Mlb Hd Or Lack Of Viewing Games

[calicogang]

Here is the reply that took me over on month to receive. This is the most complete answer that I have seed. Hope this helps.

Thank you for writing DIRECTV. I am sorry to hear of any frustration you have experienced
regarding the MLB EXTRA INNINGS games in HD. Due to agreements between the YES Network
and Major League Baseball, the YES Network does not have the rights to deliver the
HD feeds of games to customers who live outside YES Network's home market. Viewers
that are not in the YES Network’s home market who subscribe to MLB EXTRA INNINGS
will receive the standard definition feed.

Major League Baseball games are available regionally in select markets. These games
are shown as our HD broadcast capacity allows. Please check your on-screen guide
from channels 94 to 96 a few days prior to game day to see if a Major League Baseball
game in HD is available in your area.

Please note that due to agreements between the RSNs and Major League Baseball, we
are delivering HD feeds of games to customers who live within an RSN’s home area
only. Viewers outside of an RSN’s home market who subscribe to MLB EXTRA INNINGS
will receive the standard definition feeds of games in the MLB EXTRA INNINGS channels
(734-749).

[CatManDoo]

Originally Posted by calicogang

Here is the reply that took me over on month to receive. This is the most complete answer that I have seed. Hope this helps.

Thank you for writing DIRECTV. I am sorry to hear of any frustration you have experienced
regarding the MLB EXTRA INNINGS games in HD. Due to agreements between the YES Network
and Major League Baseball, the YES Network does not have the rights to deliver the
HD feeds of games to customers who live outside YES Network's home market. Viewers
that are not in the YES Network’s home market who subscribe to MLB EXTRA INNINGS
will receive the standard definition feed.

Major League Baseball games are available regionally in select markets. These games
are shown as our HD broadcast capacity allows. Please check your on-screen guide
from channels 94 to 96 a few days prior to game day to see if a Major League Baseball
game in HD is available in your area.

Please note that due to agreements between the RSNs and Major League Baseball, we
are delivering HD feeds of games to customers who live within an RSN’s home area
only. Viewers outside of an RSN’s home market who subscribe to MLB EXTRA INNINGS
will receive the standard definition feeds of games in the MLB EXTRA INNINGS channels
(734-749).

How kind of them. They could have just told you "Tough luck; fuhgeddabboutittt" in 3 words or less. Sorry to hear this. There's got to be a better way.....

[tjk1985]

I still don't understand, though, the reason why folks like YES and MLB would agree to allow the SD telecasts to everyone, yet not the HD broadcasts? What's the difference to them? That's the question I'd like to know the answer to...

[jake0508]

Probably because D* didn't have time to market their Superfan MLB $99 additional HD package, like for football. How's that for a 2006 prediction

[kofther]

Out of all the ML sports MLB seems to have the most bizzare and complicated blackout rules. I would love to find out the reasoning behind some of them.

[sascol]

Originally Posted by kofther

Out of all the ML sports MLB seems to have the most bizzare and complicated blackout rules. I would love to find out the reasoning behind some of them.

I agree. I'm in Charlotte, NC. Not that I'd watch them, but for some reason, all Cinncinati Reds games on MLB extra innings are blacked out. We're considered part of their "home market" even though there are to my knowledge no Reds games available for Charlotte residents to watch on any local channel or regional sports channel. Makes no sense.

[Traak]

Originally Posted by jake0508

Probably because D* didn't have time to market their Superfan MLB $99 additional HD package, like for football. How's that for a 2006 prediction

I suppose you want Microsoft to give you free upgrades and your local car dealerships to upgrade your vehicle for free too? Dude, $99 is cheap for new services such as a slew of HD football games every week. Thats like only $7 a WEEK for a TON of HD football!! Thats the cost of a freekin LUNCH!!

[GregJAllison]

Which only goes back to what my high school economics teacher aways told us, "There is no such thing as a free lunch". Hahaha

[CatManDoo]

Originally Posted by kofther

Out of all the ML sports MLB seems to have the most bizzare and complicated blackout rules. I would love to find out the reasoning behind some of them.

