Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MLB TV for iPad- Blackouts?

N

npro1464

macrumors member
Original poster
Mar 15, 2011
67
0
I was considering taking the plunge for MLB tv and paying their ridiculous amount of $100-120 for access to big league games, but I was curious about blackout rules. What is available if I purchase the app- full games not just little snip-bits, right?

In my area (central NJ) the Mets and Yanks are blacked out-which is fine for the most part bc my team is the Phillies. But are the blackouts subject to where I currently am in the country, or where my address is on my credit card (or both)? If I am in the Philly region, would I get blacked out of the games from there? What if I had relatives from another state purchase the MLB tv for me and I used there account, would I be able to get Yankees, Mets, and Phillies games? Is there a way to confuse the location of my device? Thanks!!!
 
X

xraytech

macrumors 68030
Mar 24, 2010
2,518
214
npro1464 said:
I was considering taking the plunge for MLB tv and paying their ridiculous amount of $100-120 for access to big league games, but I was curious about blackout rules. What is available if I purchase the app- full games not just little snip-bits, right?

In my area (central NJ) the Mets and Yanks are blacked out-which is fine for the most part bc my team is the Phillies. But are the blackouts subject to where I currently am in the country, or where my address is on my credit card (or both)? If I am in the Philly region, would I get blacked out of the games from there? What if I had relatives from another state purchase the MLB tv for me and I used there account, would I be able to get Yankees, Mets, and Phillies games? Is there a way to confuse the location of my device? Thanks!!!
Click to expand...

I'm in the same boat as you. I want to use MLB TV for Giants, Padres & Dodger games "Inside My Market Zone"

I don't know of any way to trick the App into thinking that your iPad is "Outside Of Your Market Zone". From what I understand, Black Outs are determined by the physical location of the iPad not by payment method or billing address.

Black Out = If you can drive to the Ballpark the day of the game. You don't need to watch it on MLB TV

Kind of a stretch for me because Dodger Stadium and Pet-Co Park are about a 8-10hr drive away, but that's basically how it works.
 
Last edited:
LSUtigers03

LSUtigers03

macrumors 68020
Apr 9, 2008
2,089
41
It's where the iPad is currently located. There are jailbroken apps that say they will fake your location but I'm not sure how well they work.
 
Diode

Diode

macrumors 68020
Apr 15, 2004
2,443
125
Washington DC
The blackout rules apply where you currently are and who they are playing.

So if the Phillies play the Yankees and your in New York, you will not be able to see the game.

Same if you are on travel - if the Phillies play the Cardinals and you happen to be in St. Louis, you will not be able to watch the game.

Also there is a strange Saturday afternoon / Sunday night blackout that covers all teams. Something to do with Fox / TBS / ESPN broadcasting rights.

Hope that helps clear some things up.
 
J

jedolley

macrumors 68000
Sep 18, 2009
1,780
7
Diode said:
The blackout rules apply where you currently are and who they are playing.

So if the Phillies play the Yankees and your in New York, you will not be able to see the game.

Same if you are on travel - if the Phillies play the Cardinals and you happen to be in St. Louis, you will not be able to watch the game.

Also there is a strange Saturday afternoon / Sunday night blackout that covers all teams. Something to do with Fox / TBS / ESPN broadcasting rights.

Hope that helps clear some things up.
Click to expand...

It's not so much of whose playing who... If you are in New York, I would assume you can't watch Yankees, and Mets games on MLB.TV. The point of MLB.TV is to give access to out of market games. Games within your market belong to whatever broadcast plays them there. This is a great thing for someone who is a fan of a team, but does not happen to live in that team's market.
 
Diode

Diode

macrumors 68020
Apr 15, 2004
2,443
125
Washington DC
jedolley said:
It's not so much of whose playing who... If you are in New York, I would assume you can't watch Yankees, and Mets games on MLB.TV. The point of MLB.TV is to give access to out of market games. Games within your market belong to whatever broadcast plays them there. This is a great thing for someone who is a fan of a team, but does not happen to live in that team's market.
Click to expand...

I guess my point being if your out of market team plays a in market team the game will be blacked out. Something to consider if your two teams play each other frequently - I guess not a issue as you could probably find the game on TV.
 
spiderman0616

spiderman0616

Suspended
Aug 1, 2010
5,670
7,491
I "cut the cord" a few months ago and one of my big worries was baseball. I can get 99% of the NFL games over the air in HD, but baseball is different because my team plays on three or four different stations, only one of them available over the air.

I have looked at MLB.TV and the way I understand it is that you can watch any local game you want an hour and a half after the game is over. I am a Cubs fan and they play lots of day games that I miss while at work. In that situation I think MLB.TV is worth it, but if it's not on WGN, I will never get to watch live. Not sure how much I want to watch a whole baseball game after I already know the score.

(I should mention that I am just fine with listening to the radio broadcasts, so that's why I was considering the MLB app. I could listen and look at the app at the same time.)
 
D

dacreativeguy

macrumors 68020
Jan 27, 2007
2,032
223
There is an article about MLB missing the boat on connecting with fans.
http://www.walkersands.com/Blog/major-league-baseball-a-missed-social-media-opportunity/

$15 for the app and then the cost of MLB TV service? That is crazy. I watch a few games a week, and would probably hop around and watch bits and pieces of different games. I don't even think you get video highlights for the $15!

If MLB had more reasonable pricing for the casual fan, I'd definitely buy the app.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom