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Oregon Norm
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Biz of TV Baseball Jan 21, 2016 2:02:11 GMT -5

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Post by Oregon Norm on Jan 21, 2016 2:02:11 GMT -5

For those who haven't been following along, MLB announced a settlement of the lawsuit brought against it for monopoly practices because of the blackouts. Looks as if it's going to result in savings for fans:

Let’s start with what the settlement reportedly accomplishes. According to a statement issued by the plaintiffs’ attorneys, MLB has agreed to offer single-team packages on MLB.TV for at least the next five years. As we first reported in December, the league had already suggested in court papers that it intended to create a single-team option in 2016. This settlement now makes that official, and locks the league into providing fans with this service through the 2020 season.

In addition, MLB has agreed to price these single-team packages at $84.99 in 2016, compared with the approximately $130 the league charged for the league-wide MLB.TV service last year. At the same time, MLB has also agreed to lower the price of the league-wide package to $109.99 for the upcoming season.

jimed14 Veteran Posts: 25,817	Biz of TV Baseball Jan 21, 2016 7:15:35 GMT -5 jrffam05 likes this Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by jimed14 on Jan 21, 2016 7:15:35 GMT -5 I posted this in the non-Sox thread. It's still not clear what they're doing about the blackout rules, which is the biggest issue I have since I get 19 Orioles games blacked out plus a few others.
	“We just lost a World Series game in 18 innings. But after that [meeting], it didn’t feel like we lost. It felt like we won.”

jimed14
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Biz of TV Baseball Jan 21, 2016 7:43:23 GMT -5

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Post by jimed14 on Jan 21, 2016 7:43:23 GMT -5

Well, nothing done to blackout rules... /sigh

www.fangraphs.com/blogs/mlb-settles-tv-lawsuit-preserves-blackouts/

But this might eliminate some of them? It's so unclear.

Along with creating single-team packages and lowering the price of MLB.TV, Tuesday’s settlement announcement also introduced another new service option for fans: “Follow Your Team.” According to the announcement, beginning in July MLB.TV subscribers who purchase this new option for an additional $10 will be able to watch out-of-market broadcasts of games featuring in-market teams, so long as they subscribe to the local club’s regional sports network (RSN).

In other words, a Detroit Tigers fan living in New York City will now be able to watch the Detroit broadcast of a Tigers-Yankees game, so long as the fan also subscribes to the YES Network. While this option won’t help cord-cutters, it will enable cable subscribers to enjoy their favorite out-of-market team’s broadcast even when a game is being broadcast on a local team’s RSN.

I subscribe to my local cable with the RSN, but my local cable does not carry Baltimore's RSN but the games are all blacked out anyway. So I'm not sure if this will help or not.

“We just lost a World Series game in 18 innings. But after that [meeting], it didn’t feel like we lost. It felt like we won.”

Oregon Norm Global Moderator Senior Moderator Scouting the Cactus League Posts: 6,443	Biz of TV Baseball Jan 21, 2016 8:24:17 GMT -5 via the ProBoards App Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by Oregon Norm on Jan 21, 2016 8:24:17 GMT -5 There's more. The final rules have been published. You sound as if you fall into the category of unserved fan. www.fangraphs.com/blogs/instagraphs/more-details-on-the-mlb-tv-lawsuit-settlement/

jimed14
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Biz of TV Baseball Jan 21, 2016 8:38:30 GMT -5

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Post by jimed14 on Jan 21, 2016 8:38:30 GMT -5

I honestly see zero benefit for anyone that MLB should black out games that people cannot get at home otherwise in any legal manner. This is the definition of antitrust. The cable company will not make one dime more and MLB will not make one dime more because they aren't ever going to put Baltimore's RSN on Raleigh cable. And that's just a simple example. Iowa isn't going to have 6 RSNs put on their cable package either.

Last Edit: Jan 21, 2016 8:40:39 GMT -5 by jimed14

“We just lost a World Series game in 18 innings. But after that [meeting], it didn’t feel like we lost. It felt like we won.”

Oregon Norm
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Biz of TV Baseball Jan 21, 2016 9:06:31 GMT -5 via the ProBoards App

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Post by Oregon Norm on Jan 21, 2016 9:06:31 GMT -5

No doubt. That's why they settled the suit before it went to trial. The judge had already ruled that they couldn't drape their TV contracts with the anti-trust exemption they've enjoyed for over 100 years.

jrffam05 Veteran Posts: 2,332	Biz of TV Baseball Jan 21, 2016 9:46:19 GMT -5 Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by jrffam05 on Jan 21, 2016 9:46:19 GMT -5 I live in the part of CT that NESN isn't a part of the providers package, but Red Sox are still blocked out, so no help for me either. It's nationally broadcasted games or sport bars for me.

Post by Oregon Norm on Jan 21, 2016 2:02:11 GMT -5

Post by jimed14 on Jan 21, 2016 7:15:35 GMT -5

Post by jimed14 on Jan 21, 2016 7:43:23 GMT -5

Post by Oregon Norm on Jan 21, 2016 8:24:17 GMT -5

Post by jimed14 on Jan 21, 2016 8:38:30 GMT -5

Post by Oregon Norm on Jan 21, 2016 9:06:31 GMT -5

Post by jrffam05 on Jan 21, 2016 9:46:19 GMT -5