FCC moves to end sports blackouts

[Navin R Johnson]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/12/18/fcc-moves-to-end-sports-blackouts/

The Federal Communications Commission moved Wednesday to eliminate sports blackouts on television that have frustrated fans over the years by preventing many of them from watching their local teams.

Yes!

The change by the FCC wouldn’t end blackouts altogether. The FCC said individual teams could still negotiate blackout rules with cable and satellite operators.

Crap

I wonder if this could effect MLB.tv

[drew corleone]

The NFL blackout rule doesn't really bother me, from a fairness perspective. MLB's are absurd.

[HudsonHawk]

The NFL blackout rule doesn't really bother me, from a fairness perspective. MLB's are absurd.

MLB's are functionally the same as the NFL's.  What's your gripe? 

[Navin R Johnson]

I thought the NFL blackout rule was based on if a home team sold out the stadium, if they didn't then the home fans dont get to watch?

[HudsonHawk]

I thought the NFL blackout rule was based on if a home team sold out the stadium, if they didn't then the home fans dont get to watch?

That's one aspect.  The other, the one that is comparable to MLB's, is that when a local network has rights to the game, it's blacked out on others and over the internet.  That's the general complaint about MLB's "ridiculous" policy...that they honor exclusive rights.

[Gizzmonic]

MLB's are functionally the same as the NFL's.  What's your gripe? 

NFL is popular enough to be on broadcast TV (for the most part).  That's a pretty big difference, as it means you are extremely unlikely to be in an area that either doesn't have broadcast coverage of the team you want to watch or is out of market so you can see them via Sunday Ticket.

[HudsonHawk]

NFL is popular enough to be on broadcast TV (for the most part).  That's a pretty big difference, as it means you are extremely unlikely to be in an area that either doesn't have broadcast coverage of the team you want to watch or is out of market so you can see them via Sunday Ticket.

That doesn't mean the rules are "absurd". 

[Gizzmonic]

That doesn't mean the rules are "absurd". 

The absurd part is letting teams arbitrarily declare home territories.  Was it Craig that said he can't see any games in Vegas, because he is considered a home market for both LA teams, both Bay Area teams, plus the Rockies and D'Backs? And if any one of those teams is involved in a game, it's a blackout.

Luckily, the Internet exists, so these antiquated rules don't actually do anything except stop people who might actually go the easy/legit route and pay for Extra Innings.

[HudsonHawk]

The absurd part is letting teams arbitrarily declare home territories.  Was it Craig that said he can't see any games in Vegas, because he is considered a home market for both LA teams, both Bay Area teams, plus the Rockies and D'Backs? And if any one of those teams is involved in a game, it's a blackout.

Broadcast territories aren't arbitrary.  They're geographic.

Luckily, the Internet exists, so these antiquated rules don't actually do anything except stop people who might actually go the easy/legit route and pay for Extra Innings.

In other words, lucky for you it's easy to lie, cheat and steal.  I'm glad that helps you sleep better at night.

[Gizzmonic]

Broadcast territories aren't arbitrary.  They're geographic.

Yet, still quite arbitrary.

In other words, lucky for you it's easy to lie, cheat and steal.  I'm glad that helps you sleep better at night.

...so, what exactly do you use that UnoTelly subscription for?

[Craig]

The absurd part is letting teams arbitrarily declare home territories.  Was it Craig that said he can't see any games in Vegas, because he is considered a home market for both LA teams, both Bay Area teams, plus the Rockies and D'Backs? And if any one of those teams is involved in a game, it's a blackout.

Luckily, the Internet exists, so these antiquated rules don't actually do anything except stop people who might actually go the easy/legit route and pay for Extra Innings.

Yeah, when I lived there, Vegas was "home territory" for the Dodgers, Angels, Padres, D-Backs, Giants, and A's. I could never watch the Astros on a West Coast road trip, even though I had MLB Extra Innings.

The shittiest part is that only a couple of those teams even had broadcasts in the Vegas market, and those were spotty; it wasn't nightly coverage. The rest of the teams still claimed it as home territory, so it was blacked out, even though they didn't broadcast there.

[OregonStrosFan]

Broadcast territories aren't arbitrary.  They're geographic.

Sure, you are correct that there is a 'geographic component' to blackout rules/broadcast territories. To say that these blackout anything but absurd, however, is absurd. 

That doesn't mean the rules are "absurd".

