Jeff Passen dissects MLB's blackout policy and reports on a lawsuit challenging it.

 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/mlb%E2%80%99s-blackout-problem-keeps-sport-in-dark-ages.html

Interesting. I have no idea what kind of legal ground MLB is on with blackout restrictions but I know I'd love to see it done away with... Not that there aren't workarounds to avoid it in the first place but it's kind of a pain in the ass to do it every time a game is blacked out.

Being in Iowa, I am in the blackout zone for the twins, royals, cardinals, brewers, cubs, and white Sox. Which is totally fair. Also, im still trying to figure out why half my MLB network games get blacked out when neither team is even in the Midwest.

Oops didn't realize the article talked about Iowa already.

Being in Iowa, I am in the blackout zone for the twins, royals, cardinals, brewers, cubs, and white Sox. Which is totally fair. Also, im still trying to figure out why half my MLB network games get blacked out when neither team is even in the Midwest.

When it comes to the financial powerhouse that is Iowa, it's better safe than sorry. You can't let any of the midwest teams get the upper hand by showing their games to an additional 40 people.

Are we sure this will lead to more access? If the RSNs don't have exclusivity, they offer a lower bid for local rights. It then comes down to whether the amount they (MLB clubs) lose collectively is more than or less than what they get from mlb.tv. If it's more than what mlb.tv can provide, they'll just axe the service completely. There is no constitutional right to watch baseball over the internet.

Are we sure this will lead to more access? If the RSNs don't have exclusivity, they offer a lower bid for local rights. It then comes down to whether the amount they (MLB clubs) lose collectively is more than or less than what they get from mlb.tv. If it's more than what mlb.tv can provide, they'll just axe the service completely. There is no constitutional right to watch baseball over the internet.

They wouldn't axe the service. It would be a massive mistake. That's where the future is going and MLBAM is smart enough to know that. They might increase the price or do any number of things but they won't kill the service.