Cord cutting - what service to buy after the cable co goes away

[aparch]

The problem for me is I'm considered to be in Yankees territory (300 miles away...), so they get blacked out on MLB TV. YES is the only way I can watch them.

The blackout territories are ridiculous and they need to find a better way to properly black out teams.


My mother lives in Michigan, but is considered to be in both Milwaukee's market (4 hours, 250 miles from MKE) and Detroit's market (9 hrs, 550 miles)

But, she only receives Fox Sports Detroit as her "regional sports net" from DirecTV because she is a Michigan resident and not a Wisconsin one.

For her to get to watch FS-Wisconsin, a channel that is also her HOME market, she needs to pay DirecTV for the sports pack (which unlocks all regional networks) or the premium tier (which unlocks every channel but PPV).

And using the password to stream (because she's had the sports pack from long before she was considered in MKE's territory)? Fox Sports Online claims her DirecTV login is only good to stream FS-Detroit. She's blacked out from streaming FS-Wisconsin even in her house.



Meanwhile, I live in Chicago where the local cable company Xfinity gave two big middle fingers to the Cubs and Sinclair and refuse to carry their new "Marquee Network."

The Cubs can't even be viewed in their home territory by their own fans at home via cable.

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Cord cutting - what service to buy after the cable co goes away

It's time to eliminate the blackout rules. They're stupid and antiquated.

[unofan]

The blackout territories are ridiculous and they need to find a better way to properly black out teams.


My mother lives in Michigan, but is considered to be in both Milwaukee's market (4 hours, 250 miles from MKE) and Detroit's market (9 hrs, 550 miles)

But, she only receives Fox Sports Detroit as her "regional sports net" from DirecTV because she is a Michigan resident and not a Wisconsin one.

For her to get to watch FS-Wisconsin, a channel that is also her HOME market, she needs to pay DirecTV for the sports pack (which unlocks all regional networks) or the premium tier (which unlocks every channel but PPV).

And using the password to stream (because she's had the sports pack from long before she was considered in MKE's territory)? Fox Sports Online claims her DirecTV login is only good to stream FS-Detroit. She's blacked out from streaming FS-Wisconsin even in her house.



Meanwhile, I live in Chicago where the local cable company Xfinity gave two big middle fingers to the Cubs and Sinclair and refuse to carry their new "Marquee Network."

The Cubs can't even be viewed in their home territory by their own fans at home via cable.

No one gets to complain about blackouts until you've lived in Iowa. Can't speak to the NBA, but in the NHL St. Louis, Chicago, and Minnesota all claim Iowa as their home market. Blackouts galore.

But MLB is absurd. 6 teams claim the entire state as their home market, so on any given night it's possible the entire NL and AL central is blacked out. Cubs, Brewers, Cardinals on the NL side, White Sox, Twins, and Royals on the AL side. It's horse hockey.

[aparch]

No one gets to complain about blackouts until you've lived in Iowa. Can't speak to the NBA, but in the NHL St. Louis, Chicago, and Minnesota all claim Iowa as their home market. Blackouts galore.

But MLB is absurd. 6 teams claim the entire state as their home market, so on any given night it's possible the entire NL and AL central is blacked out. Cubs, Brewers, Cardinals on the NL side, White Sox, Twins, and Royals on the AL side. It's horse hockey.

I agree. Iowa has asinine blackout rules. Most of the western states do. Not sure why the Mariners get to claim all of Montana as a "home" market.

[ticapnews]

Re: Cord cutting - what service to buy after the cable co goes away

I agree. Iowa has asinine blackout rules. Most of the western states do. Not sure why the Mariners get to claim all of Montana as a "home" market.

$$$$$$$

[Kepler]

Re: Cord cutting - what service to buy after the cable co goes away

Stop being a Yankee fan?

I get blacked out of Orioles and Nationals. But being able to watch them 90 min after the end is fine for 2 teams i dont care about.

The problem is when the Mets play the Nats the Mets' MLBTV cast is blacked out in DC. That's f-cking ridiculous and horrible to fans, and just pure stupid shortsighted greed.

[ticapnews]

Re: Cord cutting - what service to buy after the cable co goes away

The problem is when the Mets play the Nats the Mets' MLBTV cast is blacked out in DC. That's f-cking ridiculous and horrible to fans, and just pure stupid shortsighted greed.

Pony up, you cheap bastid!

[JF_Gophers]

Re: Cord cutting - what service to buy after the cable co goes away

There are positives to the blackout rule. Citizens of Detroit and Baltimore won't be subjected to watching their teams lose 100+ games.

[aparch]

The problem is when the Mets play the Nats the Mets' MLBTV cast is blacked out in DC. That's f-cking ridiculous and horrible to fans, and just pure stupid shortsighted greed.

Same issue I have as a fan of out-of-market teams. I'm subjected to twelve games of Cubs broadcasts (which I can't watch now thanks to Sinclair and Comcast) just to see my Brewers.


MLB claims it's to protect the local broadcaster from losing advertising money from people who wouldn't buy cable and just subscribe to MLB.tv.

[Handyman]

Re: Cord cutting - what service to buy after the cable co goes away

Cubs fans dont watch baseball anyways. They turn the game on to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" and tell the same lame *** stories about getting drunk in the bleachers to their friends

[Jimjamesak]

I agree. Iowa has asinine blackout rules. Most of the western states do. Not sure why the Mariners get to claim all of Montana as a "home" market.

Alaska, Oregon, and Idaho as well. Mariners get blacked out here in Anchorage.

Though that’s more of a good thing these days.

[Jimjamesak]

Re: Cord cutting - what service to buy after the cable co goes away

On the soccer side though no blackouts, despite Seattle and Portland both having their local broadcasts available here on cable.

[Spartanforlife4]

There are positives to the blackout rule. Citizens of Detroit and Baltimore won't be subjected to watching their teams lose 100+ games.

Hey now, this also means tonight is one of the last chances I have to watch the Wings be historically awful. What am I going to do when I can’t see them go down 3-0 to Minnesota after ten minutes?

[Spartanforlife4]

Re: Cord cutting - what service to buy after the cable co goes away

Here's a fun fact:

The Justice Department made Disney sell off the Fox Sports regionals for antitrust purposes.

Now Hulu, of which Disney owns 2/3rds, will be one of the few streaming services that includes the Fox Sports regionals.

[aparch]

Re: Cord cutting - what service to buy after the cable co goes away

Because capitalism!