Eastern Montana blacked out from SEA games - absurd;
Tulsa, Oklahoma and Little Rock, Arkansas being blacked out from HOU (and TEX / STL / KCR) games - absurd;
Northeastern New Mexico being blacked out from HOU (and TEX / ARI / COL) games - absurd;
Las Vegas being blackout out from ANA, ARI, LAD, OAK, SDP, and STG games - absurd;
Des Moines, Iowa being blacked out from CHC, CHW, KCR, MIL, MIN, and STL games - absurd;
Hawaii being blacked out from OAK, ANA, LAD, SFG, SDP, and SEA - absurd; and,
the absurdity is not limited to the areas noted above...

And like Craig noted, fans in many of these markets are blacked out despite the fact that numerous teams do not even broadcast in those makets. Take Hawaii for example - blacked out from 6 major league teams despite the fact they are thousands of miles away (and there is that whole pesky Pacific Ocean thingie between 'em to boot) from any of them with 2 teams not being broadcast on any of the islands (SEA and SDP) and 2 others (SFG and OAK) are not primarily available either.

Absurd.

[Craig]

Sure, you are correct that there is a 'geographic component' to blackout rules/broadcast territories. To say that these blackout anything but absurd, however, is absurd. 

Eastern Montana blacked out from SEA games - absurd;

I don't know if it's still the case, but when I lived in Eastern Montana 20 years ago it was "home territory" for the Rockies, Mariners, and Twins. All of which are two states away. Any system where the Twins and Mariners can both claim the same home market is, like you said, absurd.

[HudsonHawk]

Yet, still quite arbitrary.

Not at all.

...so, what exactly do you use that UnoTelly subscription for?

Research.

[HudsonHawk]

And like Craig noted, fans in many of these markets are blacked out despite the fact that numerous teams do not even broadcast in those makets.

Whether or not the local providers choose to show the game or not is not MLB's call. Someone has purchased the rights. Maybe they think you'd rather watch Heidi or Antiques Roadshow. Your gripe is with the providers who elect to not broadcast, not with MLB's policy.

[NeilT]

I would guess that the MLB network will remain unaffected, so in Houston, what do I care?  My cable provider still doesn't broadcast Astros games.

[Duman]

I live 4 1/2 hours from Atlanta and Cincinnati but I am in their local coverage areas.  I don't think 4 1/2 hours = local. I could even see being considered in one market but to be considered in both, seems silly to me. It makes me think there are some blurred lines out there.

[HudsonHawk]

I live 4 1/2 hours from Atlanta and Cincinnati but I am in their local coverage areas.  I don't think 4 1/2 hours = local. I could even see being considered in one market but to be considered in both, seems silly to me. It makes me think there are some blurred lines out there.

When I lived in Midland, I was 9 hours from Houston and 6 hours from Dallas. I didn't find it absurd that it was considered within the Astros and Rangers broadcasting areas. I usually got both games on local channels.

[Limey]

When I lived in Midland, I was 9 hours from Houston and 6 hours from Dallas. I didn't find it absurd that it was considered within the Astros and Rangers broadcasting areas. I usually got both games on local channels.

I guess the devil is in the distinction between "local" and "regional" catchment areas.  It's reasonable to assume that people will take up fandom of their nearest team, even if it is 2 states or a day's drive away, but those people are not making the difference between filling the stadium seats with arses, and not.  That's the local fans job.

It makes sense to blackout local fans who have the option of going to the game, but not those in the broader catchment area for the team.

[chuck]

I usually got both games on local channels.

My guess is this is why you don't care to see the other side of it.

I don't understand why this is such a difficult issue to solve. MLB TV sees the IP of the device requesting access and knows that I'm in Panama or you're conducting research and lets us watch whatever the hell we want to watch. Why can't they look at the IP address of the idiot in Las Vegas who's trying to watch the Padres game, check to verify that the Padres are indeed not being broadcast in Las Vegas on that occasion and then let him watch the freaking game?

I don't understand why that wouldn't be a better way for MLB to manage its brand and for everyone to make more money when the local affiliate elects to show Hogan's Heroes.

[homer]

Whether or not the local providers choose to show the game or not is not MLB's call. Someone has purchased the rights. Maybe they think you'd rather watch Heidi or Antiques Roadshow. Your gripe is with the providers who elect to not broadcast, not with MLB's policy.

Do we know that someone in all of the 'claimed' territories has actually purchased the rights? I can't imagine that some TV station in Las Vegas has purchased all the rights to all of the teams that Craig listed and then chose not to show them. That would be terribly expensive.

[homer]

MLB's are functionally the same as the NFL's.  What's your gripe? 

Do you do this just to fuck with everyone?

[HudsonHawk]

My guess is this is why you don't care to see the other side of it.

I do see the other side of it. What's your point?

