MLB Blackouts

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@dsharp63 wrote:

 

Nothing in the MLB blackout rules,  that I have read, says you have to subscribe to MLB TV to be able to see out of market ballgames.  I guess if you keep saying it you'll make it so.

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Without continuing to say it, it is so.  You will only receive the out of market games that are broadcast on local or regional TV by purchasing MLB Extra Innings, which U-verse does not offer, or subscribing to the MLB.TV online service.  Otherwise, why would there be a need for those packages to even exist?

From "InDemand"'s web site:

Q: WHAT ARE BLACKOUTS?
A: Blackouts are regional television restrictions distributed in order to protect the local television rights' holder broadcasting the game. Blackout restrictions are based on the home team's television territory as defined by Major League Baseball.

Q: WHAT ARE THE LOCAL BROADCAST RIGHTS/RESTRICTIONS?
A: If you live in a zip code area that falls within an MLB team's home television territory, that team's games will be blacked-out from MLB EXTRA INNINGS. These games will generally be available on that team's RSN or team affiliated OTA station. Blackouts protect the local rights-holders who arrange separate distribution agreements for their exclusive territories.

"InDemand/MLB Extra Innings" is the carrier of MLB out-of-market games on MOST cable systems.  Simply put, if you live "OUT OF MARKET" i.e., not in that team's local area, the game is NOT available to you unless you pay a PREMIUM for a service such as "MLB Extra Innings".  I challenge you to find me a non-local game being shown in an out of market environment.  In other words, show me a cable or satellite provider that is showing a game that does not involve a LOCAL AREA team, other than ESPN or FOX on designated days/Times.  It's not there, because it does not exist.  That is the reason for MLB Extra Innings package (and it's associated cost) and MLB.TV (and IT'S associated cost).  That, my friend, is just the way it is, no matter how much you/we may not like it.  It's all about the "Benjamins"!

Some of the issues with baseball games not being covered in your area are not 100% related to major league baseball (MLB), but 100% related to AT&T. While I have been an AT&T Uverse subscriber for over two years, and very happy with all of their services compared to Charter, this year has been extremely frustrating as a St. Louis Cardinal's fan.  Last year every game was broadcast, and if you live anywhere around the area you know that St. Louis is a baseball town. But when Fox Sports Midwest or other Fox Sports affiliates raise the rates to charge the Internet service providers and cable providers to broadcast the games, AT&T balked at the prices. For the last four weeks we've had no games on Sunday!!

We also missed two out of three from the Philly series, and there is no explanation except for the fact that AT&T was trying to cut costs. I've enclosed a link that you might find useful, because besides St. Louis it may apply to where you live. I'm already paying roughly $260 a month on cable/Internet/phone but do not have at least 40 games covered is ridiculous! Here is the link:

http://thecardinalnationblog.com/2011/05/03/some-seeking-relief-from-att-u-verse-on-missing-cardinals-telecasts/

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@Albert Pujols wrote:

 

Some of the issues with baseball games not being covered in your area are not 100% related to major league baseball (MLB), but 100% related to AT&T. While I have been an AT&T Uverse subscriber for over two years, and very happy with all of their services compared to Charter, this year has been extremely frustrating as a St. Louis Cardinal's fan.  Last year every game was broadcast, and if you live anywhere around the area you know that St. Louis is a baseball town. But when Fox Sports Midwest or other Fox Sports affiliates raise the rates to charge the Internet service providers and cable providers to broadcast the games, AT&T balked at the prices. For the last four weeks we've had no games on Sunday!!

We also missed two out of three from the Philly series, and there is no explanation except for the fact that AT&T was trying to cut costs. I've enclosed a link that you might find useful, because besides St. Louis it may apply to where you live. I'm already paying roughly $260 a month on cable/Internet/phone but do not have at least 40 games covered is ridiculous! Here is the link:

http://thecardinalnationblog.com/2011/05/03/some-seeking-relief-from-att-u-verse-on-missing-cardinals-telecasts/

 

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The dispute between AT&T and FSMW resulting in 20 of the 152 Cardinal games not being shown this season has nothing to do with the MLB Blackout policies which is the topic being discussed in this thread.  You can find that topic discussed in the thread found in the link below:

http://forums.att.com/t5/TV-Programming/Uverse-could-black-out-up-to-20-Cardinals-games/td-p/2732739

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@dsharp63 wrote:

Nothing in the MLB blackout rules,  that I have read, says you have to subscribe to MLB TV to be able to see out of market ballgames.  I guess if you keep saying it you'll make it so.

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MLB Broadcast Map

Since you cannot or will not do your own research.  That map will show you where you can recieve specific teams broad cast.

I understand fromTexas Guy that if I'm not happy I can change cable providers, gee that never occured to my feeble little mind! We switched from Time Warner two years and have been very happy with u-verse but unhappy with the Braves blackouts. After numerous calls to customer service to complain, I was told there would only be 25 not 45 games subject to blackouts. Obviously they were misinformed and should know better before passing information to subscribers. Since it does no good to complain to ATT, I put in a call to the baseball commissioner, though I doubt it would be returned. Perhaps the next step would be our state senator or the FCC.

Here are the games on Peachtree web site. It lists 45 of them.

http://www.peachtreetv.com/story/?oid=27158  

Just out of curiosity and since there were no Atlanta Braves games scheduled, I started channel surfing,Can anyone explain why those two channels were blacked out for an NBA game? Will our regular stations be subject to these black outs too? I never had a problem receiving 729 or 1729 before...and really don't care about basketball but if you're paying for these channels you should get them.

I believe the rules governing what games may be shown or blacked out in any given area are made by the league.....not AT&T U-verse TV.  It's all in the contracts.