MLB EI Blackout Question

[stunnerkline]

I've noticed so far this year that when my home team is playing on the road I am able to view the games on the EI channels (740's or so).

This is significant because I live in the Philadelphia market where Comcrap has a monopoly on the Phillies games via their cable-only channels.

In years past, I believe, I was not able to view these "road" games via EI and the only time I could watch the Phillies was when they were a national game on ESPN or FOX.

Has anyone else noticed this and/or have the blackout rules changed for MLB....or am I just crazy and it's always been like this???

 

[Proc]

The Tigers are on Fox Sports Net (Channel 636). The games show up in the 734-749's at the same time as well.

 

[FlyingJ]

Yup, Phillies on less than just about every other team because of Comcast. Good news is we have a stretch here where the Phils are on about 14 out of the next 15 days. GoPhils!!!!!

 

[stunnerkline]

Ok, now tonight the Phils are on the EI channel and they are playing at home....what am I missing here? When did the rules change?

 

[FlyingJ]

I haven't been able to figure out EI and I have had it for I guess 3 years now. I do know that the Phils fans out of market get screwed. There are days when every other game is on, every one, except the Phils game. I subscribe to the MLB thingy on the computer so I can catch them all but the quality is ugly.

 

[rmmrph]

I am not so lucky. I live in Burlington, NJ and I have not had any success watching the Phillies games. They are always blacked out.

 

[stevesmall]

I am not so lucky. I live in Burlington, NJ and I have not had any success watching the Phillies games. They are always blacked out.

and they will be blacked out as long as comcast has its way, comcast will not allow it until they have to or it is financially profitable for themo dont hold your breath

 

[stunnerkline]

and they will be blacked out as long as comcast has its way, comcast will not allow it until they have to or it is financially profitable for themo dont hold your breath

This was the point of my original post. I live North and West of Philly and have had DirecTV since 1998. Never before have I been able to watch the Phillies on MLBEI, they have been blacked out due to local market restrictions.

This year, however, their games have not been blacked out. I've been able to watch them every time they are on EI and I was wondering if anyone else in the Philly market was as well.

The last two responses makes me wonder if there is some kind of glich in the system that's allowing me to see the games???

 

[Mike McGann]

West of Philly here...and I've noticed the same thing.

Is it a glitch or did MLB/the Phillies (who NOT happy about being blocked off the dish, despite their partial ownership of Comcast SportsNet) put on some pressure to get some of the games aired, even in market?

I guess we'll Tueday night when the Phillies host the Mets.

 

[JohnH]

I guess due to this thread I will have to check. In the past, it has been a waste of time to check, so I have not in years.

 

[MacDawg]

I live in the Wash DC area. But im a Cleveland Indians fan. When the Indians play at home D* show the game on channel 657. The Sports Time Ohio Channel (STO). But when they are on the road D* show it on MLB EI and blackout the STO channel here in DC. Crazy crazy crazy.

 

[JohnH]

The only reason you get STO when the Indians are at home is because you have a subscription to MLB EI and EI for the most part shows Home Team Coverage.
.

 

[Mike McGann]

Wow. Hell froze over last night.

For the first time since Prism went south, I saw a Phillies home game on D* — granted it was the SNY feed (fine with me, as a Mets fan) — but i think even Phillies' fans would grant that watching the other team's feeds beats seeing "Not available in your area."

If you want to thank someone, thank MLB and the Phillies who pressured Comcast on this issue, as it became increasingly clear that there was legal liability on the Extra Innings package.

It will be interesting to see if this impacts other sports...although I think I saw a 76ers/Nets game on YES at one point this past season, so maybe it has.

 

[TIVOGUY1]

Yes, I live in south jersey and this is the first time that I have seen the games on EI. Usually, I have to watch them on cable. Hopefully, this will be a continuing trend.

 

[mikew]

Very interesting. I live in Tucson and Cox holds the rights for the Padres here. The first month of the season, they have been blacked out on MLB.TV. Yesterday, I was not blacked out. Figured it was a fluke, but it happened again today. It would be hard to believe that, after all of these years, these rights issue may be being addressed.

BTW...Cox owns the rights. They cover most of the Tucson Metro area. They do not show any games. Why should they keep the rights?

 

[charper1]

Cox as in the cable company? They should not be the actual producer OR broadcast rights holder of any games in any sports, they are in the retransmission or signal distribution game like DirecTV or Dish Network.

 

[mikew]

http://www.4sd.com/

Yes. Cox the cable company. They produce the games and hold the rights. Comcast come to mind?

 

[charper1]

So they are the OWNER of the channel that produces?

 

[mikew]

Yes. They produce and distribute the games. They own the rights to broadcast in Tucson (based on MLB's blackout list).