Sports Media

[zambonir]

I don't think I ever saw a Disney AMEX offer. I'm definitely doing the HBO if I give up DirecTV Stream (and if I get Hulu instead of YT Disney bundle is included).

I've burned though most of my Peacock and Paramount offers, at least for now.

[andyb]

The revolving analytics media/MLB door swings again? KG back with the Twins after a brief sojourn to Fangraphs:

Goodbye and Thank You

[zambonir]

Ah, good for him.

Also nice the Phillies have finally gotten on this train a bit. Corrine Landry now a director.

Phillies announce baseball operations promotions and hires

[schillingfan]

So I finally broke down and got YouTube Tv so I could watch the Phillies on Comcast (NBCsports Philly). It would have been cheaper to get MLB TV if I wasn’t blacked out. They need to reevaluate their blackout policies, because I’m at least two hours away from any of the four ballparks I’m blacked out from and no local media carries the teams. I’m not sure what purpose the blackout serves when most everything is streamed anyway.

[BaseballCat]

I’m at least two hours away from any of the four ballparks I’m blacked out from and no local media carries the teams

I am 3.5-4 hours away from DC and Baltimore and they are blacked out for me (and no media coverage). I only miss them when they are playing the Phillies and they get blacked out. I need to figure out the streaming options that would work for me so I can get out from Comcasts thumb - some day...

[zambonir]

Well, it served the exact purpose MLB and Comcast wanted it to serve (assuming you didn't have to use a different zip code to sign up): you are now a NBCSports Philly customer, and they get a fee from YouTube, just like they would if you got it on cable (whether it was Comcast cable or something else) - albeit a smaller one.

The question is, if and when they finally do start to sell a la carte access, both to channels and/or with in-market single-team streaming packages, will they resolve the blackout situations in 'tweener areas?

Does your YouTube also include either or both of the NY sports channels? i.e. if you were a Mets or Yankees fan would you have that option?

[bkeich]

I used to live in Pensacola, FL, which means I was blocked out of the Phillies / Marlins games when I had MLB TV. It is a 676 miles drive between Pensacola and Miami and takes about 11 hours. They are even in different time zones (yes, part of FL is in the Central)

Those rules are laughably bad.

[schillingfan]

Does your YouTube also include either or both of the NY sports channels? i.e. if you were a Mets or Yankees fan would you have that option?

No, nor do I get Pittsburgh. When I was tied to an Xfinity(Comcast) box, I got both, however. Bunches of Yankees fans here.

[zambonir]

But did you also get the Phillies on Comcast?

I believe another problem is the rules are still different for streaming providers. Most of the cord-cutters only offer a single RSN (or aren't willing to pay for more than one in a package).

Whereas when I had DirectV I could theoretically add all the available RSNs - though the games would be blacked out except for my local (so I could have watched all of Philly's pre and postgame coverage but still would have needed MLB TV or Extra Innings for the actual Phillies games).

Honestly having lived with the Comcast/satellite disputes in Philly for all those years and then the same again (but even with rival cable companies) in Portland nothing is surprising, and not truly MLB's decision (i.e. they can't force Comcast to just sell a local Phillies streaming package or forfeit its blackout rights, both things are part of their deal with the Phillies. I'm sure ESPN (having also bought a majority of the entire MLB.TV/Advanced media company) intends to fold it all into ESPN+ eventually. But they'd have to pay off all the local TV deals to really change things, or end the blackouts.

[schillingfan]

Yes. Always had the Phillies on all local cable here in NEPA. Of course in those old days, the Barons were the Phillies affiliate.

[andyb]

No Phillies games in the first half of the Apple+ schedule. Though the opener will be Scherzer with the Mets against his old team the Nats.

Apple and MLB announce “Friday Night Baseball” schedule beginning April 8

[bkox]

Larry Andersen to reduce radio role for the 2022 season

[Philsmania]

I've often wondered if LA seeing both Whitey and Harry die on the job and on the road away from home and family has affected his calculus.

[bkox]

Joe Davis will be Fox’s new voice of World Series

[andyb]

Tmobile MLB.TV offer live today. FYI it works for both phone plans and Home Internet (5G). Offer live for next 7 days.

[andyb]

Peacock Sunday game schedule. One Phillies game against the Nats in June and one in July against the Cubs. I think these are exclusive so not on any RSN.

MLB schedule 2022: Every Sunday morning baseball game on Peacock, matchups, what...

And here is a page that collects all the national telecasts. Assume they update it weekly as the MLB Network ones are scheduled pretty close to the week they are broadcast. Looks like the opener is on MLB Network for some people and Monday's game is on Fox/FS1 against the Mets.

Major League Baseball

[zambonir]

The flaw in my "sign up for new cord-cutting provider with Philadelphia channels a few months early instead of getting MLB.TV" plan - today's game is on NBC proper, and YouTube gives you the local network feeds of wherever you are travelling. The good news is I was going to have to DVR about half of it anyway so I guess I'll just have to make do with radio and NBCSN post-game (or replay).

[schillingfan]

At least you had a choice to buy MB and see it. Today’s game is an example of why the blackouts make no sense. The game is a sell-out too! It’s so annoying. Way to ■■■■ off fans MLB.

[zambonir]

It's also on MLB Network today nationally. But since my subscription registers as Philadelphia it's blacked out, and probably for you as well.

[BaseballCat]

Left work early hoping it was on MLB network - nope. But I searched baseball and was surprised to have access via NBC sports. Did not know I could get that. Have to put up with A’s announcers, but I will take it. My try to open MLB audio even if it does not sync up. Go Phils!!