'Problematic' blackout rules must change as sports networks struggle, Cardinals say
'MLB is on the case,' says Cardinals ownership about the possibility its broadcast partner, Bally Sports Midwest, is part of a struggling parent company.
Article on MLB's antiquated blackout list
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All the teams and everybody in MLB needs to stop thinking short term and understand they have been killing the league with this stupid ass rule. The damage is probably mostly done by these dumb ***** already.
There is no reason to black out games. Tough time believing anyone thinks... I think I'll pass on going to game because I can watch it on TV! Same event, but different experiences of seeing a game live vs. on TV.
Plus with baseball there are 162 games- so it seems more important to develop the habit of becoming a fan of a team by watching their games vs. watching another team OR not watching baseball at all and instead watching AGT
Plus with baseball there are 162 games- so it seems more important to develop the habit of becoming a fan of a team by watching their games vs. watching another team OR not watching baseball at all and instead watching AGT
Between blackouts and Marquee Network, I'm losing interest in MLB. It's sad.
I am a Twins fan and now I can barely watch a single game. Going to be hard to turn my son's into MLB fans. Such a waste.
So currently Marquee can be streamed using Fubo or DirectTV. Not like Marquee has existed for 5+ years. Why would Marquee's leadership not have allowed themselves to stream directly to consumers for a subscription fee?
Marquee and Pac12 Network- two examples of what not to do in promoting your product.
MLB was way ahead of its time with mlb.tv, they were streaming while Netflix was still delivering dvds to your mailbox. I really thought by now the archaic blackout rules would have been removed. I would willingly pay mlb for that package if I could watch every team, but I’m not paying to only see 24 of the 30 teams. Those blackout rules aren’t making me go to kc, minn or Chicago any more frequently.
I did have full access to mlb.tv for a couple years when I had centurylink and my ip was through the downtown switch, as its zip code wasn’t in their database.
I did have full access to mlb.tv for a couple years when I had centurylink and my ip was through the downtown switch, as its zip code wasn’t in their database.
The dumbest thing MLB has ever done was continue the blackout rules while covid was going on… when no fans were allowed to attend games.
Blackouts have nothing to do with being able to attend a game. They exists solely to protect RSN (regional sports networks).
Bally Sports Midwest pays the Cardinals to televise the games. Bally then charges cable operators a regional fee. And MLB protects the local RSN with a blackout so that people are forced to subscribe to cable/dish/etc to watch the game.
Bally Sports Midwest pays the Cardinals to televise the games. Bally then charges cable operators a regional fee. And MLB protects the local RSN with a blackout so that people are forced to subscribe to cable/dish/etc to watch the game.
Does MLB allow streaming of a singular channel directly to customers?
For so long, Cubs games were a must for me. I watched so much baseball back in the day. Last season, I watched no more than 9 innings for the entire year combined. Mostly because I couldn’t get a game to save my life.
Sadly, I didn’t even care by the end of the season.
It doesn’t have absolutely nothing to do with it. Primary goal is to protect RSN. Secondary goal is to get you in the stadiums closest to you.
But if you don't have the RSN issue, they're not blacking out games.
There are additional problems with MLB on top of this. Although agree this is entirely counterproductive.
One is the length of games and the other is how many they play.
I don’t know how anyone - especially if you have children - are going to go watch a 7 PM start on a weeknight and pay $400 for $hitty seats and a few snacks/beverages when there are 81 other home games to could go to.
Same is true if you’re sitting at home. Only the most diehard baseball fan is going to carve 3 hours out of their night that many times per year.
I think pro basketball suffers - albeit to a lesser degree because shorter games and fewer of them - the same problem.
Football is at such a clear advantage because it’s mostly weekends and only 18 weeks a year in regular season. It’s much easier to be dedicated and there is some concept of scarcity.
One is the length of games and the other is how many they play.
I don’t know how anyone - especially if you have children - are going to go watch a 7 PM start on a weeknight and pay $400 for $hitty seats and a few snacks/beverages when there are 81 other home games to could go to.
Same is true if you’re sitting at home. Only the most diehard baseball fan is going to carve 3 hours out of their night that many times per year.
I think pro basketball suffers - albeit to a lesser degree because shorter games and fewer of them - the same problem.
Football is at such a clear advantage because it’s mostly weekends and only 18 weeks a year in regular season. It’s much easier to be dedicated and there is some concept of scarcity.
