We, the undersigned baseball fans, request that you consider an immediate end to Major League Baseball's blackout policy with regard to games broadcast on MLB.TV.
There are endless reasons why current blackout restrictions are bad for fans, and bad for the game of baseball.
First and foremost, many of us are unable to enjoy watching our favorite teams, even after paying $89.95 to $119.95 for use of the service, simply because we live in, or are using the internet in, the wrong zip code. If a fan is in Minnesota, he can't watch Twins games. If another is in Phoenix, she can't watch Diamondbacks games. How does this make any sense?
Some of us don't have cable television. Some of us want to watch games where there is no television, like in a workplace break room, or a school cafeteria, or a neighborhood cafe. Some of us are unfortunate enough to be in a zip code where blackout rules apply to multiple teams, sometimes as many as six. This is patently ridiculous. Why is it so difficult to get Major League Baseball to accept our money in return for showing us the games we want to see?
Disallowing paying customers the ability to watch their favorite teams wherever they are or whenever they can does harm to baseball, both in retaining current fans and attracting new ones. The current blackout policy is arcane, and serves absolutely no one's interests: not the game's, not the teams', not the broadcasters' of the games, not MLB.TV's, and certainly not the fans'.
Please consider abolishing the blackout policy as soon as possible and begin taking steps immediately to make that outcome possible. Let us watch the game we love.
We thank you for your consideration of this matter.
We, the undersigned baseball fans, request that you consider an immediate end to Major League Baseball's blackout policy with regard to games broadcast on MLB.TV.
There are endless reasons why current blackout restrictions are bad for fans, and bad for the game of baseball.
First and foremost, many of us are unable to enjoy watching our favorite teams, even after paying $89.95 to $119.95 for use of the service, simply because we live in, or are using the internet in, the wrong zip code. If a fan is in Minnesota, he can't watch Twins games. If another is in Phoenix, she can't watch Diamondbacks games. How does this make any sense?
Some of us don't have cable television. Some of us want to watch games where there is no television, like in a workplace break room, or a school cafeteria, or a neighborhood cafe. Some of us are unfortunate enough to be in a zip code where blackout rules apply to multiple teams, sometimes as many as six. This is patently ridiculous. Why is it so difficult to get Major League Baseball to accept our money in return for showing us the games we want to see?
Disallowing paying customers the ability to watch their favorite teams wherever they are or whenever they can does harm to baseball, both in retaining current fans and attracting new ones. The current blackout policy is arcane, and serves absolutely no one's interests: not the game's, not the teams', not the broadcasters' of the games, not MLB.TV's, and certainly not the fans'.
Please consider abolishing the blackout policy as soon as possible and begin taking steps immediately to make that outcome possible. Let us watch the game we love.
We thank you for your consideration of this matter.
5:45 pm PDT, Sep 24,Jeremiah Kroup, Pennsylvania
I get blacked out from NY Mets games because MLB thinks that my cable company offers SNY, which they dont. In addition, because MLB thinks I have SNY, I cannot even get the games on MLBTV. MLBTV wouldnt even refund my money because I should have SNY. I have attempted to get COMCAST to offer SNY, but its a philadelphia company so they are in no rush. GET RID OF THE BLACKOUTS
# 234:
3:36 pm PDT, Sep 19,Peter Brunner, Pennsylvania
How is it that they waited till the 4th inning to black out Phillies game. I know that a restaurant can refuse you service but, once you've been served they can not change their mind and make you to leave.
# 233:
4:06 pm PDT, Sep 18,Diane Starner, California
I do not live in the San Francisco broadcast area; I live in the Sacramento broadcast area, however I am blacked out from Giants and A's games. I'm 70+ miles east of the east end of their broadcast area and no one at MLB.com can explain to me why I'm blacked out, along with the thousands of other fans in the Sacramento area. There is no possible way for me to receive their broadcasts because they are not broadcast where I live!
# 232:
10:16 am PDT, Sep 17,Nicholas Wade, Illinois
Could someone please explain why I get blacked out from cubs games on wciu. I live outside wciu's range. The game is telecast on espn but thats blacked out as well. The next step is mlb.com, but guess what thats blacked out. This is very frustrating. I'm willing to pay for the game but I have no options.
