GameSearch Technology Makes Blackouts Less Frustrating

For the avid sports fan, there is nothing more annoying than blackouts in sports programming, keeping you from watching your favorite local games. Now DirecTV offers GameSearch™, which will automatically direct you to a channel that is broadcasting the same game, whenever a blackout happens. GameSearch uses technology similar to search engines, so the GameSearch program recognizes when a blackout occurs on a tuned-in channel, and then instantly searches DirecTV for a similar program.

Blackouts are unfortunate occurrences that happen when conflicting right holders battle within a select market, resulting in the event not being televised. These right holders can be teams, stations, or sports leagues, who all have an interest in the way the game is broadcasted. However, this can be extremely frustrating to the viewer, when they can do nothing about it. The Game Search program will give you the option to change channels if an alternative broadcast is found, but it will alert you if no games are found that match your criteria. If you set the DVR to record a game, then GameSearch will automatically switch to an available channel when a blackout occurs.

Because the problem cannot be solved on their end, DirecTV is offering a different kind of solution. Though the blackout will persist, you can now immediately see what other channels are offering the same sports programming. The Executive Vice President of DirecTV Entertainment, Eric Shanks, said “Blackouts have always been the bane of sports fans and while we can't make them go away, we can be the first to make it easier for fans, who have been left in the dark, to find their game if it's being broadcast on another channel.” He added, “Like our HD and interactive services, GameSearch is another DirecTV technological innovation developed in response to what our customers want and what will provide them with the ultimate viewing experience.” GameSearch is an amazing technology that is available now, free of charge, to DirecTV customers.