I agree. If you ever find anything definitive, please post -- possibly in the Sports Forum section as a new thread. I have searched various sites over the web and I still don't know what the rules are and why. I'm about 80 miles west of Philadelphia, maybe 90 miles north of Baltimore, a couple hundred miles east of Pittsburgh, and who knows how far from Washington. But do you think I can get these games? No. I get the black screen of death. Not even a message telling me what I'm missing. And it doesn't matter if they're at home or out on the west coast, I'm blacked out. And while it's disappointing to miss a game on MLB Extra Innings, it's even WORSE when they cut me out of games on INHD!!! That REALLY ticks me off!!!

MLB = Major League Bummer !!!

[Traak]

Originally Posted by tjk1985

I still don't understand, though, the reason why folks like YES and MLB would agree to allow the SD telecasts to everyone, yet not the HD broadcasts? What's the difference to them? That's the question I'd like to know the answer to...

I have my own theory on this. As you know, George (yankees) partialy owns YES and has a big say in that network. I can remember here in Cleveland it was a big deal a few years ago that he would get a HUGE income from that network for his ever growing saleries for his Yankees. Knowing George, he probally is setting a huge price to broadcast the games in HD to DTV and "other" cable networks. Time Warner here in central OH was broadcasting the games in HD as part of their HD package but I really didnt see a need to watch NY play when my Indians was on..even though in SD. I'm sure if the pricing was good DTV would be showing it or wanting it to have to provide to MLBEI fans.

[CatManDoo]

Originally Posted by sascol

I agree. I'm in Charlotte, NC. Not that I'd watch them, but for some reason, all Cinncinati Reds games on MLB extra innings are blacked out. We're considered part of their "home market" even though there are to my knowledge no Reds games available for Charlotte residents to watch on any local channel or regional sports channel. Makes no sense.

Here's a great example of another major injustice. Tonight the Orioles are in Boston. INHD is carrying the game. I tune to channel #206 and get total darkness. Why? Because ESPN2 also has the game. Unfortunately, we get ESPN2 in ANALOG on channel #67 because ESPN2-HD is NOT AVAILABLE in our Comcast area. So a perfectly good HD broadcast is going to waste. This sux! If ESPN is going to hijack the airwaves, the least they could do is make it available at the same quality level that I would have received from INHD. Just another frustrating example of the little guy getting squished between the corporate giants....

Did I mention that I'm mad?

[tjk1985]

Originally Posted by Traak

I have my own theory on this. As you know, George (yankees) partialy owns YES and has a big say in that network. I can remember here in Cleveland it was a big deal a few years ago that he would get a HUGE income from that network for his ever growing saleries for his Yankees. Knowing George, he probally is setting a huge price to broadcast the games in HD to DTV and "other" cable networks. Time Warner here in central OH was broadcasting the games in HD as part of their HD package but I really didnt see a need to watch NY play when my Indians was on..even though in SD. I'm sure if the pricing was good DTV would be showing it or wanting it to have to provide to MLBEI fans.

Except it's not just the Evil Empire involved. There are other regional networks that have HD feeds that show up in the DTV HD channels, but can only be seen by people in those areas; it's not just YES. I don't think George has much say in NESN or Comcast feeds for Boston, Baltimore, or Texas....

It makes no real sense to me. I can watch the same broadcasts in SD, and all they'd have to do is "flip the switch" for EI and HD subscribers to see it in HD, with the same commercials and everything. According to DTV, there is some kind of contractual agreement between MLB and the Regional networks not to allow broadcasts of the HD feeds of their games, and if that's the case, I'd like to know the difference to the Regional networks and MLB, number 1, and number 2, if DTV is putting any kind of real pressure on MLB and these Regional networks to work out a way for them to broadcast these in HD to all EI and HD subscribers, which could be done easily.

It seems as though DTV is asleep at the wheel to me, and I think they just don't want to give away for "free" this year, what they're going to create another "Superfan" package for next year.

[tjk1985]

Well, I was wracking my brain again trying to think about this question again, and I suppose that perhaps there may be a reason, albeit not a very good one. I wonder if MLB and the Regional Networks won't let DTV have the HD broadcasts, since perhaps maybe all the cable companies couldn't do the same? Unlike NFL Sunday Ticket, DTV has to share the Extra Innings package and maybe MLB and the RSN's don't want to give DTV a leg up on other cable providers of EI? Just wondering what business reasons would prevent them from doing what is right.