MLB to take action to reduce TV blackouts

[Madison Hawk]

"Major League Baseball is finally trying to white out its blackout problem – and the restrictions that prevent so many from watching games on television and over the Internet may be lifted as early as the 2009 season.

At the owners’ meetings in May, all 30 teams are expected to deliver reports outlining the territories in which they currently broadcast games or have concrete plans to in the future, according to an MLB source. Based on the information, MLB will redraw its territorial-rights map – the outdated gerrymandering that causes areas such as Las Vegas and Iowa to be blacked out from 40 percent of games on a full schedule – to better reflect the present broadcast landscape. . .

MLB takes action to reduce TV blackouts - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

 

[panz32]

Interesting article. As a person living in Iowa with Dish Network's Sports Pack, I love the current set up. I get any Cubs, White Sox, Brewers, Twins, Cardinals and KC Royals games broadcast on a RSN. Without the Sports Pack I would only get Cubs and White Sox games.

If they re-draw the lines it would likely take some of these away and force me to switch to DirecTV and buy the MLB EI package to watch these teams play. Not something I want to do.

I do understand it is annoying with the ESPN blackouts, but this new arrangement could actually take games away from a lot of Iowan's.

 

[Trainnut]

I'm so sick of MLB and their Blackouts. I live in the Indians and Pirates territory (Zip 16727) and I for the life of me don't understand why the Mets/Phillies were blacked out on Wednesday on ESPN2 and now today the Cubs/Phillies is blacked out on TBS. I'm trying my best not to swear but this is just %&*! incredible. Absolutlely no one can explain this blackout with the Phillies in my area, MLB won't release details due to propietary info, D* CSR's only know what there script tells them but boy are they quick to point out I could watch the game if I subscribe to MLB EI, oh and according to MLB.TV's website if I subscribe to their package the game would be available. I love baseball, but right now they can kiss my you know what. Sorry for the rant, going to go listen to the Cubs/Phillies on XM. If MLB was serious they would've started correcting this with the TBS regular season, or maybe they have made it simple....If you live in PA then your market is Philly and Pittsburgh.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Move to Detroit - no blackouts here. All though the way they're playing, maybe there should be.

 

[Ramy]

I don't understand why they blackout away games when they are not being broadcast on my local RSN.

 

[RFtech]

If you live in PA then your market is Philly and Pittsburgh.

If you live in PA your market is Pittsburgh....There is no market in Philly

 

[mets1969]

We're Sorry!

Based on the information that you have provided, you are blacked out of watching the game you selected. Notice: Change in National Live Blackout (Regular Season) - Effective immediately, due to a change in Major League Baseball Fox national exclusivities, the only Saturday games that will be nationally blacked out are those with a scheduled start time after 1:10 PM ET or before 7:05 PM ET. For further information regarding blackout restrictions, please see The Official Site of Major League Baseball: Subscriptions: Home.
If you have any questions please contact Customer Service at 866-800-1275 or e-Mail customerservice@website.mlb.com. (International Customers please call 512-434-1542.)
Note: You can still listen LIVE to that game that you selected (no blackout restriction apply to MLB.com Gameday Audio). For a full listing of available games, click here.

 

[jcrandall]

I'm going to ask about this, if mlb.tv can show the 1:05 ET start games, why can't DirecTV, or cable for that matter.

MLB should offer the same rules for each product through their different partners.

 

[skysurfer]

MLB should offer the same rules for each product through their different partners.

I like the way it is now - differeniation to cater to every fan, whether it be diehard or just wants a few games a week.

If you want to have comprehensive MLB coverage (video from every single game) or access to every radio broadcast, you get MLB.TV.

If you want a few games a week beyond what you get on cable, you get EI on DIRECTV.


If you want radio broadcasts (better audio quality than mlb.tv?), you get XM.


as for this change in blackout territories, I'll have to see it to believe it. I"m not convinced Dupuy is any brighter than bonehead selig, so I'm not expecting much (the news taken at face value).

 

[slocoma]

I'm so sick of MLB and their Blackouts. I live in the Indians and Pirates territory (Zip 16727) and I for the life of me don't understand why the Mets/Phillies were blacked out on Wednesday on ESPN2 and now today the Cubs/Phillies is blacked out on TBS. I'm trying my best not to swear but this is just %&*! incredible. Absolutlely no one can explain this blackout with the Phillies in my area, MLB won't release details due to propietary info, D* CSR's only know what there script tells them but boy are they quick to point out I could watch the game if I subscribe to MLB EI, oh and according to MLB.TV's website if I subscribe to their package the game would be available. I love baseball, but right now they can kiss my you know what. Sorry for the rant, going to go listen to the Cubs/Phillies on XM. If MLB was serious they would've started correcting this with the TBS regular season, or maybe they have made it simple....If you live in PA then your market is Philly and Pittsburgh.

Don't feel bad... all of PA gets blacked out of Phillies games. Even all the way up here in Erie!

 

[JonUrban]

If MLB was smart, they would market a package by team that included every game broadcast (except the ESPN/FOX games) and charge for it. If a Cardinals fan moves to Seattle, they would be able to get every game that was shown in St Louis on cable and local free TV.

Also, the poor fan who actually lives in a teams territory but cannot get that teams games because the local cable or sat provider does not carry the teams channel (for example YES) should be able to pay and get the Yankees Yes and Ch 5 games (in this example).

It makes no sense that this cannot be done.