Blackouts

by spencegrif on Apr 3, 2008 9:36 AM EDT

I am a Cards fan that lives in DC, and thus get to watch almost 0 St Louis coverage; only when they play the Nats, the Cubs, or ESPN wearies of showing the Yanks/Sox ad nausium. My roommate, who is a huge Tigs fan, and I bought the mlbtv.com package but would prefer to watch on TV. Unfortunately Comcast doesn't carry Extra Innings. However, we found out that we could get Fox Sports Network Midwest (or Detroit in his case). Since the season started, though, the Tigs games have been blacked out and our rained out opener was too. The following night my game was on, but his wasn't, then last night's game was blacked out. Does anybody know what the blackout rules are for FSNMW in out of market regions? We're trying to decide whether or not to keep the channels on our cable package.

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Sports packages are always blacked out

If you are out of the "region" for those regional networks than the game should always be "blacked out" the make up game was probably on because it wasn't supposed to be on originally so they forgot to setup the blackout.

What I would suggest is to hook up your computer to your TV and use MLB.tv through the TV.

by StLHugo on Apr 3, 2008 9:48 AM EDT reply actions

Thanks, that was probably a dumb question

by spencegrif on Apr 3, 2008 10:02 AM EDT up reply actions

Not a dumb question

I purchased the Fox Sports package (much cheaper than Extra Innings) when I first signed up with Directv a few years back thinking that I'd get most Cardinals games I specifically asked about Cardinals games and wasn't told about the blackout issue. I missed so many games due to Cubs and Sox games, that I gave up and cancelled the package. Finally agreed to spend the money on Extra Innings. Directv was very sneaky about the Fox Sports package to the point of following deceptive sales practices.

Extra Innings is frustrating in its own way, however. I currently live in a Directv building, but will probably move out of this building in the next year or so. Top of my list of requirements for the place that I buy is that it must have Directv, not because I love their service -- I'd much rather have ComCast's On Demand feature - but they are the only carrier that offers the Extra Innings pkg (and, I think, the Big Ten network) in Chicago. So I'm stuck. It is completely ridiculous that my real estate purchase hinges (in some part) on the television provider!

"Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too." ~8-year-old Greg

by ChiTown CardFan on Apr 3, 2008 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Doesn't Comcast have it?

by StLHugo on Apr 3, 2008 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Pleading for some help/advice

While that question was easily answered, most concerning blackouts isn't. The blackout rules in place now were established in the 70's and are terribly inconsistent. I've been trying for 8 years to get the MLB to re-evaluate them to no avail.

I own a bar in Council Bluffs, Iowa (adjacent to Omaha) and have 6 'in-market' teams while a friend's bar (3 miles away) has 1 'in-market' team. The MLB claims this is an advantage for me to have 6. It's not, since my tv market is Omaha.

I pay more than double for access to 'most' games than he pays to have all the games. I have to purchase Extra Innings, Fox Sports Pack and Comcast Chicago (at commercial rates) and still dont get the Cardinals on most Sundays along with other blackouts of the other 5 teams along the way.

I've emailed Directv and the MLB multiple times and always get the runaround. I am asking you guys...what should I do next? Should I contact my congressman? Could I start a grass-roots effort among SB nation to start complaining?

Sorry the post was long, I could have taken 2 days to explain all I know about the blackout rules. So, if anyone else has questions, I can probably answer them.

by Foofighter on Apr 3, 2008 10:55 AM EDT reply actions

Advice

I would contact your congressman about this because it's affecting your business. Your case really should be that you lose customers because of antiquated blackout rules that cause people to go to other places to watch the games that you can't get. I really don't know how far you'll get with that, but making your voice heard can't hurt.

It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to get a petition started at your bar either. Have your customers sign it and list the games they wanted to watch but can't because of the blackout rules. That shows a direct impact on your business.

It would probably take you much longer than 2 days to explain all the blackout rules. The problem with them, imo, is that the MLB really doesn't have any overruling authority with teams television packages when it's not pertaining to the national contracts that it signs with ESPN and FOX. The MLB can't force teams to let it have television rights for Extra Innings if you can get access to the game with a different network that has negotiated rights to that content, even though it would still be aired nationally on the PPV package. The NFL doesn't have this problem because it owns the rights to all it's televised games and can put all of them in the Sunday Ticket package. Same goes for the NBA. If you think Selig has the balls to stand up to owners like John Henry and the Steinbrenner's on this issue than you obviously are living in another dimension, lol.

"I just wish that the late Harry Caray were still around so I could hear him mispronounce 'Kosuke Fukudome' every fukun' night" -- Dennis Miller

by fourstick on Apr 3, 2008 11:08 AM EDT up reply actions