Watch ESPN app on New Nexus 7

[trap49]

Just got a new N7. Downloaded the Watch ESPN app, and was able to watch the Michigan-Notre Dame game on 9/7 with no problem. Today, I tried to watch Monday Night Football on the app, but got the message that this broadcast is not available on my device. What gives? Does the NFL hate Android?

Posted via Android Central App

 

[patruns]

I am not familiar with the app but ESPN might not carry the game if it is being broadcast in your area on a major station.

 

[trap49]

Thanks for the reply, but that is not the case. Saturday's Michigan-Notre Dame college game was carried on the local ABC affiliate, but it also came in loud and clear on my N7 using the Watch ESPN app. Monday night's game was carried on ESPN cable, but I could not get the game on Watch ESPN. When the app is launched, it gives the available streams for viewing, and the top item was Monday Night Football, but it carried a disclaimer that said "Device restrictions may apply".

So, if ABC and ESPN are owned by the same company, and I could get the college game on Saturday, why would they restrict the MNF game? I'm just wondering if there is any logic to this.

 

[chrisdiaz73]

Michigan-ND is a regionally televised Game, where MNF is a nationally televised game...MNF should not work on Watch Espn unless they were playing 2 games at once....

 

[williams448]

You can purchase NFL Sunday ticket on Directv and then stream to your device, or if your a Verizon user, you can subscribe to NFL Mobile and watch Thurs, Sun, and Mon night games. These companies have exclusive rights with the NFL for the rights to stream games on mobile devices.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using AC Forums mobile app

 

[hodan]

This. Content providers are starting to differentiate between computers and mobile (phone/tablet). Hulu plus pulls that **** all the time.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[trap49]

Thanks to everyone who responded to this. I emailed ESPN, and here is their response:
******************************
Hello,

Thank you for contacting us.

Due to rights differences, Monday Night Football is only available on WatchESPN on a desktop, WatchESPN on XBox with a XBox Live GOLD membership, or on the WatchESPN application on iPads. iPhones and Android devices will not have access to Monday Night Football programming.

For live assistance with this or any other issue, please call Customer Care at 1-888-549-3776 (ESPN) between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. EST.

Regards,

Sam
ESPN.com Customer Care
******************************************************
Looks like they have made an arbitrary decision to allow it on desktops and XBox with subscription, and curiously, only iPads. Not available on iPhone or any Android device. Still doesn't make any sense, but it's their content and they can make their own rules.

 

[physioprof]

Yeah, this kind of crap is annoying. I have a Yankees on YES subscription which allows me to watch in market Yankees games over the Internet on MLB.com (which are otherwise blacked out for MLB.com subscribers). While I can watch regular MLB.com games on the Android app, the Yankees on YES access is not available on Android and only on desktop.

The economic rationale for these kinds of weird restrictions is very obscure.

 

[ddavtian]

I'm bumping an old thread, did you get it playing on Nexus?
ESPN faq now says:
"Due to rights differences, Monday Night Football (and preseason NFL games) are only available on WatchESPN on a desktop, WatchESPN on Xbox with a Xbox Live GOLD membership, WatchESPN on Apple TV and Roku, or on the WatchESPN application on iPads and Android tablets. Other mobile devices will not have access to Monday Night Football programming via the WatchESPN App."

They do mention android tablets as eligible. But I keep getting the same "not available on this device" message. I tried Samsung Note 10.1 and 8, no luck on both.