# Fans Sue MLB Over Blackouts



## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

*Fans Sue MLB Over Blackout Policy*



> By Joe Lucia, _Awful Announcing_
> 
> The opening salvo has been fired: a group of baseball fans has filed a class-action lawsuit against MLB (as well as DirecTV and Comcast) in regards to how the MLB divides up TV markets of various clubs, and the litany of blackouts that plague fans for local games.
> 
> . . . . .


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/...9.html?ref=baseball&ncid=txtlnkushpmg00000021


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## docgood86 (Oct 20, 2011)

God I hope the fans win! These blackouts are awful and it's about time someone changes it. I get MLB Extra Innings for Mets and am blacked out on DirecTV for any game replays and special Met shows! Why? So freaking dumb..


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

Hopefully DirecTV and Comcast get removed. Why were they sued? They have nothing to do with blackouts. It would make a little more sense to sue Fox Sports and ESPN.


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## n3ntj (Dec 18, 2006)

It would be nice if something did change regarding the blackouts for MLB, NHL, etc. but I'm not holding my breath.

For those of us in CSN Philly territory, if CSN won't provide their feed to a carrier (such as D*), then the customers of that carrier should not be blacked out of the games that the CSN channel is carrying if it's also available on another channel that the carrier provides. Just makes logical sense and is fan friendly...especially to those of us who buy sports packages like MLB EI and NHL CI. The leagues are making extra money from us who buy the packages.


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## blackhillsjk (Mar 2, 2012)

I have also never understood why when I live in South Dakota, I can't watch any games in Texas or New York or Miami or any where else in the country. Please tell me how in the world does me watching a game hundreds/thousands of miles away effect the attendance of a game in the stadium? We spend alot of money on sports pkgs only to be told you can't watch anything because it is out of market....Who cares ? Its shows up on the guide, so let us watch it. Sorry, just an early morning rant....


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## joshjr (Aug 2, 2008)

blackhillsjk said:


> I have also never understood why when I live in South Dakota, I can't watch any games in Texas or New York or Miami or any where else in the country. Please tell me how in the world does me watching a game hundreds/thousands of miles away effect the attendance of a game in the stadium? We spend alot of money on sports pkgs only to be told you can't watch anything because it is out of market....Who cares ? Its shows up on the guide, so let us watch it. Sorry, just an early morning rant....


Im confused by your comments. Are you referring to games that your local teams are playing in that are out of market or something else. Those should be the only games that you are restricted from other then nationally broadcasted games like on FOX and ESPN. If you are just talking about the sports back games being listed in the guide then that is different as well as you do not have rights to watch games out of your market.


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## zimm7778 (Nov 11, 2007)

"blackhillsjk" said:


> I have also never understood why when I live in South Dakota, I can't watch any games in Texas or New York or Miami or any where else in the country. Please tell me how in the world does me watching a game hundreds/thousands of miles away effect the attendance of a game in the stadium? We spend alot of money on sports pkgs only to be told you can't watch anything because it is out of market....Who cares ? Its shows up on the guide, so let us watch it. Sorry, just an early morning rant....


I would take a wild guess and say you can't watch them because you don't subscribe to MLB Extra Innings. I would assume this lawsuit is over MLB's blackout policies and has to do with multiple teams claiming the same area causing all kinds of grief for fans in those areas. With the exception of cities that have more than one team (or some other extenuating circumstances), I don't think more than 1 team should be able to claim any market.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

zimm7778 said:


> I would take a wild guess and say you can't watch them because you don't subscribe to MLB Extra Innings. I would assume this lawsuit is over MLB's blackout policies and has to do with multiple teams claiming the same area causing all kinds of grief for fans in those areas. With the exception of cities that have more than one team (or some other extenuating circumstances), I don't think more than 1 team should be able to claim any market.


I agree, but to take it one step further, limit the exclusion area to something reasonable, say a 100 mile radius. I'm in SE Georgia, the largest state (in land area) east of the Mississippi, some 240 miles away from ATL and Turner Field as the crow flies. and I am forced by federal edict to be in the JAX, FL DMA :icon_stup


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## sigma1914 (Sep 5, 2006)

Nick said:


> ...Georgia, the largest state east of the Mississippi...


Actually, that depends if... 
~ You use land area or total area including water
~ You count a state that the Mississippi River goes through; i.e., the entire state is not East of the River. (Minnesota)

Total Area

MICHIGAN - 96,716 sq mi (note: this is 41% water)
FLORIDA - 65,755 sq mi (note: this is 18% water)
WISCONSIN - 65,498 sq mi (note: this is 17% water)

Land Area

GEORGIA - 57,906 sq mi
MICHIGAN - 56,804 sq mi
ILLINOIS - 55,584 sq mi


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

sigma1914 said:


> Actually, that depends if...
> ~ You use land area or total area including water
> ~ You count a state that the Mississippi River goes through; i.e., the entire state is not East of the River. (Minnesota)
> 
> ...


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## zimm7778 (Nov 11, 2007)

"Nick" said:


> I agree, but to take it one step further, limit the exclusion area to something reasonable, say a 100 mile radius. I'm in SE Georgia, the largest state (in land area) east of the Mississippi, some 240 miles away from ATL and Turner Field as the crow flies. and I am forced by federal edict to be in the JAX, FL DMA :icon_stup


What does that mean? When we looked at a house in Kingsland, Ga before moving to Tampa we were going to have Jax locals but our RSNs were Sportsouth and Fox Sports Net South and thus would get the Braves, Hawks, and Thrashers at the time.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

It means _exactly_ what I said.


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## damondlt (Feb 27, 2006)

dpeters11 said:


> Hopefully DirecTV and Comcast get removed. Why were they sued? They have nothing to do with blackouts. It would make a little more sense to sue Fox Sports and ESPN.


 That will be dismissed, A lot of people don't know the inner workings of blackouts, so naturally they are going to blaim the provider. I wouldn't worry too much.


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## zimm7778 (Nov 11, 2007)

"Nick" said:


> It means exactly what I said.


Well thanks for clearing that up. I understand it now twice as much as before. So I can only guess you mean one of two things:

A.) You don't like being in Jacksonville's DMA and would rather have no locals as opposed to theirs (I guess) or would rather have DNS which is even further away then yours.

Or

B.) Since you want no teams being designated for anywhere outside of 100 miles, I guess you'd like no baseball team, no basketball team, and I guess no hockey team (although with the Thrashers leaving I have no idea if they have a designated one there now or not) without paying for an out of market sports package since you are over 100 miles away from them all.

Again, when I asked what did that mean, it's because I was and still am confused. But based on your complaint this is all I can gather.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

It's just me. Apparently, there is little to nothing I can do to enhance your understanding of my convoluted writing. Sorry.

A) No, I didn't say that. Please do not assume facts not in evidence. I would prefer to receive my locals from SAV, and in HD, not by DNS. That way I get Georgia's governor in state news, not that clown Scott.

And BTW, it's than, not "then".

B) I said, "...to take it one step further, limit the exclusion area to something reasonable, say a 100 mile radius.", In other words, if I lived within 100 miles of Turner Field, if I want to see a Braves game I would have get off my bony 73 year-old ass and go there. Otherwise, if I live anywhere outside that 100 mi exclusion zone, even here the boondocks of southeast Georgia, I should be able to view the Braves on cable or satellite tv, and any other team i wish.

And another BTW, I care absolutely nothing about thrashers, hawks, jaguars or falcons. It's almost my bedtime. This conversation is over. :new_sleep


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