Black out rules - dumbest policy in all of sports?

"Hey, we have a show consumers want to watch so we're NOT going to show it to you!"

The Royals/Jays game is hilarious. Its at 12:37 on a Wednesday. Its like when you're dating an ugly girl and you're embarrassed to show her in public so you only take her out to lunch on a weekday at that out-of-the-way place.

To anyone who subscribes to mlb.tv, does the subscription include gameday on the iphone/android or do you have to purchase that in addition? I haven't reupped my .tv yet (because I didn't watch a game from practically June through September last year, ####### Mets), and I think that'll be the deciding factor for me.

any idea if MLB Network will be coming to comcast in HD soon?

any idea if MLB Network will be coming to comcast in HD soon?

We have Comcast in Philly and get MLB Network in HD.

"Hey, we have a show consumers want to watch so we're NOT going to show it to you!"

This isn't going to pre-empt any local broadcasts, is it? The idea is that if you live in the YES blackout zone, you need to watch it on YES.

MLB has over-delivered on its initial promises for live baseball. Before its launch last year, they promised us Thursday Night Baseball. About a month into the season, they added Saturday Night Baseball (a simulcast, but still -- another nationally televised game on cable.) By the end of the summer, they were airing random weekday day games just for the hell of it.

I know that many BBTF'ers already have MLB Extra Innings, MLB.TV or the MLB At Bat app, so this probably doesn't impress those folks. But for a fans (like me) without those feeds, I'm really enjoying the amount of nationally broadcast games on TV these days. Between ESPN, TBS, Fox and now the MLB Network, I can watch up to 9 non-local games 6 nights a week without paying for any special programming package.

Considering that 7 years ago I was happy to see 4 nationally broadcast games a week -- in standard definition, no less -- I'm very happy with the state of baseball on TV today.

I very much love MLB network. Sap that I am...too many ads though.

well, ads keep the coverage free.

I really, really wish it was in HD in Alexandria. With Fios bailing out of their commitment to come to Alexandria, I don't see comcast with any real competition.

This is as good a place as any to ask this -- has anyone tried MLB.TV with a netbook? My only computer is an Asus with the standard 1.6 MHz Atom processor. I suspect that it won't work, but I'm curious to see if anyone's tried it.

I have heard it is ok, but only runs the basic. I am getting MLB.TV this weekend, and I can let you know nextweek, I have a similar netbook.

This is as good a place as any to ask this -- has anyone tried MLB.TV with a netbook? My only computer is an Asus with the standard 1.6 MHz Atom processor. I suspect that it won't work, but I'm curious to see if anyone's tried it.

i had very little problem watching MLB.tv on my HP mini. i didn't have the high definition feed, but it ran like normal in standard definition.

i had very little problem watching MLB.tv on my HP mini. i didn't have the high definition feed, but it ran like normal in standard definition.

Exactly what I wanted to hear. Thanks.

"Hey, we have a show consumers want to watch so we're NOT going to show it to you!"

That's neither the thinking, nor the implementation behind blackout rules. Far be it from me to defend the blackout rules, but people do often misstate them here.

In this case, it's more like, "We have a show consumers want to watch so much that broadcasters have paid a premium for exclusive rights. Now we're selling it to broadcasters in other markets where it was unavailable (sorry, no double-dipping)."

any idea if MLB Network will be coming to comcast in HD soon?

We have Comcast in Philly and get MLB Network in HD.

Ditto here in Nashville, TN.

I know that many BBTF'ers already have MLB Extra Innings, MLB.TV or the MLB At Bat app, so this probably doesn't impress those folks. But for a fans (like me) without those feeds, I'm really enjoying the amount of nationally broadcast games on TV these days. Between ESPN, TBS, Fox and now the MLB Network, I can watch up to 9 non-local games 6 nights a week without paying for any special programming package.

I've purchased the MLB Extra Innings package practically every year; but I'm seriously considering passing this year. Along with the national games you mentioned above, here in Middle TN we also get a smattering of Reds games on the local Fox Sports Net, plus a good number of the Braves games on Peachtree (via the local Comcast Sports Channel). Therefore, there will be very few nights this summer that won't have at least one baseball game on the tube.

