An End to MLB.TV Blackouts

by HigherPie on Mar 28, 2008 9:07 AM PDT Comment 86 comments

First, let me apologize: this is going to be something of a hit and run ~~diary~~ Fanpost. Also, it's going to be a copy/pasted Fanpost from Athletics Nation, where I originally posted it.

You see, I'm an A's fan. You're not. But if there's one thing we can all agree on, it's this: Major League Baseball's MLB.TV blackout policy is ludicrous, and needs to end now.

I've created an online petition directed at Commissioner Bud Selig (whose office is responsible for such things) asking him to reconsider, re-work, revoke, and/or otherwise abolish the tyranny that is MLB.TV blackouts.

Below is the text of the petition. You can help get the word out by sending the link to the petition to friends and family and posting a link on your blogs and favorite forums. Oh, and sign it!

Sign the petition: End MLB.TV Blackouts

The text:

End MLB.TV Blackouts

Target: Major League Baseball, Office of the Commissioner

Dear Commissioner Selig:

We, the undersigned baseball fans, request that you consider an immediate end to Major League Baseball's blackout policy with regard to games broadcast on MLB.TV.

There are endless reasons why current blackout restrictions are bad for fans, and bad for the game of baseball.

First and foremost, many of us are unable to enjoy watching the teams we love, even after paying $89.99 to $119.95 for use of the service, simply because we live in or are using the internet in the wrong zip code. If a fan is in Minnesota, he can't watch Twins games. If another is in Phoenix, she can't watch Diamondbacks games. How does this make any sense?

Some of us don't have cable television. Some of us want to watch games where there is no television, like in a workplace breakroom, or a school cafeteria, or a neighborhood cafe. Some of us are unfortunate enough to be in a zip code where blackout rules apply to multiple teams, sometimes as many as six. This is patently ridiculous. Why is it so difficult to get Major League Baseball to accept our money in return for showing us the games we want to see?

Disallowing paying customers the ability to watch their favorite teams wherever they are or whenever they can does harm to baseball, both in retaining current fans and attracting new ones. The current blackout policy is arcane, and serves absolutely no one's interests: not the game's, not the teams', not the broadcasters' of the games, not MLB.TV's, and certainly not the fans'.

Please consider abolishing the blackout policy as soon as possible and begin taking steps immediately that will make that outcome possible. Let us watch the game we love.

We thank you for your consideration of this matter.

Thanks for reading, and signing, friends at LL. Have a great season!

0 recs | Comment 86 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I'm off to Halos Heaven

to work my spam magic over there. Thanks for your comments, recs, and signatures.

"If you could fart into a kind of microprocessing funnel, and the funnel poured the fart into a computer, which converted the fart into words, this is what it would look like." - Ken Tremendous, FJM

by HigherPie on Mar 28, 2008 9:12 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Make sure you take a nice long, hot shower with lots of disinfectant afterwards

"Evidently, a large number of people said, 'We really need more vermin at the ballpark, Artie.'" - Nick (AN), 10/7/07

by doctorK on Mar 28, 2008 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Use a proxy

you'll never worry about a blackout ever again.

by Jeff Sullivan on Mar 28, 2008 9:20 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Amen.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 9:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Like I said at AN

I shouldn't have to lie, cheat, and steal my way to watching an A's game. But I wouldn't put it past me...

"If you could fart into a kind of microprocessing funnel, and the funnel poured the fart into a computer, which converted the fart into words, this is what it would look like." - Ken Tremendous, FJM

by HigherPie on Mar 28, 2008 9:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ah, petitions

As effective as those "support our troops" yellow car stickers.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 9:20 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes, but those drivers with yellow stickers

Seem to always own really expensive, gigantic SUVs, so maybe there's something to it...

"If you could fart into a kind of microprocessing funnel, and the funnel poured the fart into a computer, which converted the fart into words, this is what it would look like." - Ken Tremendous, FJM

by HigherPie on Mar 28, 2008 9:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't get me wrong

I dislike the blackouts as much as you do, and I'm not bashing you personally; I just think that online petitions are like standing on the streetcorner yelling about the injustices in the world, for all the good they do. Lying, cheating, and stealing are more effective. Which is sad, really, but there we are.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 9:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm young, and still an idealist.

SIGN THE DAMNED PETITION!

:-)

"If you could fart into a kind of microprocessing funnel, and the funnel poured the fart into a computer, which converted the fart into words, this is what it would look like." - Ken Tremendous, FJM

by HigherPie on Mar 28, 2008 9:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This greatly amuses me.

...and now I'm here

by CapSea on Mar 28, 2008 12:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Those stickers serve a different purpose.

