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The deal is done.


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I wish I still had my laptop... stupid thing pooped out on me. I would have loved to be able to plop myself on the couch, turn on the sox game, put on the mlb.tv mosaic with the Twins, Indians, Cubs, Tigers, Royals, and whoever else, and chat in the gameday thread. But since my main computer is in a separate room with just a basic TV w/ no type of cable, I won't be able to do it until I save up enough for a new laptop.

Edited by BearSox
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QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Mar 8, 2007 -> 08:52 PM)
Smart job by both MLB and DirectTV. I got to be honest, I don't see a problem in what MLB is doing because they are getting so much more money and are going to force a lot of people directly into there own online service which they have a much greater margin on.

 

It sucks cause I'd prefer to have my games on tv as opposed to having to deal with hooking my laptop up to the tv and dealing with the lower quality but it still beats not seeing the Sox and I don't blame MLB for taking that fat contract.

 

And over the long haul, lets be honest the only people effected by this are the big time die hard baseball fans and none of us are going to actually boycott our favorite sport just because of this deal (no way, no how).

Although I have DirecTV, I'm switching to the MLB.tv package this year simply because I believe most of the WCIU games are on there (I know they advertise having every game on MLB.tv, the WCIU broadcasts are not on DirecTV) and it's also $40 cheaper annually (for the Premium package, the standard MLB.tv is $70 cheaper). I worried somewhat about losing the ability to DVR the games, then again, they archive all of the games on MLB.tv. I just hope the quality for the streaming 700K lives up to what I'm expecting it to be. I also like the idea of being able to be out of town, finding a high speed connection and being able to watch the Sox game or taking the laptop to a friend's house to watch the game.

 

One question I have for anyone who can answer, are you able to get both feeds (home and away) for all games or are you limited to the home feed? Say the Sox are at Cleveland, will I have to watch the Cleveland announcers like I usually do on the dish?

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QUOTE(aboz56 @ Mar 8, 2007 -> 09:02 PM)
Although I have DirecTV, I'm switching to the MLB.tv package this year simply because I believe most of the WCIU games are on there (I know they advertise having every game on MLB.tv, the WCIU broadcasts are not on DirecTV) and it's also $40 cheaper annually (for the Premium package, the standard MLB.tv is $70 cheaper). I worried somewhat about losing the ability to DVR the games, then again, they archive all of the games on MLB.tv. I just hope the quality for the streaming 700K lives up to what I'm expecting it to be. I also like the idea of being able to be out of town, finding a high speed connection and being able to watch the Sox game or taking the laptop to a friend's house to watch the game.

One question I have for anyone who can answer, are you able to get both feeds (home and away) for all games or are you limited to the home feed? Say the Sox are at Cleveland, will I have to watch the Cleveland announcers like I usually do on the dish?

They usually just do it randomly, I think. Well, they probably do have some type of system of picking which feed they'll use, but if they do, I have no idea what it would be.

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QUOTE(BearSox @ Mar 8, 2007 -> 10:10 PM)
They usually just do it randomly, I think. Well, they probably do have some type of system of picking which feed they'll use, but if they do, I have no idea what it would be.

On DirecTV, it's almost always the home team feed, unless the home team is on a channel that DirecTV doesn't carry for whatever reason (like WCIU). I've also noticed that a lot of the Yankee and Red Sox away games usually have the Yankee and Red Sox announcers for obvious reasons, but most other teams it's usually always the home team feed.

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QUOTE(aboz56 @ Mar 8, 2007 -> 07:02 PM)
Although I have DirecTV, I'm switching to the MLB.tv package this year simply because I believe most of the WCIU games are on there (I know they advertise having every game on MLB.tv, the WCIU broadcasts are not on DirecTV) and it's also $40 cheaper annually (for the Premium package, the standard MLB.tv is $70 cheaper). I worried somewhat about losing the ability to DVR the games, then again, they archive all of the games on MLB.tv. I just hope the quality for the streaming 700K lives up to what I'm expecting it to be. I also like the idea of being able to be out of town, finding a high speed connection and being able to watch the Sox game or taking the laptop to a friend's house to watch the game.

