MLB At Bat Goes Live for 2012 With Improved Pricing Scheme

[Tones2]

MLB gets it, just that the channel that covers your team owns the rights to broadcast is exclusively. aka why would they want mlb to stream it in their market. They would lost views, then lower commercial pricing and then them not making any money.

I know in NY the YES channel, offers in-market streaming package, lets hope other channels caught on to this.

No they don't, because MLB negotiates the terms of the TV licensing. They could set up premium packages where the local TV stations get a percentage of the revenues when it's watched on a portable device. Heck, they could just stream from the local TV feed itself, advertising and all - why would that be different then watching it on TV? There is a way to get this done where everyone wins - they are just stuck in old school patterns.

Tony

 

[taxiapple]

Regarding listening to the games

....why not just listen to a local radio station via an app such as Tunein for free?

 

[JBaker122586]

That's smart of them to try to bypass iTunes with their season payment.

I don't think it's their way of bypassing iTunes.
The MLB.tv service has been available for much longer than the iPhone. And there will still be many subscribers to it that don't have any iDevice, and just watch or listen in their web browser.

 

[room237]

There is... Slingplayer.

How does slingplayer work if you don't have cable at home?

 

[JBaker122586]

How does slingplayer work if you don't have cable at home?

Most teams still have their local broadcast on a local network.
Slingbox hooks up to an antenna just fine.

 

[nrrhgreg]

No they don't, because MLB negotiates the terms of the TV licensing. They could set up premium packages where the local TV stations get a percentage of the revenues when it's watched on a portable device. Heck, they could just stream from the local TV feed itself, advertising and all - why would that be different then watching it on TV? There is a way to get this done where everyone wins - they are just stuck in old school patterns.

Tony

MLB absolutely does not negotiate local TV deals, that's all on the individual teams. MLB does negotiate the national broadcasts, which is why all Saturday games are blacked out during Fox's national window.

 

[SeanMcg]

I don't think it's their way of bypassing iTunes.
The MLB.tv service has been available for much longer than the iPhone. And there will still be many subscribers to it that don't have any iDevice, and just watch or listen in their web browser.

True, it has been around longer, and MLB just continues to expand their media offerings. What are the latest terms when it comes to apps like this, though? This is not a book or a magazine. Does MLB still have to pay a hefty percentage to Apple for in-app subscriptions? Honest question.

 

[Tones2]

How does slingplayer work if you don't have cable at home?

It works with any video source that will display a picture it and of itself. So it will work with over the air TV if you have an HD tuner and antenna (or if you have a TV that has video out). It'll also work with DVD / Blu ray players.

Tony

 

[slu]

....why not just listen to a local radio station via an app such as Tunein for free?

Many stations do not broadcast games online via the station website. You either get silence or alternate programming in Tunein. The Yankees games on WCBS are not streamed online like their news programming, so for many teams the MLB app is the only option. Plus you get way more than just the audio. Video highlights during the game, live box score updates, Game Day, etc. If you like baseball, it really is a great app. The blackouts are really the only negative, in my opinion.

 

[Chupa Chupa]

....why not just listen to a local radio station via an app such as Tunein for free?

There are usually blacked out unless the tech forgets to push the button.

 

[ShiftClick]

Oh screw this man. I guess It's okay that the iPad and iPhone app will only cost me 14.99 together to listen to the games, but this sucks hardcore. Now it's an in-app purchase? Why do they keep doing this crap?

Keep doing what? Making the experience cheaper? Now you pay 14.99 for access on any and all of your idevices. You use to have to pay for the app per device....

Also some of us have had a mlb.tv account for longer than iphones have been around, I'd much rather just log in with my account, than continue to have to pay for an additional app. This move has been a god send for long time mlb.tv users.

 

[JBaker122586]

True, it has been around longer, and MLB just continues to expand their media offerings. What are the latest terms when it comes to apps like this, though? This is not a book or a magazine. Does MLB still have to pay a hefty percentage to Apple for in-app subscriptions? Honest question.

Yeah, they still have to pay 30% to Apple.
I assume that's part of the reason why it's a bit more expensive to subscribe within the app.

 

[OsageCowboy]

Guys, there are a number of solutions out there for less than $6 a month (roughly $40 for the whole season) that allow you to watch your in-market games. Just Google it up....

 

[rgirtler]

This is great FOR ME because there are people like me who live on the WI side of the mississippi but cannot watch the MN Twins because Fox Sports North forces the WI Brewers on me. I can see MN from my house, but can't watch the Twins . I understand why I get the Brewers, but I still don't like it.