I don't think the point there is to sway public opinion so much as to make a public declaration. Those people, for whatever reason, want others to think they support the troops.

by Llewdor on Mar 28, 2008 12:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think most people with those stickers have family members in the military.

Or they are veterans themselves. It's like those stickers with the circle around where they are from... or want to think they are from.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 12:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't get it

Forgive my ignorance, but isn't the whole reason for the blackout policy is that MLB already has licensing agreements with local broadcasters who pay for the rights to certain exclusivity.

The moment the blackouts are killed off the exclusivity is lost and the fewer viewers the tv station gets.

Surely this is, like, super basic marketing? Or am I missing something fundamental here?

Accidental Mariner - P3 W1 L2 (.333)
Sponsor of Jamie Burke's baseball-reference page

by MarkE on Mar 28, 2008 9:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Couple things:

1) Broadcasters should get paid a cut of MLB.TV revenues, and I'm sure they already do.
2) For argument's sake, lets say I have cable TV and MLB.TV. Why would anyone choose to watch their computer over their (bigger, higher video quality) TV? They wouldn't, generally. MLB.TV means more people watching, not less.
3) I'm an A's fan, and want to watch A's games, and I'm willing to pay for it. Isn't MLB letting me do that, like, super basic marketing?

"If you could fart into a kind of microprocessing funnel, and the funnel poured the fart into a computer, which converted the fart into words, this is what it would look like." - Ken Tremendous, FJM

by HigherPie on Mar 28, 2008 9:28 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

MLB's basic assumption

is that if you're an A's fan you live in the Bay Area, and can and will watch the A's on FSN. Whether this assumption is a valid one or not is a separate question.

If you travel, you can watch the A's; MLB.tv, as you say, bases access on the zip code where you are trying to get the mlb.tv feed. If you're in the Bay, they assume that you're watching on TV or going to the game. Thus, blackout.

Now, as I say, the assumption that A's fans all live in the Bay, or all M's fans live in the PNW, is somewhat flawed in this day and age, but there we go.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 9:33 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Its Not MLB's assumption

its the broadcasters that are paying for the rights to broadcast the game, that employ all the personnel it requires to put the game on, as well as going out and selling advertising to make it profitable. MLB.tv blacks out the commercial content from the local feeds, so the broadcasters concerns are convincing the local advertisers that the majority of the residents in the broadcast area will be watching via the broadcast feed where the advertisers will get the most bang out of their financial commitment.

Most people that get cable will watcht the games on cable, its the ones that choose not to get cable that are the biggest concern to the broadcasters... they have invested a ton of money for the rights and the only way they can justify the advertising rates is by showing the ratings... until internet broadcasts are figured in to the equation the blackout restrictions aren't going to change no matter how many sign petitions.... unfortunately.

Midnight Baseball - No Lights - Only in Alaska!

by MfaninAlaska on Mar 28, 2008 10:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

My take

I'm certainly no marketing guru, but I'd imagine that MLB have got people that are. They're experts at maximising their revenues through multiple channels, and maximising their audiences through multiple channels. One comes before the other, though.

Accidental Mariner - P3 W1 L2 (.333)
Sponsor of Jamie Burke's baseball-reference page

by MarkE on Mar 28, 2008 9:35 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Proxy!

by Graham on Mar 28, 2008 9:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I feel a problem arising.

This single sign-on is OK, I guess, but now we can get spam from every jackass on the system, with minimal trouble on their part.

Do you really want morons from LSB or HH coming up here and spamming about this great article on ESPN.com, just because it's easy?

by Faux on Mar 28, 2008 9:41 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Hey, at least I apologized up front

for being a jackass.

"If you could fart into a kind of microprocessing funnel, and the funnel poured the fart into a computer, which converted the fart into words, this is what it would look like." - Ken Tremendous, FJM

by HigherPie on Mar 28, 2008 9:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You were not.

I think he was just having a realization.

...and now I'm here

by CapSea on Mar 28, 2008 12:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is correct.

It's like Bobcat Goldthwait said in one of his routines: (paraphrase)

"No, I won't be mad at the first time someone has sex with my daughter... but I'll kill the 100th."

by Faux on Mar 28, 2008 1:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

you used proper spelling, punctuation, and coherence

so you're not a jackass.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 1:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

We can delete diaries if they're overly annoying

by Graham on Mar 28, 2008 9:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

TROUBLE

in COFFEELAND. Too many NUMBERS not enough SUNSHINE make CABIN BOYS a dull GIRL.