 

One question I have for anyone who can answer, are you able to get both feeds (home and away) for all games or are you limited to the home feed? Say the Sox are at Cleveland, will I have to watch the Cleveland announcers like I usually do on the dish?

The feed will be the same way they do it with directtv where you get one of the sets of announcers, so you won't have the option to pick the Sox feed everytime. Sometimes you'll get em, sometimes you won't.

 

The only big thing I'm really going to miss is when I DVR a game, I stay away from all sports websites and don't look at my text messages on my phone or anything because I can't stand to see the score and I don't think there is going to be a way for me to navigate onto the mlb.tv page and play the archived feed without stumbling onto the score.

 

But ya it will definitely be a perk being able to catch the Sox game from wherever. Of course I think my friends will be hating this cause I'll end up being at there places and go lets watch the Sox game and pop it onto there computer.

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QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Mar 8, 2007 -> 09:14 PM)
The feed will be the same way they do it with directtv where you get one of the sets of announcers, so you won't have the option to pick the Sox feed everytime. Sometimes you'll get em, sometimes you won't.

The only big thing I'm really going to miss is when I DVR a game, I stay away from all sports websites and don't look at my text messages on my phone or anything because I can't stand to see the score and I don't think there is going to be a way for me to navigate onto the mlb.tv page and play the archived feed without stumbling onto the score.

 

But ya it will definitely be a perk being able to catch the Sox game from wherever. Of course I think my friends will be hating this cause I'll end up being at there places and go lets watch the Sox game and pop it onto there computer.

Yeah... I hear that. I had the same problem a couple years ago when I wouldn't be able to watch a game so I would just go to the archieved game. It was so tough trying to avoid the score. Thank god for me getting TiVo last year though!

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MLB, DIRECTV expand multi-year agreement

03/08/2007 4:33 PM ET

MLB.com

 

Major League Baseball and DIRECTV, the nation's leading satellite provider, today announced a seven-year agreement that continues carriage rights to the MLB EXTRA INNINGS subscription package of out-of-market games and includes the launch of the MLB Channel as part of DIRECTV's basic package. Included within the agreement, DIRECTV will be a minority partner in the MLB Channel, and will work with MLB to develop the network, which will launch in 2009.

 

Additionally, in keeping with MLB's desire to provide as much MLB programming to as many baseball fans as possible, MLB and DIRECTV have agreed to include a provision that allows MLB EXTRA INNINGS to be offered to other incumbents - In Demand and DISH Network - at consistent rates and carriage requirements with a deal to be concluded before the baseball season begins. The provision also requires the incumbents to agree to carriage rights to the MLB Channel proportionally equivalent to DIRECTV's commitment. Should the incumbents decide not to match DIRECTV's commitment, the MLB EXTRA INNINGS package will be exclusive to DIRECTV. All out of market games continue to be available on MLB.com.

 

"With the advent of The MLB Channel, our new agreement with DIRECTV will result in more MLB programming being available to more fans than ever before," said Major League Baseball President Bob DuPuy. "The deal complements our deals with FOX, Turner and ESPN for network game coverage and furthers MLB's initiative to continue to enhance fans' viewing experience and reinvigorate our telecasts with unique and innovative features."

 

"Just as we did with NFL SUNDAY TICKET and NASCAR HOTPASS, DIRECTV will invest millions of dollars to deliver a spectacular fan experience," said Chase Carey, President and CEO of DIRECTV. "DIRECTV will offer more games in HD and apply its award-winning technology to MLB EXTRA INNINGS broadcasts on an unprecedented scale, taking fans deeper inside the game than ever before."

 

DIRECTV, continuing its 10-year relationship with MLB and its fans by providing MLB EXTRA INNINGS, will bring new innovations that will enhance the fan experience. The MLB Channel will be the first and only network dedicated to providing baseball programming to MLB fans 24 hours a day, seven days a week on a year-round basis.

