Senator Kerry gets involved in DirecTV-baseball situation

[Houston]

DirecTV link

Because everything is better when politicans get involved...

[Craig]

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DirecTV link

Because everything is better when politicans get involved...

Good. I hope more politicians get involved. This DirecTV deal is the biggest piece of shit I've heard of in a long time.

[T. J.]

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DirecTV link

Because everything is better when politicans get involved...

Good. I hope more politicians get involved. This DirecTV deal is the biggest piece of shit I've heard of in a long time.

More politicians have been involved, at least indirectly.  Arlen Specter introduced legislation last year directed at the NFL's "Sunday Ticket" which is basically the same thing on the NFL side.  Here's a pretty good analysis of how that legislation could affect the MLB deal:   Extra Innings / Sunday Ticket

[Craig]

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DirecTV link

Because everything is better when politicans get involved...

Good. I hope more politicians get involved. This DirecTV deal is the biggest piece of shit I've heard of in a long time.

More politicians have been involved, at least indirectly.  Arlen Specter introduced legislation last year directed at the NFL's "Sunday Ticket" which is basically the same thing on the NFL side.  Here's a pretty good analysis of how that legislation could affect the MLB deal:   Extra Innings / Sunday Ticket

Good article. So if I'm reading this right, the geniuses at MLB are reducing the amount of available households that can receive Extra Innings from 75 million to 15 million. And for doing this, they would gain an extra $30 million ... over 7 years.

Unbelievable. For fuck's sake, why can't they put together team-based packages? Let me just pay to watch ALL the Astros games, on whichever TV provider I choose.

[Bench]

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Quote:

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DirecTV link

Because everything is better when politicans get involved...

Good. I hope more politicians get involved. This DirecTV deal is the biggest piece of shit I've heard of in a long time.

More politicians have been involved, at least indirectly.  Arlen Specter introduced legislation last year directed at the NFL's "Sunday Ticket" which is basically the same thing on the NFL side.  Here's a pretty good analysis of how that legislation could affect the MLB deal:   Extra Innings / Sunday Ticket

Good article. So if I'm reading this right, the geniuses at MLB are reducing the amount of available households that can receive Extra Innings from 75 million to 15 million. And for doing this, they would gain an extra $30 million ... over 7 years.

Unbelievable. For fuck's sake, why can't they put together team-based packages? Let me just pay to watch ALL the Astros games, on whichever TV provider I choose.

I think it's an extra $30 million per year, which is an extra $1 million per yer, per team.

Which nicely covered Everett's and Lane's salary raises this year. Glad the nice out-of-market fans could oblige.

[Limey]

...except that Kerry called the service the "Line-of-sight-earth-to-space-to-earth-premium-televisual-and-audio-broadcast-service"

[Kent's Moustache]

Now he can watch his favorite Red Sox player, "Manny Ortiz," play.

The people of Massachusetts should be ashamed for electing Kerry and Kennedy ("Mike McGwire and Sammy Sooser"), on baseball principle alone.

[pravata]

and gets results, FCC yesterdays says they,

"contacted the parties and requested additional information about their proposed arrangement. Once we have this information, we will report to you on the deal's implications for consumers and any recommended changes to the law to ameliorate any harms to consumers." The Link

That oughta slow em down.

[HurricaneDavid]

Meanwhile the season starts in 37 days.  What a fucking fiasco.

[Gizzmonic]

At least Kerry has his constituents in mind...

Meanwhile, our own Congressman Gene Green is  cooking up a bill that would make it illegal for XM and Sirius to carry local news alerts.  Because it would be horrible if Clear Channel had to actually compete with someone, for once.

[pravata]

(David Barron, Chron 2/26) ...some MLB club executives have expressed concern about the proposal.

But not Astros owner Drayton McLane, who instead expressed concern Friday about "our good senator (Kerry), who wants to get an investigation. The NFL has done this with (DirecTV) and the NBA has done it, and all of a sudden baseball is the bad guy. ... Baseball is being held to a different standard."
The Link

Jim Litke The Associated Press explains,

Those who wanted out-of-market NFL games were forced to migrate to DirecTV from the beginning. Unlike their baseball counterparts, they're not losing something they already had.
The Link

also, I dont think NBA League Pass is exclusive to DirecTV The Link

[Jacksonian]

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"... Baseball is being held to a different standard."

Sucks when it doesn't work in your favor.

[JackAstro]

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also, I dont think NBA League Pass is exclusive to DirecTV The Link

You're right, it's not. DirecTV used to be the only satellite provider of League Pass, but I don't know if that's still the case. You've always been able to get it through cable providers.

[Limey]

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"... Baseball is being held to a different standard."

Sucks when it doesn't work in your favor.

I've often been curious as to what would happen if these bozos' flapping lips finally torpedo the exemption.  Other than the potential for a rival league (XLB?) I have no idea what other ills may befall them.

[Bench]

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Quote:

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"... Baseball is being held to a different standard."

Sucks when it doesn't work in your favor.

I've often been curious as to what would happen if these bozos' flapping lips finally torpedo the exemption.  Other than the potential for a rival league (XLB?) I have no idea what other ills may befall them.

For one thing, all the geographic television blackouts would be illegal.

[pravata]

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"... Baseball is being held to a different standard."

Sucks when it doesn't work in your favor.

I've often been curious as to what would happen if these bozos' flapping lips finally torpedo the exemption.  Other than the potential for a rival league (XLB?) I have no idea what other ills may befall them.

For one thing, all the geographic television blackouts would be illegal.

Also, wouldn't be able to restrict where a team could locate. Like the DC situation, or a possible San Antonio team.

[Limey]

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Also, wouldn't be able to restrict where a team could locate. Like the DC situation, or a possible San Antonio team.

...so it protects the rich clubs from competition with smaller clubs who might move into their market.  So even in a tiny population of 30 gazillionaires, the top 5% still shit all over the other 95%.  Classic.

[HurricaneDavid]

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For one thing, all the geographic television blackouts would be illegal.

Why?

[Bench]

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For one thing, all the geographic television blackouts would be illegal.

Why?

I'm not sure if it would actually be illegal, but it certainly would be challengeable.

From what I've heard the broadcast geography, like the location geography, is enforced through MLB's existence as a cartel. Cartels aren't allowed under the Sherman/Clayton antitrust acts from which MLB is exempted.

But then agin there's the issue of is it a cartel or is it simply a joint venture. Like Limey, I'm curious to see what would actually happen, if anything. For one thing, it would throw the organization into several years of confusion.

[Limey]

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For one thing, it would throw the organization into several years of confusion.

I'm sure that the word "more" is missing from that sentence somewhere.