I don't understand why this is such a difficult issue to solve. MLB TV sees the IP of the device requesting access and knows that I'm in Panama or you're conducting research and lets us watch whatever the hell we want to watch. Why can't they look at the IP address of the idiot in Las Vegas who's trying to watch the Padres game, check to verify that the Padres are indeed not being broadcast in Las Vegas on that occasion and then let him watch the freaking game?

Because its not a matter of their being no technology to figure out you're in Vegas. Someone in Vegas has paid to show Padres games.

I don't understand why that wouldn't be a better way for MLB to manage its brand and for everyone to make more money when the local affiliate elects to show Hogan's Heroes.

MLB gets paid whether the regardless of whether or not the game gets broadcast.

[HudsonHawk]

Do you do this just to fuck with everyone?

No, just to fuck with you.

[Bench]

Someone in Vegas has paid to show Padres games.

It seems to me that somebody paid to not have the Padres games shown in Vegas, not the other way around.

[HudsonHawk]

It seems to me that somebody paid to not have the Padres games shown in Vegas, not the other way around.

Either way, the rights to games belong to someone. There very little territory out there that doesn't.

[chuck]

MLB gets paid whether the regardless of whether or not the game gets broadcast.

But the product is not being used maximally. I know you know this. I have no fucking idea why I'm arguing with you. People want to buy something but can't. Surely the league a) understands this is a problem even if you don't and b) can figure out a way to rectify it. Or maybe the FCC will. Basically, everyone sees this as a problem except you and the affiliates who decide to show Family Feud instead of baseball.

And homer, fuck you. You know damn well I was going to do that.

[HudsonHawk]

But the product is not being used maximally. I know you know this. I have no fucking idea why I'm arguing with you. People want to buy something but can't. Surely the league a) understands this is a problem even if you don't and b) can figure out a way to rectify it. Or maybe the FCC will. Basically, everyone sees this as a problem except you and the affiliates who decide to show Family Feud instead of baseball.

In sure the league, like me, understands the situation. But the league, like me, doesn't agree with your assessment as absurd.

[VirtualBob]

It makes sense to blackout local fans who have the option of going to the game, but not those in the broader catchment area for the team.

Exactly.

[Navin R Johnson]

I think this is an argument where both side are right, or more so arguing from different viewpoints.

The blackout rules are absurd to consumers that seems pretty obvious.  To the owners, it isn't absurd to enforce the rules though,  due to $$$$$

I think this quote from a yahoo article when this FCC complaint was filed a year ago sums it up.

The truth is much simpler: Baseball is doing this because the obscene amounts of money networks will pay for exclusive broadcasting rights. We saw this in action recently, with Fox, Turner and ESPN combining to spend $12 billion for the next eight years of national broadcasts. Live sports prints TV money, and local blackouts reinforce the idea of exclusivity: either buy the cable/satellite package that includes the channel on which the games are broadcast or run the risk of not seeing them.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/tv-blackout-case-against-mlb-at-critical-point.html

[Col. Sphinx Drummond]

MLB doesn't care about fans that don't spend money, only slightly less than they do about fans who do spend money. Any questions?

[Limey]

MLB doesn't care about fans that don't spend money, only slightly less than they do about fans who do spend money. Any questions?

This is why I am boycotting MLB.

[BizidyDizidy]

Sometimes when my older son is feeling contrary (which is often because he is 3), he'll get into a mode where he will say anything just to disagree with you ("I don't want to be feel good, I want to be sick", "I don't want to be happy, I want to be sad"). After banging my head against that wall a few hundred times, I've realized that when he's in that mood it's best just not to try to reason with him at all.

[Mr. Happy]

Sometimes when my older son is feeling contrary (which is often because he is 3), he'll get into a mode where he will say anything just to disagree with you ("I don't want to be feel good, I want to be sick", "I don't want to be happy, I want to be sad"). After banging my head against that wall a few hundred times, I've realized that when he's in that mood it's best just not to try to reason with him at all.

You have figured it out. Congratulations!!!

[chuck]

I baby-sat once and once only. It was for my cousin; she's maybe ten years younger than I am, maybe a bit less. I was in high school at the time. Anyway, she'd been roller skating around the house and when bedtime came around she insisted on going to bed with her roller skates on. We had a protracted argument about it (which obviously is what she was counting on) and I really don't remember how it all got resolved. Now, of course, in a similar situation if someone indignantly told me they were going to bed with their roller skates on I would say good night, turn out the light and leave the room.

Why I can't apply that operational strategy to the various facets of my life I do not know.

[Bench]

Why I can't apply that operational strategy to the various facets of my life I do not know.

Because you're the person who will have to wash the sheets. 

