I here you on that one. If I didn't have DirecTV, there's be no Chase for me. ABC can't be picked up from my location about 60 miles from the tower. In Pittsburgh, PA they are, by far, the weakest signal of the networks. I thought that by the transition date to DTV that they'd boost their signal but that never happened.
Here's an explanation on the reasoning behind the DTV transition.....
An important benefit of the switch to all-digital broadcasting is that it freed up parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for public safety communications (such as police, fire departments, and rescue squads). Also, some of the spectrum can now be auctioned to companies that will be able to provide consumers with more advanced wireless services (such as wireless broadband).
Consumers also benefited because digital broadcasting allows stations to offer improved picture and sound quality, and digital is much more efficient than analog. For example, rather than being limited to providing one analog program, a broadcaster is able to offer a super sharp High Definition (HD) digital program or multiple Standard Definition (SD) digital programs simultaneously through a process called “multicasting.”
Oh, and I forgot this.....
I have to think that the key words were, 'some of the spectrum can now be auctioned to companies'.
I usually watch one football game a year, and most of the time it's for the commercials. Maybe we should end the baseball season now and delay hockey until Feb. 