Ultimately, my personal decision will come down to how badly I want to see my Mets season play out. But surely I can't be the only baseball fan giving serious thought to dropping the special programming package because of the offerings available on the MLB Network. So while I'm grateful for all the "free" game broadcasts, I wonder if MLB isn't perhaps doing themselves a disservice with their current programming strategy.

DB

Edited for clarity (I hope).

will come down to how badly I want to see my Mets season play out

Trust me, it's going to play out badly.

I am in the same boat: I've had Extra Innnings since it started but am considering dropping it because of the number of games on elsewhere.

That's neither the thinking, nor the implementation behind blackout rules. Far be it from me to defend the blackout rules, but people do often misstate them here.

In this case, it's more like, "We have a show consumers want to watch so much that broadcasters have paid a premium for exclusive rights. Now we're selling it to broadcasters in other markets where it was unavailable (sorry, no double-dipping)."

There are some seriously screwed up areas where coverage is rather spotty on the cable channels and depending on the cable company there isn't even a chance of getting some of the games. For instance, when I lived in Kenosha/Racine the Cubs were blacked out on mlb.tv but they were barely on TV in my area.

But in the internet age there is no such thing as a "blackout" game. You can listen or watch to any game you want.

That's neither the thinking, nor the implementation behind blackout rules. Far be it from me to defend the blackout rules, but people do often misstate them here.

In this case, it's more like, "We have a show consumers want to watch so much that broadcasters have paid a premium for exclusive rights. Now we're selling it to broadcasters in other markets where it was unavailable (sorry, no double-dipping)."

I would have no problem with them blacking out games that another channel has paid to show in a specific market. The problem is that they black out games that are not available on other channels. I live in Columbus, Ohio and I am fine with being forced to watch Reds games on the local Fox monopoly, but they also black out Pirate games and I have never seen a local broadcast of a Pirates game.

Question to the people living in Asian countries. How do you watch the games?

Damn you YES Network blackout! Damn you to hell!

Don't even start with me. DishNetwork doesn't carry YES, and thanks to the blackout rules, I can't watch the game even if it's also airing on another frickin' channel. True, missing Yankees games isn't much of a hardship for me, but still.

My guess why the blackout rules are still in effect:

1) They've worked so far; teams are swimming in ca$h, Scrooge McDuck-style.
2) If they lift the blackout, some MLB team, somewhere, might make slightly less money.
2a) The person who suggested lifting the blackout will get drawn and quartered.

1) They've worked so far; teams are swimming in ca$h, Scrooge McDuck-style.

Yes, but is there any reason to think that has anything to do with the blackout rules?

I'm under the impression that even the MLB owners realize the blackout rules serve no purpose, which is why they make periodic noises about doing away with them, and that the only reason the rules still exist is basically inertia. Is that incorrect?

I've purchased the MLB Extra Innings package practically every year; but I'm seriously considering passing this year. Along with the national games you mentioned above, here in Middle TN we also get a smattering of Reds games on the local Fox Sports Net, plus a good number of the Braves games on Peachtree (via the local Comcast Sports Channel). Therefore, there will be very few nights this summer that won't have at least one baseball game on the tube.

Ultimately, my personal decision will come down to how badly I want to see my Mets season play out. But surely I can't be the only baseball fan giving serious thought to dropping the special programming package because of the offerings available on the MLB Network. So while I'm grateful for all the "free" game broadcasts, I wonder if MLB isn't perhaps doing themselves a disservice with their current programming strategy.

DB

Well, for anyone who might care, I decided to plunk down the money and get the MLB Extra Innings package again this year. There were several reasons for my decision, but the main factor was the slate of games that were nationally broadcast this opening week:

Sunday Night, ESPN: Yankees at Red Sox

Tuesday Night, MLB Network: Yankees at Red Sox

Wednesday Night, ESPN: Yankees at Red Sox

Saturday Afternoon, FOX: Yankees at Rays

Sunday Afternoon, TBS: Yankees at Rays

I began to notice a pattern.

Anyway, I decided that the cost of the EI package was worth it, if so that I could watch my favorite team in action (bad as they may be this year) rather than spend the summer months watching the team that America loves to hate.

DB