[HudsonHawk]

I baby-sat once and once only. It was for my cousin; she's maybe ten years younger than I am, maybe a bit less. I was in high school at the time. Anyway, she'd been roller skating around the house and when bedtime came around she insisted on going to bed with her roller skates on. We had a protracted argument about it (which obviously is what she was counting on) and I really don't remember how it all got resolved. Now, of course, in a similar situation if someone indignantly told me they were going to bed with their roller skates on I would say good night, turn out the light and leave the room.

Why I can't apply that operational strategy to the various facets of my life I do not know.

I cannot imagine you with such a nonchalant attitude towards anything.  You have more nervous energy than anyone I know.  I remember watching the Astros World Series game at the bar with you and you spend the entire game pacing up and down the bar, like you were Winston Churchill awaiting news from the western front.

[chuck]

I cannot imagine you with such a nonchalant attitude towards anything.  You have more nervous energy than anyone I know.  I remember watching the Astros World Series game at the bar with you and you spend the entire game pacing up and down the bar, like you were Winston Churchill awaiting news from the western front.

That was the WORLD SERIES, dude. You want to sleep with your skates on, have at it.

Remember that game that Lima pitched agains the Dodgers that the Astros needed to make the playoffs? Of course you do. At some point in the late afternoon a friend of mine called and my girlfriend at the time answered the phone. (Remember having a phone in the house? Cute, huh?) My friend asked, So, how's he doing? Danielle said, Well, he's been pacing around the house all day muttering, It's Lima time...

Fortunately there's not that much left for me to get that wound up about anymore. The Astros, well, you know; the Texans are never going to be Super Bowl contenders in my lifetime; Centenario I look at sort of as a child, more interested in its continued well being than winning or losing; and my sele nacional, well, I'd been really getting nostalgic for my years as an ardent Oiler fan right around 1992 and 1993 and fortunately the canaleros stepped in at the perfect time.

I guess I'm slowly turning into a normal sports fan, someone who watches the games for amusement rather than using his teams as a foundational element of self-identification.

[Duke]

I guess I'm slowly turning into a normal sports fan, someone who watches the games for amusement rather than using his teams as a foundational element of self-identification.

I guess this is happening to me as well WRT to the 'Horns.  The highs and lows are smoothing out.  Some things still make me smile like the way Barnes' team played against North Carolina and beating the stinkin Sooners in Dallas this year, but I quit pulling my hair out when they don't play well.  I used to wake up the morning after a loss with a huge sinking feeling in my gut like I'd lost my best girl or something.  I suppose it's better this way/.

[Bench]

I guess this is happening to me as well WRT to the 'Horns.  The highs and lows are smoothing out.  Some things still make me smile like the way Barnes' team played against North Carolina and beating the stinkin Sooners in Dallas this year, but I quit pulling my hair out when they don't play well.  I used to wake up the morning after a loss with a huge sinking feeling in my gut like I'd lost my best girl or something.  I suppose it's better this way/.

Prozac nation.  Feelings are hard.

[94CougarGrad]

I just don't think it's too much to ask to be able to turn on my television and get broadcasts of Houston sports teams when I live 4 1/2 hours north of there, and still within the boundaries of the same state. No, I don't wanna see see the San Diego- Denver game. I'd like to see the Texans, dammit.

[Gizzmonic]

MLB would rather have the potential huge payday of a TV deal, rather than the measly amount from individual Extra Innings subscriptions.

And since the blackouts are trivial to circumvent, I doubt they're even losing that much.  MLB has no motivation to stop the blackouts.

Personally, I wouldn't pay to watch this team in its current state regardless of blackout status.  Radio broadcasts and the occasional stRangers game on TV is enough for me.

[Limey]

Not sure if this is the right place for this...but Dish Network appears to be opening up their NFL Sunday Ticket to anyone certain qualified people with access to the internets and $200.

[Ebby Calvin]

Now you can stream live, out-of-market NFL games on your favorite device without a DIRECTV satellite TV subscription if you live in an apartment building where DIRECTV service is not available, attend one of these universities, or live in the following metro areas: New York City, Philadelphia, or San Francisco. Check your eligibility.

[BizidyDizidy]

Not sure if this is the right place for this...but Dish Network appears to be opening up their NFL Sunday Ticket to anyone certain qualified people with access to the internets and $200.

Confused why this is getting so much publicity now - they definitely had this last year (I used it).

[94CougarGrad]

Now you can stream live, out-of-market NFL games on your favorite device without a DIRECTV satellite TV subscription if you live in an apartment building where DIRECTV service is not available, attend one of these universities, or live in the following metro areas: New York City, Philadelphia, or San Francisco. Check your eligibility.

Let's just have a shitload of rules imposed upon us just so we can watch our favorite sports teams, right?

*sigh*