I know some of you don't understand mlb.tv and it makes no sense for you to have it, but mlb.TV is a life savor. Now only if the Twins would stop being so terrible

 

[cvaldes]

No thanks. And... who cares?

Lots of people care. MLB is one of America's top sports leagues and happens to be enjoyed internationally in many other markets as baseball is particularly popular in the Caribbean, Central America, and southeast Asia.

Compared to other major sports, MLB is often at the cutting edge of new technology including streaming video, social media, etc. The MLB At Bat app is arguably the benchmark standard for iOS sports apps as it generates a sizable amount of revenue.

Note: you aren't expected to "like" every single MacRumors article, nor care about every single iOS app.

 

[OsageCowboy]

This is great FOR ME because there are people like me who live on the WI side of the mississippi but cannot watch the MN Twins because Fox Sports North forces the WI Brewers on me. I can see MN from my house, but can't watch the Twins . I understand why I get the Brewers, but I still don't like it.

I know some of you don't understand mlb.tv and it makes no sense for you to have it, but mlb.TV is a life savor. Now only if the Twins would stop being so terrible

Again, it is EASY to obtain access to all the games by using a VPN service.

 

[Jazwire]

Most teams still have their local broadcast on a local network.
Slingbox hooks up to an antenna just fine.

Umm no they don't.

"Most" teams are covered by FoxSports and they are cable only.

 

[pjfanelli]

This is the only good thing about being a Red Sox fan living in NYC

 

[LFCRules]

Still no access for us in the UK. Ireland gets it, why not the UK?

 

[Tones2]

MLB absolutely does not negotiate local TV deals, that's all on the individual teams. MLB does negotiate the national broadcasts, which is why all Saturday games are blacked out during Fox's national window.

Well, MLB contracts with each team who then contracts with the local TV networks. MLB GRANTS each team territorial rights to negotiate with TV stations in that juridiction, governed by the overall national broadcast blackout rules contracted between MLB and the national broadcast stations. MLB could modified their contracts with each team requiring that their local TV contracts include provisions for streaming of local games with consideration given. Local TV would do this given that a share of the streaming profits would go to them - and / or just using the local stream with advertising directly to the device. This is a no-brainer. Everyone would win here.

Tony

 

[jlgolson]

Oh screw this man. I guess It's okay that the iPad and iPhone app will only cost me 14.99 together to listen to the games, but this sucks hardcore. Now it's an in-app purchase? Why do they keep doing this crap?

Yeah, they still have to pay 30% to Apple.
I assume that's part of the reason why it's a bit more expensive to subscribe within the app.

I'm not sure what you're talking about here... MLB is offering the exact same monthly pricing within the app as it is outside the app: $24.99.

The $124.99 for the full season is available from the website only.

Regarding blackouts, MLB has been working on that for a few years but the local cable companies won't sign off. The other commenters are right, MLB has been at the forefront of online broadcasting for many years -- MLB.tv was one of the first online broadcasting services.

 

[sk1wbw]

i wish MLB.TV wasn't so expensive. The only reason I want it is so I watch a couple archived Braves games that I miss while I'm in class.

I'm a HUGE Braves fan. I live in Florida where you'd think you'd get SportSouth, but nope. And I can't afford this full package for video. And PAYING to listen to the broadcast? Really? Paying to listen to streaming radio? For real?

 

[damir00]

If I could watch in market games, I would drop the $125 right now. I would pay $250!

As more and more of you join us early cable-cutters (I've been "without" for a decade), that fiscal logic of yours will have an impact.

I know it's hard to wait, but MLB is well aware that folks like you and I are ready to drop an extra $100 in their pockets *right* *now*, if only they could figure out how to let us.

 

[slu]

Most teams still have their local broadcast on a local network.
Slingbox hooks up to an antenna just fine.

Incorrect. The vast, vast majority of games are on cable for all teams.

 

[IJ Reilly]

A very confusing article. I can't figure out what services are available for what price.

As far as the product is concerned, for a good part of last season whenever I tried to access a team web page on my iPad, I was directed to download the iPad app for MLB. It cost $14.99, which naturally I wasn't going to pay for web content that is free to view on my Mac. Fortunately MLB fixed this dumb thing somewhere around midseason, but the whole forced march approach left me with a bad taste in my mouth for any product MLB offers that doesn't involve a bat and ball.