MLB.TV still stupidly refusing to offer me a product that I want to buy…

February 22, 2012 | Baseball, Rants and Raves | By: Mark VandeWettering

Two years ago, I complained that MLB.TV’s black out rules basically robbed them of a chance to get $120 of my hard earned cash in exchange for a product which they supply to others in the U.S., but which they refuse to sell me. Fast forward to today, and nothing has changed: I still can’t buy live access to all Oakland Athletics games for any amount of money, even though if I lived in somewhere else, I could buy their product. Isn’t it time (beyond time) for these silly exclusivity agreements to fade away?

I’m not the only one whose been complaining about this for years.

It seems startlingly anti-consumer for these blackout agreements to continue. The artificial scarcity created by these policies do nothing to enhance the fan experience. I’ve seldom seen an industry work so hard to avoid selling a product that they have and could sell to consumers.

Ridiculous.

Comments

Comment from PA9QV, Jan
Time 2/23/2012 at 1:27 am

This is true for the majority of the (entertainment) Copyright Industry.

First they refuse to sell – then they complain about “piracy” or “stealing” – which it is not, really.
Very annoying . . .

Comment from Andy
Time 2/23/2012 at 8:04 am

A 99 cent/month proxy service gets around the blackouts if you get a service that lets you pick the location… tested that out last year.

Comment from Mark VandeWettering
Time 2/23/2012 at 10:42 am

Yes, I have considered using a proxy to get coverage. But the MLB thinks that’s illegal, so you end up with the possibility of sending money to a company who then believes that they are within their rights to sue you for buying their product. No thanks.