MLB:Extra Innings on DirecTV only?
It appears that MLB is in talks with DirecTV to possibly revert to an exclusive deal for the MLB:EI package. I’ve subscribed for the past couple seasons through TimeWarner cable, and I love the deal. If the rumors are true, though, the only way that I (and hundreds of thousands of other former subscribers) will be able to watch the games this year will be by buying a dish.
It’s hard to believe that MLB would be so short-sighted as to go through with this. Is making a small amount of money from an exclusivity deal worth losing subscribers and fans?
It’s obvious that MLB thinks people with cable will just switch to a dish, or buy the MLB.tv package. I’ve used the MLB.tv option to watch games in the past, and while it’s convenient to be able to watch on any computer, the quality is much lower than cable TV. I’d rather watch games on my 32″ widescreen HDTV than on my 17″ computer monitor.
Sports-programming consultant Lee Berke believes that the emergence of the broadband package could allow MLB to take DirecTV’s exclusive package without alienating cable subscribers. “[MLB.TV] has become so widely distributed in its own right that it’s become a balancing act — the leagues are looking at various platform and the dollars they get, and trying to figure out whether exclusivity or multiple distributors makes sense,” he said. “My guess is that if DirecTV comes up with enough money, then baseball may say, ‘We’re doing so well with MLB.TV maybe it’s worth it to explore being exclusive with DirecTV.’ ”
For what it’s worth, I’m going to write a letter to TimeWarner and let them know how I feel. I don’t have much hope of it making an impact, though, since they’re one of the providers that still won’t agree to carry the NFL network, even though fans have been pestering them for months.
January 21st, 2007 at 3:13 am
[…] There was a rumor last week of this happening, and I hoped it wouldn’t come to pass. Extra Innings has been available to 75 million cable households and the two satellite services, DirecTV and the Dish Network. But the new agreement will take it off cable and Dish because DirecTV has agreed to pay $700 million over seven years, according to three executives briefed on the details of the contract but not authorized to speak about them publicly. […]
January 24th, 2007 at 11:56 am
I feel so sick the cable might loose the MLB EI package. I have loved baseball so much and can’t get enough of it, even in the off season since I was a
little boy growing up near Wrigley Field.
I live in Denver now and I love the I can get the Cubs, Reds, Royals, and White Sox on the package.
If this deal goes through and we loose out on the
package, my love for the sport I grew up with is
going to die. I will not buy a dish so I can get my
teams (that is going along with the monopoly).
Every game I go to or watch from home, I keep score
to. Score keeping has been the one thing that
keeps me as a part of the game. If that goes, so does
my love and as anyone knows that loosing a
loved one is very hard to take!
If this deal is a must for MLB, you have lost a fan!
MLB is America’s past time, not DirecTV future! I
have to plan on boycotting games and score keeping if
this happens or until it comes back to cable (but
that might be to late).
If someone at MLB can just listen to the fans or do
you need me to get fans to sign a petition that we don’t want this deal to go through because our
out of market games would be lost to
the die hard fans!
January 24th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
[…] While checking through the comments section today, I noticed a very thoughtful response to the DirecTV post from “Glenn in Denver”: I feel so sick [that] cable might lose the MLB EI package. I have loved baseball so much and can’t get enough of it, even in the off season since I was a little boy growing up near Wrigley Field. […]
February 3rd, 2007 at 11:13 am
Ever since I heard about this I have been angry, upset and disappointed with MLB. As someone who buys the EI package every year I am devasted to think that I won’t be able to watch my Yankees(in Florida) along with every other team this year. I have been searching online for somewhere/someway I can let MLB know how I feel. Last night I found a petition that someone started. I’m not sure if it will do anything, but it’s worth a try. Here is the link:
http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/mlb
Thanks-Stacey
April 26th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
[…] What I’ve noticed over the past few weeks since the package was “awarded” to iNDEMAND is that many people have pretty much forgotten about this issue. But it’s still out there. Just ask anyone with cable who still can’t get the games — or anyone with Dish Network who has been shut out completely. From thepastime.net: […]