 

DIRECTV will expand the MLB EXTRA INNINGS options to include a game mosaic channel, a Strike Zone Channel that takes viewers to live cut-ins of MLB games in progress at key points; detailed player and team stats, real-time scores and live updates from other games; and other innovations that complement the sport of baseball, entertain viewers and provide fans with a great entertainment value. Beginning in 2008, DIRECTV will provide most, if not all, of the package in High Definition.

 

Major League Baseball will continue to make available more games by far than any other sport on national and local over-the-air broadcast, basic cable, and satellite. On average, approximately 400 game telecasts are available in each market every season. Fans will continue to be able to watch their home club's games in their home markets. This agreement will not affect MLB's national agreements with FOX, TBS, and ESPN, nor local game telecasts.

 

The MLB Channel will launch in 2009 on DIRECTV, ensuring that the Channel is immediately available as part of DIRECTV's basic service. DIRECTV's commitment to carry the Channel as a basic service to more than 15 million homes was a major factor in the long-term agreement between the provider and MLB.

 

"We are quite pleased with the commitment DIRECTV has made to MLB and our fans, and in the coming weeks will continue our efforts to secure corresponding commitments from our incumbent distributors," said Tim Brosnan, Executive Vice President/Business, Major League Baseball.

 

Last year, more than half of the subscribers of MLB EXTRA INNINGS were DIRECTV customers. MLB.TV, MLB's broadband package, will continue to be available to all consumers through the Major League Baseball website, www.mlb.com, offering upgraded picture quality this season.

This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

http://mlb.mlb.com/content/printer_friendl...08/c1833910.jsp

 

In other words, the onus is on DISH and the other cable companies that use iNDemand to carry 'The Baseball Channel'. Very clever... after all that is what MLB wanted to start with.

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"I will review this deal to ensure it benefits consumers," said Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass. "I'm encouraged that Major League Baseball may be willing to provide broader access to their games than what was initially proposed. I will be watching closely to ensure the league works in good faith so that America's pastime is available to all fans. My concern all along has been that fans continue to have the ability to enjoy baseball on television."

 

The agreement also drew the attention of Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

 

"I will be analyzing the commitment to see ... if the conditions for other carriers are satisfactory," Specter said. "This arrangement should motivate the NFL to reconsider broader coverage on its Sunday ticket and Thursday/Saturday programming to make such games available to other carriers beyond DirecTV.

 

"It may be necessary for the Senate Judiciary Committee to have further hearings on the antitrust implications of the NFL and MLB TV programming and whether it is in the public interest to allow the antitrust exemptions of the NFL and MLB to continue."

Seriously, MLB, DirecTV, I know 1 of you is owned by Newscorp and that gives a great comment on your intelligence...but do you really think that if you start waving a red cape at the guys in Congress, just begging them to start talking and actually do something that will make their constituents happy, they won't come charging in? Link.
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QUOTE(Balta1701 @ Mar 9, 2007 -> 04:34 PM)
Seriously, MLB, DirecTV, I know 1 of you is owned by Newscorp and that gives a great comment on your intelligence...but do you really think that if you start waving a red cape at the guys in Congress, just begging them to start talking and actually do something that will make their constituents happy, they won't come charging in? Link.

 

Just wait until the steroid investigation gets sick of being stonewalled. I really expect to see a review of the anti-trust stuff by the next election or so.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Article

 

MLB to look into iN Demand's 'Extra Innings' offer

 

NEW YORK -- Baseball's "Extra Innings" package of out-of-market games might wind up staying on cable television.

 

IN Demand said Wednesday it will offer to match the terms of DirecTV's $700 million, seven-year deal with Major League Baseball on behalf its owners, who are affiliates of the companies that own Time Warner, Comcast and Cox cable systems.

 

As part of the offer, iN Demand also said it would carry The Baseball Channel when it launches in 2009 to at least the same number of subscribers who will get the channel on DirecTV.

