers their games would be shown.
Comment by Al — December 27, 2008 @ 9:29 am
The Cowpokes/Iggles game is also meaningless since both of the team's are huge, overrated chokers. Neither of these teams will make the playoffs, and if they sneak in, they'll choke anyway. Fox claims to be home of the Redskins, but they deny its local fanbase the chance to see the team's last game. The only reason they're really showing this game is because a team executive has a Tony Romoverated jersey plastered on her office wall. The station cares more about personal agendas then its customer base.
Comment by Eric — December 27, 2008 @ 10:23 am
This is stupid,Roanoke is Redskin territory and they should be showing the redskins game. My stepson and I have been weaiting all year for this game,He likes the 49rs and I the Skins. Of course the other game means more to the play off picture, but not to us Redskin fans. There are cowboy fans and eagle fans in the valley, but not as many as the Redskins.
I'ts a shame there is nothing we can do to change thier minds[or lack there of].
AH
Comment by Alfie — December 27, 2008 @ 10:26 am
Thanks for advertising yourselves as "The Home Of Redskins Football" all season & then deciding to NOT air their final game of the season.
Their final game in which Clinton Portis has a chance to break his own single season Redskin rushing yard record.
Their final game of the season in which former Hokie standout DeAngelo Hall may or may not play his final game as a Redskin since his contract is up.
I thought you folks had learned your lesson a few years ago when you decided to not air a 'meaningless' Skins vs Giants game. You promised to NOT make that mistake again.
So I'm left guessing that whomever is in charge there got a Tony Romo jersey for Christmas.
Comment by Rick Walker — December 27, 2008 @ 10:26 am
unreal!
I can't believe they can misjudge the audience like this. The freaking Cowboys and Eagles over the LAST Skn's game of the season!!!
Morons!
Comment by Steve — December 27, 2008 @ 11:00 am
"Home of the Redskins" my ass. FOX needs to look into how this affiliate is running their operation and treating their viewers in a primarily Redskins market.
Comment by Slug — December 27, 2008 @ 12:58 pm
get DirecTV Sunday Ticket and you won't have to worry which game WFXR is showing.. or stick with cable and cry about the Dallas game..
Comment by aaron — December 27, 2008 @ 1:46 pm
Disgraceful and pathetic.
Comment by Brandon R. — December 27, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
Heres the problem folks CSN is based in The DC metro area so of course they are going to show a major market sports game. CSN has a huge contract for the Caps games. Few in the DC area would watch the UVA game so its numbers game which one is gonna bring bigger ratings and also commerical $$$. I thought MASN was going to be a competitor for Comcast Sports Net (which used to be HTS Home Team Sports years ago).
Comment by DJ — December 27, 2008 @ 3:23 pm
After advertising themselves, and selling commercial time, as the home of the Washington Redskins. WFXR the Roanoke,VA fox affiliate has elected not to show the last Redskins game of the season. The Redskins are the home team of this region and it shows in the firestorm of reactions from fans across this part of the state. This is an opportunity for the Redskins to salvage a winning record and for Clinton Portis to eclipse his own team single season rushing record. There is no other local cable or broadcast outlet in the area that has the game available. Something similar to this occured about three years ago and the station was lambasted in the local press and by Redskins fans alike. After suffering through that whiplash of attention WFXR issued a statement saying that they had made a mistake and didn't realize what kind of reaction they would recieve by dumping the game. At the time they also said that it was a mistake they would never repeat. I guess they have short memories at WFXR.
Comment by David Jackson — December 27, 2008 @ 4:15 pm
The only way to really protest Sunday's ridiculous decision is to contact the station's sponsors and let them know of your displeasure. Money talks.
Comment by Daryl Grant — December 27, 2008 @ 5:06 pm
you guys are making a mistake not showing the skins...the buisness I work at advertise with fox..he is not happy..whats with the HOME OF THE REDSKINS..OH WELL ..YOU LIED
Comment by Ricky Peters — December 27, 2008 @ 5:22 pm
This is ridiculous. We have spent a season of following the Redskins and now we have the rug pulled out from under us like this. The bottom line is that there are far more Redskins fans in this viewing area than any other team. Oh well, I'll be sure not to watch Fox again until next season.
