[BUZZMAN2333]

"According to the New York Times, MLB is close to handing DirecTV the exclusive rights to Extra Innings – which allows fans to watch many out-of-market games – for $100 million per year over seven years. InDemand, which distributes the package currently, has upped its offer, but, according to the Washington Times, its deal will pay about $30 million less per year. "


I cannot believe this ... they have the NFL, NASCAR, and now MLB??

I have subscribed to Extra Innings from the cable company and love it. I will not switch to DirectTV to get it though ...

Anybody have any comments? ... would you get Direct TV for this?

[EmpireWF]

This is just pure greed on the part of MLB. I haven't subscribed to it the package on InDemand (but I love the weeklong preview ) but I don't know why anyone would dip cable just to get that.

As for MLB, why do this for a measley few tens of millions of dollars? Do they understand they'll be alienating millions of fans/customers?

[mervinout]

i think its a great move by directv and a bad one by MLB. I think enough fans will covert to directv for this package to make it worth it for directv, i order all the packages cause im in college and cant watch the rangers giants or yankees, i dont bother getting nba cause well its the knicks no comment needed. I think alot of diehard fans who are displaced from their city will do it to, but there still will be the ones who dont cause they love there cable. But MLB should want to reach all the fans not just the ones who have directv. O and empire your better man then me cause i always watch the week long previews and that gets me to buy the season long pass.

[BUZZMAN2333]

I had given up on baseball after the first strike ... slowly but surely, I started to come back. The last three years I started following pretty religiously again. I was rewarded when my White Sox won the world series. Last year, I decided to take the plunge and purchase the Extra Innings package from Time Warner Cable. I loved it ... I watched probably 100 White Sox games last year. The ones I did not watch in entirety, I turned on to watch the end.

Now that MLB is doing this ... I am going to boycott baseball again. This is total crap and stupidity. MLB continues to treat their fans like crap. I think it is time we returned the favor and quit watching and supporting.

[Notorious C.L.E.]

I honestly envy Bud Selig. I would love to be that stupid and obtain such a prestigious job.

Short-sighted business decisions are hurting Major League Baseball once again. The estimated report is that this will decrease potential audiences from 65 million households to around 15 million. With all the negative publicity, baseball should really think about getting the good side of its product to as many people as it can nationwide. Even if you are going to make this move, do not commit long-term. After seven years, a good amount of fans may have already left your sport permanently.

Terrible business move. They don't have the product to match the NFL, as it has the best image of any professional sport. Baseball is shooting itself in the foot.

[MJHMarc]

I don't have any intensions of ordering MLB Extra Innings.

If I want to watch a Dodgers game, I'll fly over to my summer-condo in LA.

[Nuke]

This is a bad move by baseball but I have to say whoever is in charge of Direct TV is one hell of a worker! They have exclusive rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket and now MLB Extra Innings. Give that dude a raise man! I think they'll be some out of market games scattered on networks and ESPN and i'll just watch those. I'm happy at 7:30pm turning on the Mets game so I doubt i'll boycott baseball over this but I don't like the move.

[Nuke]

Originally Posted by MJHMarc

I don't have any intensions of ordering MLB Extra Innings.

If I want to watch a Dodgers game, I'll fly over to my summer-condo in LA.

Do you have Direct TV and are choosing not to order this Marc or do you not have access to it? Just curious.

[BUZZMAN2333]

I live in SC and am a White Sox fan ... so I can't watch my team play anymore.

Not onlly does DirectTV have Sunday Ticket and Extra Innings,

They just bought the NASCAR package as well .....

[americanwit]

I have direct tv and the NFL packacge, and think direct tv is way better than cable. I thought though those packages especially the NFL were considered a monopoly and were being forced to let other cable packages offer the NFL,Nascar, NHL, MLB watever.

[BUZZMAN2333]

Apparently not .. it is who has the most money ...

sad to say I work for the cable company so I get free cable, otherwise I would consider getting DirectTV.

I don't like the idea of having to pay for each converter etc.. though .. I have 5 tv's in my house and that would get rather expensive.

I don't blame DirectTV for going after these packages .. it is really smart. I don't like the institutions ... MLB, NFL ...etc allowing them to exclusively get them.

It would not be a big deal if I still lived in Illinois ... but ... I don't so it is really hard to follow and watch my teams like I would like to.

[MJHMarc]

Originally Posted by Nuke

Do you have Direct TV and are choosing not to order this Marc or do you not have access to it? Just curious.

I have Dish Network (DVR Package) down here in Antartica. I can't find the time, nor the motivation to watch endless hours of Dodgers baseball. Plus, I get coverage of the Mets on SNY, and possibly the Yankees on YES (if Dish can close in on a deal).

[semo]

Hello Gang

I have Dish Network I am against Direct having the rights to MLB Extra Innings. Check the stock market on Direct TV compaired to Dish.
MLB doesn't care about the fans, it is the BIG Buck they are after.