 

"As the current home for 'Extra Innings' for more than 200,000 cable subscribers, we have extended ourselves to do our best to be able to continue to provide this package to baseball fans and our customers," iN Demand president Robert Jacobson said. "This offer meets all the conditions set forth by MLB last week."

 

Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, issued a statement responding to the offer Wednesday.

 

"The offer to match the terms of the agreement reached by MLB and DirecTV remains open to iN Demand and Dish until the deadline of March 31, 2007," DuPuy said in the statement. "The communication sent to our office today by iN Demand is not responsive to that offer. In spite of their public comments, the response falls short of nearly all of the material conditions (among them requirements for carriage of The Baseball Channel and their share of the rights fees for Extra Innings) set forth in the Major League Baseball offer made to them on March 9."

 

"Extra Innings" had more than 500,000 television subscribers last year plus about 60 percent more on MLB.com, the sport's Web site.

 

EchoStar Communications Corp.'s Dish Network also has carried the "Extra Innings" package. There was no immediate word whether Dish would also match the offer.

 

IN Demand is owned by Time Warner Entertainment-Advance/Newhouse Partnership, Comcast iN Demand Holdings Corp and Cox Communications Holdings Inc.

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QUOTE(BigSqwert @ Mar 21, 2007 -> 03:00 PM)

 

This is genius. Either cable keeps EI, it makes MLB look evil (and blows their PR ruse to bits) or the whole thing winds up in court and everybody gets screwed! Horray for MLB and it's shady dealings.

 

Here's hoping that MLB stays on cable (and the cable operators sue MLB and DirecTV for a cut of the baseball channel).

 

This is all in the lawyers' hands now. Cable called MLB's bluff. It could get ugly.

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I love these folks saying the government has no business "sticking their nose in this deal.”

 

On the contrary, the government should consider anything that hints of monopoly. There is NOTHING in the constitution about allowing the perpetuation of monopolistic practices. Further, some of the biggest whiners about government 'encroachment' will be the same ones blathering on about the virtues of a free-market economy.

 

IT ISNT A FREE MARKET when one or two suppliers supply a majority of the product and I don’t care how many theoretical treatises by Von Mises or Friedman you spout off. In short, government is needed to make sure the free market doesn’t consume itself by eliminating competition, which is exactly what happened post-Civil War when government regulation was at an all-time low and even the Supreme Court gave ‘personhood’ to corporations.

 

That silliness in the market and the obscene externalities that came with an unbridled market would eventually lead to Teddy Roosevelt’s oftentimes brilliant run as President where we finally got some freaking sanity in our government; finally, a government NOT of the corporations, but of the people. I’d like one of those again.

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QUOTE(Brian @ Apr 2, 2007 -> 10:00 AM)
First thing I did this morning was flip on the Game channels on digital cable and hope for the best. Nothing. sniff sniff

 

I did the same thing last night, and I keep checking the IN-Damend website that just says chack back latyer.

 

This blows.

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QUOTE(Kalapse @ Apr 2, 2007 -> 01:49 PM)
Comcast sent out $50 vouchers for MLB.tv today. Just got mine in the mail.

You got hosed. Cox is giving out 90 bucks.

 

So is it official, no more Xtra Innings on cable? Or is there still breathing room?

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QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Apr 2, 2007 -> 05:23 PM)
So is it official, no more Xtra Innings on cable? Or is there still breathing room?

 

I'm actually feeling pretty optimistic about it right now. I've been following it on this site and the dude running the site has been updating it regularly. If you scroll through the comments there are some encouraging tidbits.

 

I flew home last weekend for the sole purpose of setting up a slingbox at my parents' house. For the $550 I spent on airfare and the slingbox itself, I'm far from happy with the picture quality. It's comparable to mlb.tv in that the data transfer speed is in the range of 300kbps to ~1mbps. The only upside is I'll be able to catch Bears and Bulls games.

 

This sucks but :pray ...

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