# 231:
10:50 am PDT, Sep 12,Nicholas Pyper-Holz, Minnesota
MLB makes money either way. Cable providers won't starve either. Let us watch some ball!
# 229:
8:12 pm PDT, Sep 8,Bruce Thomas, Pennsylvania
I paid over $100 for the MLB extra innings only found out all the Phillies games are blacked out anytime they're broadcasted over comcast.
# 228:
3:36 pm PDT, Sep 4,Peter Chen, California
I can't watch the Angels for about a third of their games. We the fans await a better situation!
-Peter
# 227:
8:38 am PDT, Sep 3,Chris Muldoon, Pennsylvania
# 226:
11:06 am PDT, Sep 1,David Lawrence, New York
As a purchaser of MLB extra innings, it really irks me when I'm forced to watch NY Yankees feeds of Yankees/Red Sox baseball games (especially since I live 8 hours from New York city. Also, I hate it that Saturday afternoon games are blacked out to cater to Fox TV's horrible announcers! End this foolishness now!
# 225:
9:11 pm PDT, Aug 28,George Stetter, Pennsylvania
I am a Phillies fan with no access to cable, so I got direct tv mlb extra innings and now I can watch every team except the Phillies due to ridiculos blackout rule.
# 224:
1:28 pm PDT, Aug 16,Brad Pollard, New Jersey
Stop ruining baseball. You are selling-out to Fox
# 223:
6:30 am PDT, Aug 14,JEFF PORAMBO, Pennsylvania
I WANT CARDINALS GAMES. MY AREA IN PA BLACKS OUT PHILLIES, METS, YANKEES AND PIRATES GAMES. BUT OF THOSE TEAMS THE PIRATES ARE NOT ON MY LOCAL TELECASTS. SO AFTER PURCHASING EXTRA INNINGS PACKAGE, I STILL DON'T GET TO SEE THE CARDINALS WHEN THEY PLAY THE PIRATES. AND SINCE THEY ARE IN THE SAME DIVISION, THIS COULD BE AS MUCH AS EIGHTEEN GAMES! PLEASE FIX THIS!
# 222:
8:54 pm PDT, Aug 13,Rod Fleischer, California
I live in San Diego and would love to watch the Los Angeles Dodgers. I'm willing to pay for it. I don't understand why this isn't good enough for you.
# 221:
6:20 pm PDT, Aug 12,David Tierkel, Massachusetts
Please catch up with the times. You do not offer fans of teams the ability to watch games on a computer. I am willing to pay for this, but you do not offer it.
# 220:
8:43 pm PDT, Aug 8,Mike Fedak, Canada
I always watch MLB on the Internet via the Mosaic program that is a godsend to baseball die-hards like myself. Currently i am blacked out from Toronto games although i live 26 hours away by vehicle. I know Rogers has the Canadian rights and i could indeed watch their games on TV. Unfortunately my girlfriend doesn't find baseball as stimulating as myself and tends to watch non-baseball programming leaving me to my computer assisted baseball. The games i have been able to watch doesn't have any commercials that would apply or influence me so your advertisers are wasting their money on me any way. So please don't use the advertising as a reason to black me out!
Please lift the all blackouts ASAP for myself and all the other MLB die-hards out there.
# 219:
7:25 pm PDT, Aug 7,Jerry Cooper, Florida
# 218:
1:37 pm PDT, Aug 7,Ronald Dupell, Nebraska
What MLB is engaged in is consumer fraud pure and simple. Despite MLB policies "subject to blackout", whenever a customer pays for service (STV, DISH, Cable, etc.,to then deny a paying customer access to a broadcast is fraud IMO. MLB and each team receives $$$$$$$$$$$$ from DTV, DISH, Cable companies for selling the RSN channles, ESPN, etc. To then deny access is fraud, no other way to put it is consumer fraud for receiving money and not providing service. Wish that some law firm would realize that there is a potential for them to earn Millions of $$$$ by filing a class action suit. That would fix this inexcusable and fraudulent mess.