Comment by John — December 28, 2008 @ 9:45 am
who in their right mind would want to watch a bunch of losers like the deadskins
Comment by david wheeler — December 28, 2008 @ 12:14 pm
Pitiful, how in the world could they possibly not show a Redskins game in favor of the Cowboys? Not only is it awful that the majority of people in this area are Redskin fans and they won't be able to watch their favorite team, bu then they put their most HATED rival on instead. Nice FOX 21/27, keep up the great work.
Comment by Brad Combes — December 28, 2008 @ 3:25 pm
Damn, I knew I should have been in Roanoke this weekend! Here in Richmond we got stuck with the meaningless Deadskins game while the biggest game of the day ended up in Philly. Did get to see the hoo's also, great win in OT after the Deadskins finally lost.
Comment by George — December 29, 2008 @ 7:18 am
You should have shown that Redskin game so the fans could have seen their team lose.
Comment by LH — December 29, 2008 @ 7:42 am
Thanks to the local fox affiliate for not subjecting us to another awful Redskin game when better games are available. This board is full of whining 'skin fans who have gotten to see every game televised for decades, even when they are crap. Newsflash... there are far more non-redskins fans around here than skins fans. Add up the cowboy, steeler, panther, eagle fans and you'll outnumber skins fans without the rest of the league. When the Redskins are a contender, they can be on TV, when they aren't the best matchup should be on.
Comment by Todd — December 29, 2008 @ 11:30 pm
just remember, not everyone in this area wants to watch the "Joke"skins
and for Eric, the winner of the Dallas, Philly game was in with a win, you said neither would make the playoffs,I am not a fan of either of theses team but thank you Fox for not making all of us suffer through a meaningless game.
Comment by Derrick — December 30, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
Although most Redskin fans didn't get to see an exciting close game that came down to the last few seconds on thier home tvs,(went to the Bramleton Deli and got to see all the games)they got to see the cowboys get thier --- kicked real good.Who ever made the decision to show that horrrible game must really must feel like a complete IDIOT. I hope they have learned from thier hugely insane mistake.
Alfie
Comment by Alfie — December 31, 2008 @ 10:39 am
again thank you Fox for doing the "right thing"
or maybe you should go back to showing them
since all the fans seem to enjoy watching them
lose so often. always show the better game. better for
football fans, better for overall ratings.
Comment by Derrick — December 31, 2008 @ 1:20 pm
i have often wondered why roanoke wont support any sports team that dont come out of blacksburg or charlottsville. i now know why. if all the roanoke valley is dead--- redskins fans thats the problem. these fans are use to supporting a loser and when a local pro sports team is winning they are not going to support it because these rvalley fans would not kow a winner if they tripped over one. a note to any pro team with thoughts of coming to roanoke. if you want to keep a good fan base start the season out 6-2 and out of the next 8 games win about 2 and the fan support will be there.
Comment by david wheeler — December 31, 2008 @ 6:35 pm
Real Fans support their teams even in bad years David. What you're describing is called jumping on the bandwagon.
I haven't missed a redskins game in 10 years, win or loss. I'm not going to be some know-nothing fool who just follows teams who win. That's just not honest.
Comment by scott — January 2, 2009 @ 8:41 am
The Dallas,Philly game was a blowout.Stay true to the REDSKINS !!!!
Comment by Johnny — January 2, 2009 @ 11:03 am
hey scotty boy the deadskins have been so bad you have gotten use to them losing. you dont have much to crow about in the last ten years. thats why winning teams in the valley will never make it. if a pro team in the valley would have a 10 year losing record it would have a loyal fan base
Comment by david wheeler — January 3, 2009 @ 10:29 pm
So.
How bout them cowboys?
Comment by Rick Walker — January 9, 2009 @ 5:23 pm
is it possible now that the football season is just about over not to read anything about the cowgirls or the deadskins in the paper until next year???????? rumor has it there is a pro hockey & basketball season going on now or is it true there is nothing for roanoke to do until the pokes and deadskins start their road to nothingness next year???????
Comment by david wheeler — January 19, 2009 @ 8:49 pm
local TV stations, since the "joke" skins are "still" losing, can you please show better games each week instead of waiting all season to make the decision.
Comment by Derrick — October 15, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
fox and wdbj7 see above comments, "joke" skins lost again only 6 pts.
Comment by Derrick — October 19, 2009 @ 12:18 pm