The A's colors are green and gold.

by mikeA on Mar 28, 2008 12:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

So, if one wanted to be dishonest

and use a proxy - not that I would ever consider that - how would one find a reliable proxies?

stat-addled alien overlord

by salb918 on Mar 28, 2008 10:10 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Yay, a familiar name!

Finding a reliable proxy is difficult, and I've never been very successful at it.

"If you could fart into a kind of microprocessing funnel, and the funnel poured the fart into a computer, which converted the fart into words, this is what it would look like." - Ken Tremendous, FJM

by HigherPie on Mar 28, 2008 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

do a search for "proxies" on LL

we had a thread about it a while back, and there were some good ones listed.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Except they broke search with the new format

by Graham on Mar 28, 2008 10:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

shows how often I search

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 10:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Blez at AN said

clockwerks is working on it.

"If you could fart into a kind of microprocessing funnel, and the funnel poured the fart into a computer, which converted the fart into words, this is what it would look like." - Ken Tremendous, FJM

by HigherPie on Mar 28, 2008 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know he is

Doesn't stop me being annoyed about it though.

by Graham on Mar 28, 2008 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Not that I've ever done it

but if you don't Google "JAP proxy" you absolutely won't find a potential solution that doesn't let you around the blackout.

by Jeff Sullivan on Mar 28, 2008 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't plan on Googling "JAP proxy"

right now.

"If you could fart into a kind of microprocessing funnel, and the funnel poured the fart into a computer, which converted the fart into words, this is what it would look like." - Ken Tremendous, FJM

by HigherPie on Mar 28, 2008 10:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Using a proxy is not lying, cheating, stealing.

You paid for the damn product.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 10:23 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

you paid for it

with the blackout restrictions, so bypassing them is still lying, cheating, stealing.

Midnight Baseball - No Lights - Only in Alaska!

by MfaninAlaska on Mar 28, 2008 10:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Is using a proxy isn't illegal.

You paid for the product and you are using a loophole to make sure you receive the service.

If loopholes are illegal, then everyone in government should be thrown in jail.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Using a proxy isn't illegal*

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 10:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're violating the TOS by using a proxy

therefore, while not illegal, it's definitely against the rules you agreed to when you paid the fee. Doesn't mean I'm not doing it, but don't delude yourself - universal access to everything for everyone at all times is most definitely not what MLB had in mind when they designed mlb.tv.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 10:38 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just don't see it as lying, stealing, cheating.

You paid for the service, you gave them your information, and you are using a loophole (not illegal) to access your product.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It is stealing, though.

You paid for the service AS PROVIDED BY MLB.tv. Any other accessing of the service, including the use of proxies, is, by definition, stealing.

Your sense of entitlement is pretty impressive. When you walk into a grocery store, do you just drink a beer right there in the aisle because you bought a beer there before, therefore all the beers are available to you?

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, not beer, I don't drink.

But yeah, I have eaten food before taking it to the register.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That wasn't quite my point

in my analogy, tortured though it was, you wouldn't take your eaten food to the register, because you already paid for food at that store - thus opening up the entire store to your consumption as you wish. That's what you're saying when you say you've paid for mlb.tv so therefore proxy-ing is therefore not stealing.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 11:00 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

already paid for food at that store in the past

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd correlate it to

you buy a gym membership that gives you access to everything in the gym, except a VIP room that is strictly for out of town tourists to use. The only way you can get access to the VIP gym is with a hotel keycard. Is it ok, to fake a keycard to gain access to the VIP room?

Midnight Baseball - No Lights - Only in Alaska!

by MfaninAlaska on Mar 28, 2008 11:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I love the far-fetched analogies needed to support your guys' point.

I find it quite ironic how I am supporting the use of proxy, yet I don't need to use one. And then, in pdb's case, he is supportive of the TOS and yet he is expressly disregarding them by using a proxy and is willing to admit he is stealing.

Who is the greater hypocrite? The guy who morally thinks it's okay to use a proxy, but doesn't, or the guy who thinks it's stealing and still does it?

Irony at its finest.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't need to use a proxy either

so I wouldn't say I'm a hypocrite

Midnight Baseball - No Lights - Only in Alaska!

by MfaninAlaska on Mar 28, 2008 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Two gold stars for you.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If you really couldn't care less about the subject

Stop posting in the thread

by Graham on Mar 28, 2008 11:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Of just sign the petition?

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Or*

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sure, I'm willing to admit it

but I also don't delude myself into thinking that I'm just getting what I'm entitled to. I'm breaking the rules; I've only done it a couple times, but that's not the point. I am, indeed, a scofflaw. I drank before I was 21, too.