# 217:
12:32 pm PDT, Aug 7,Michael Freundel, Pennsylvania
Hello I live 60 miles North of Philadelphia and have been a Phillies fan for
56 years. I have Direct TV and they do not carry Comcast Philadelphia who
carry the Phillies games. So I purchased MLB package and the Phillies are
blacked out. So as a 56 year Phillies fan I can not see the games!!!! How can this help the game and the fans??? I
look forward to your response. Thanks Mike
# 216:
5:43 am PDT, Aug 7,Michael Schmitt, Indiana
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO blackouts!!!! sometimes it makes me cry myself to sleep...
# 215:
7:37 pm PDT, Aug 3,Chris Laughman, Missouri
I am personally aware of several people in St Louis who would subscribe if we could get our local teams. Most of our local games are on TV, however I am not always at a place where I can watch a TV. However typically I could watch if it were online. Please allow loyal fans to keep track of their local teams thru MLB.TV, until you do , you are missing out on a huge amount of subscritions.
# 214:
8:59 am PDT, Aug 3,James Spaeth, Wisconsin
Until the blackout policy is removed, I have no reason to subscribe to MLB.TV. It would be like going to an Ice Cream stand and telling you that you can only eat Pop Corn!!
# 213:
1:10 pm PDT, Aug 2,Timothy Davis, Utah
I live in Utah and can't watch Arizona Diamondbacks games on MLB.tv. I'm willing to pay the price of a subscription to watch it but I can't. I can't get any local package that has this service in my area. WHY am I denied the opportunity to watch games that I'm willing to watch? The only time I get to watch games is when I'm willing to spend $1000 or so and travel to Arizona to watch them. This is ridiculous. Figure out a way that when you choose your favorite team on MLB.tv that team gets a percentage of the subscription fees. Thank you
# 212:
10:07 am PDT, Aug 2,David Phillips, Indiana
I am just getting my 9 and 11 year old grandsons interested in baseball. I have followed the Chicago Cubs for years (I was born and raised in Illinois and lived in Chicago as a child) so have concentrated on Cubs games. We get them on WGN; however, when they are scheduled on TBS or ESPN they are blocked. Why block new fans from learning to love the game?
# 211:
8:44 pm PDT, Aug 1,Kathleen Anderson, Indiana
# 210:
7:31 pm PDT, Aug 1,Rex Kirchoff, Indiana
we live at least 4 hours away from any major league ball park; we really
do not understand why games must be "blacked out" in our area.
# 209:
1:01 pm PDT, Aug 1,Jerry Workman, Indiana
I live in Greene County, Indiana. I am a big Reds fan but live about 150 miles from the stadium. My county is blacked out from the Reds games. All the counties around me can pick up the Reds games. If MLB wants to develop fans, they need to show local teams. No wonder the NFL has taken over as America's favorite pastime. They show local teams.
# 208:
11:57 am PDT, Aug 1,James Diehl, Indiana
I can't understand why the Cubs were blocked on ESPN when there was no game on WGN. Their games on TBS are also blocked for no apparent reason. I don't remember having this problem before Comcast took over the local cable company.
# 207:
2:51 pm PDT, Jul 31,Jackson Fox, Florida
# 206:
1:43 pm PDT, Jul 31,Robert Hartley, North Carolina
# 205:
10:04 pm PDT, Jul 30,Name not displayed, Maine
# 204:
11:35 pm PDT, Jul 25,Name not displayed, Washington D.C.
I live near Washington, DC, and for the first few years of the Nationals' existence, my cable company did not carry MASN, so I got MLB.TV to try and fix that. However, I STILL couldn't see them because of these ridiculous blackout restrictions. There is no excuse for this kind of tomfoolery and archaic blackout rules that still exist in Major League Baseball.
# 203:
11:06 am PDT, Jul 25,Name not displayed, Florida
# 202:
9:33 am PDT, Jul 22,David Quinones, Florida
Can't watch the yanks in Orlando when they play the Rays. Fix This!!!
# 201:
7:03 am PDT, Jul 22,Donald Busby jr, Florida
mlb is making me pay and i can not watch my favorite team. would you like that if you were an average person who funds your business?
