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MLB 2015-16: Grays Sports Almanac Edition

Re: MLB 2015-16: Grays Sports Almanac Edition

Received an e-mail from the MLB regarding the MLB.tv service for the next few years:
www.MLBBroadcastingSettlement.com

A proposed settlement (the “Settlement”) has been reached in a class action lawsuit brought on behalf of consumers who purchased MLB.TV or purchased MLB Extra Innings from Comcast or DIRECTV between May 9, 2008, and January 18, 2016. The proposed settlement is between the individuals who brought that lawsuit and the defendants.
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The lawsuit alleges that the territorial allocation of broadcast rights within MLB assigned to each of its member clubs and thereafter sold to regional sports networks violated federal antitrust laws, provides out-of-market consumers with fewer choices, and inflates prices charged to view broadcasts of live professional baseball games. Defendants dispute Plaintiffs’ factual and legal claims and deny any wrongdoing and liability, as well as any adverse effect on consumer choices and that prices charged have been inflated. The parties have concluded that it is in their best interests to settle the litigation to avoid the expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty of litigation.
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And now for the good parts:
• MLB will lower the price of MLB.TV to $109.99 for 2016 (from the 2015 price of $129.99). MLB will be prohibited from increasing the price by more than 3% (or the federal Cost of Living Adjustment (“COLA”), if higher) per year through 2020.
• For the 2016 and 2017 MLB seasons, Comcast and DIRECTV will provide the full season MLB Extra Innings product at a 12.5% discount from the 2015 price.
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• Single-Team Packages: MLB will offer packages of single teams’ out-of-market games through MLB.TV (for example, a stream of just the Kansas City Royals’ games for out-of-market subscribers). This product will cost $84.99 for a full season in 2016, with MLB allowed to raise the price by no more than 3% (or COLA, if higher) for each of the next four years. MLB has also agreed to make this option available to Comcast and DIRECTV so that they may offer seasonal packages of single team games for each and every MLB Club available through MLB Extra Innings, although Comcast and DIRECTV are not obligated to offer such packages.

• Follow Your Team: MLB will allow all MLB.TV purchasers who subscribe to Comcast, DIRECTV, or certain other cable, satellite or other providers to purchase a “Follow Your Team” option that will allow them to receive telecasts of their favorite out-of-market team’s broadcaster without any blackouts—even when it is playing an in-market team, so long as the purchaser receives the in-market team’s programming through his or her television service. This product will cost $10 more than a standard MLB.TV package, which will raise the overall price of the MLB.TV package to $119.99 for a full season in 2016 for consumers selecting this enhancement.

• In-Market Streaming: MLB will seek to reach agreements with Comcast, Root Sports, and Fox regional sports networks to offer live in-market streaming of their telecasts. If in-market streaming is not available for all of the teams whose games are broadcast by those networks by 2017, MLB will be prohibited from increasing prices for any of the above MLB.TV products through 2020.

• Unserved Fans: MLB will offer live streaming of any in-market team’s telecasts produced by Comcast, Root Sports, or Fox regional sports networks to any customer who is unable to obtain multi-channel video provider distributor service or virtual multi-channel video provider distributor service at his or her residence.
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Automatic Benefits:
You do NOT need to submit a claim form to obtain these benefits. They will be provided automatically.
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In-market streaming, as long as you have a cable subscription! While not the best solution, it's a much better option for local "cord cutting" fans than what currently existed.


I believe the language of "unserved fans" section will allow fans in "Blackout Hell" (read: Iowa) to finally get to see baseball.


MLB once again is really plowing forward with their service. I really am impressed with how they're the most willing sport pushing "view us anywhere!" It's like they actually want to take their fans money instead of the NHL which continues to have asinine blackout rules. (There is absolutely no reason for NHL Network channel games to be blacked out.)
 
Re: MLB 2015-16: Grays Sports Almanac Edition

Remember, the NHL did contract with the MLB digital media team with the intentions to have an MLB.tv-like experience for the NHL in the near future. I'm guessing this will be coming within a few years for the NHL.
 
Re: MLB 2015-16: Grays Sports Almanac Edition

Meh, the At-Bat app has a really handy way of transferring tickets. The big issue is places like Stub Hub and whatnot. They have an exclusive deal with the MLB, IIRC, and may have something to say about this.
 
Re: MLB 2015-16: Grays Sports Almanac Edition

dxmnkd316 said:
Meh, the At-Bat app has a really handy way of transferring tickets. The big issue is places like Stub Hub and whatnot. They have an exclusive deal with the MLB, IIRC, and may have something to say about this.
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I haven't bought tickets directly from an MLB team in the last 5 seasons... There is no need to when I can save money via StubHub so easily.... I know I'm not the only one either... This is going to be interesting to watch because of that... I think that MLB teams overestimate their values...
 
Re: MLB 2015-16: Grays Sports Almanac Edition

Wait, Ticketmaster won't let you sell tickets below face?

I bought Red Wings tickets through the Ticketmaster Resale page for last week's Colorado Avs game. Paid ~$80 each for the seats. Had a family emergency come up the night before and had to dump the tickets using Ticketmaster's Resale page. Stupidly easy to flip the tickets I just purchased, but I took a hit because I wanted *something* for them and only asked for ~$55 each. (This isn't including the Ticketbastard fees that jacked up my asking price through their own system, my $55 each seat really cost $75 each to whoever bought them).

Went and looked at the Red Wings season ticket site, and the seats I purchased (and flipped) cost $62 each to a full season ticket holder ($72 each through the box office).

Now I'm wondering if I wouldn't have been able to go lower than what I asked. There was no warning of a price floor.


I'm going to have to say this is just the Yankee's way of saying "Eff You" to Stubhub, with a hint of trying to prevent fraud from duplicating PDF tickets.
 
Re: MLB 2015-16: Grays Sports Almanac Edition

Hmm.

Unlike the author, I think the two rules support each other. If you allow the neighborhood play but tighten the definition of a slide then no shortstop will ever touch second again. If you disallow the neighborhood play but don't tighten the slide then three quarters of shortstops are on the DL by Memorial Day. This addresses the problem but doesn't change the competitive balance between offense and defense.

What am I missing?
 
Re: MLB 2015-16: Grays Sports Almanac Edition

Kepler said:
Hmm.

Unlike the author, I think the two rules support each other. If you allow the neighborhood play but tighten the definition of a slide then no shortstop will ever touch second again. If you disallow the neighborhood play but don't tighten the slide then three quarters of shortstops are on the DL by Memorial Day. This addresses the problem but doesn't change the competitive balance between offense and defense.

What am I missing?
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This is a step in the right direction... Honestly, they should just copy what the NCAA & NFHS do with their "force play slide rule" and be done with it... Basically the runner has the right to go directly to the base, but not over the side of or through the base... This means that the only time there is contact is when both players are at the base... It still gives the offense the ability to "break up the play", but only if it's a close play... If the SS/2nd have the slightest moment, they can move away... If they get taken out, it's right when the runner is getting to the base, so the offense has a legit right to be there at that moment...
 
Re: MLB 2015-16: Grays Sports Almanac Edition

RaceBoarder said:
This is a step in the right direction... Honestly, they should just copy what the NCAA & NFHS do with their "force play slide rule" and be done with it... Basically the runner has the right to go directly to the base, but not over the side of or through the base... This means that the only time there is contact is when both players are at the base... It still gives the offense the ability to "break up the play", but only if it's a close play... If the SS/2nd have the slightest moment, they can move away... If they get taken out, it's right when the runner is getting to the base, so the offense has a legit right to be there at that moment...
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That sounds completely reasonable. So, it's doomed.
 
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