And if the mlb.tv cops ever come and bust down my door, I'll pay the fine because I know I did something I shouldn't have done. I don't feel like I'm entitled to anything.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You took entitlement upon you when using the proxy.

You may admit using a proxy is wrong, but that doesn't pardon you from not feeling entitled to do so.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 11:36 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't understand what you mean

I'm not looking to be pardoned for anything.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You "don't feel like [you are] entitled to anything."

Yes you did when you deliberately broke the TOS.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 11:48 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

PDB is knowingly breaking the rules

and willing to accept the consequences for his actions.

In a way, he is entitled to that, because that was a condition of the deal. You can use a proxy, but if we catch you we'll fine you and cancel your service.

by Llewdor on Mar 28, 2008 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am willing to accept the consequences of my actions.

I would want my day in court, though.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hypocrisy isn't relevant to the strength of an argument.

Regardless of who's the bigger hypocrite, the argument that stealing is morally okay is a much bigger stretch.

Oh, and his behaviour would only by hyporitical if he held that he shouldn't do it, but did it anyway. By asserting that he's a hypocrite, you're presupposing that he thinks he shouldn't steal.

by Llewdor on Mar 28, 2008 11:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You are presupposing I think stealing is morally okay.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 11:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's either that or you think you're not stealing

but that's a demonstrably false position, so I hope you're not holding.

by Llewdor on Mar 28, 2008 12:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Honestly, I am becoming convinced it is stealing.

I never read the TOS, so I never really knew what I agreed to do with the product.

This is why I prefer to live my life in ignorance, though not completely.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Also, I wasn't really using hypocrisy to prove my point.

I just found it ironic. We are both guilty, to a certain extent.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No

no you didn't

I don't care about this one way or the other. But MLB's clear about the blackouts being part of what you're buying: it's on the front of mlb.tv in clear text.

"IF YOU CIRCUMVENT, OR ATTEMPT TO CIRCUMVENT, ANY BLACKOUT RESTRICTION OR OTHER USE RESTRICTION: YOUR SUBSCRIPTION WILL BE SUBJECT TO IMMEDIATE TERMINATION AND A CHARGE OF ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100.00) FOR EARLY TERMINATION; YOU MAY BE SUBJECT TO LEGAL ACTION; AND MLBAM RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REPORT SUCH MISCONDUCT TO APPROPRIATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES."

See?

by abelard on Mar 28, 2008 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

blah, blah, blah

Maybe I am putting up too much of a fight for something I can really care less about. I don't need to use a proxy to watch the Mariners on MLB.TV.

I would also like to know how they would know you are using a proxy. Lawyers throw this stuff in as scare tactics, but there is no way they can control it.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 10:46 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just because you can't be caught

doesn't mean you aren't stealing.

by Llewdor on Mar 28, 2008 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Never said that.

But thanks anyway.

by Wilder. on Mar 28, 2008 11:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i'm a diehard M's fan in Indiana.

I could care less about any other teams in this area. So, when the M's come and play the white sox or when they interleague in cincy or wrigley or st louis, why shouldn't i be able to proxy the M's game that's blacked out. I bought the service for M's games. I don't see a problem with it, at all.

I don't have cable and I usually don't feel like going to a bar and spending 20 bucks to catch a game.

What's my solution? just not watch?

by sirbrianwilson on Mar 28, 2008 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

COULD NOT CARE LESS

ahhhhhh!

by Matthew on Mar 28, 2008 11:39 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

maybe he could care less

because maybe he cares a lot and is trying to care less to prove a point.

Nice Guys Finish Third - Hopelessly lost, but makin' good time.

by pdb on Mar 28, 2008 11:43 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

most apologies, matthew.

been hanging out in the midwest too long. it does things to a man.

by sirbrianwilson on Mar 28, 2008 11:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well

technically you bought to see M's games that aren't in your market.

Again, I don't have a problem wtih this, really. If you want to use a proxy to watch the game, go ahead. The only thing I object to is the notion that a person pays MLB to watch the games that they want to watch (and not the games the MLB is allowing you to watch), or that using a proxy isn't doing something that MLB doesn't want you to do.

by abelard on Mar 28, 2008 11:59 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Technically, you buy to see M's games at the whim of MLB.

But since we agree to that when we click the little button, I don't see how we can complain about it.

by Llewdor on Mar 28, 2008 12:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The thing is

MLB's completely upfront with their blackout policies. All you have to do is plug in your zipcode/postal code, and they'll tell you what games you don't have access to. it's not like they hide the fact, for example, that if you're living in Calgary you can't watch Blue Jays games, even though you're nowhere near Toronto.

by abelard on Mar 28, 2008 12:14 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs