MLB Extra Innings
Encyclopedia
MLB Extra Innings is an Out-of-Market Sports Package
distributed in North America
by satellite provider DirecTV since 1996 and by most cable providers since 2001. The package allows its subscribers to see up to 80 out-of-market Major League Baseball
games a week using local over the air stations and regional sports networks. Dish Network
offered the package from 2004–2006, but as of August 15, 2011, Dish was still not offering MLB Extra Innings. Despite the status, the satellite provider began carrying the MLB Network
on September 1, 2011.
As of the 2008 season
, the feeds from both teams' broadcasts are available for each game on DirecTV
, even if a team is showing the game locally on a broadcast station
. Even though the package relies on satellite uplink paths, DirecTV also carries feeds from local broadcast and even cable-only networks as well, such as 4SD
for The San Diego Padres
and CSN Philadelphia for the Philadelphia Phillies
. Feeds that aren't included on the DirecTV version of Extra Innings include KCAL
(Dodgers), KCOP-TV
(Angels), KNTV
(Giants), and WCIU (Cubs and White Sox).
The iN DEMAND
version of Extra Innings added the "dual feed" system for select broadcasts after the 2008 MLB All-Star Game. Along with this, the iN DEMAND
version of MLB Extra Innings has been able to add broadcast television stations, WKYC
(Indians), WPCH-TV (Braves), WWOR-TV
(Yankees), WJZ-TV
(Orioles), WDCW
(Nationals), WPIX
(Mets), WPHL-TV
(Phillies), WMLW-CA
(Brewers) and KTXH
(Astros), and in addition, one Canadian RSN
, the Toronto Blue Jays
' Rogers Sports Net feed. Previously, only one feed was available, usually the home team's.
Free previews of MLB Extra Innings are shown during the first week of the season, and the week after the All Star Game.
signed a new seven-year carriage contract with the MLB. At first, it was to be an exclusive deal worth $700 million. However, as a result of viewer complaints and antitrust
concerns - voiced by, among others, Massachusetts
Senator John Kerry
- MLB agreed to offer the package for renewal by cable systems
and Dish Network
. By March 9, negotiations had begun to try to settle the dispute, with a deadline of April 1, the first day of the MLB regular season
. MLB demanded that the cable systems bundle the renewal of the Extra Innings package with the MLB Network
, a 24-hour network in the vein of NFL Network
, NBA TV
, and NHL Network that MLB launched on January 1, 2009. Furthermore, these systems were asked to place the channel on an expanded digital tier. At least one major system, Time Warner Cable
, balked at the terms.
The offer from the cable consortium to MLB would have matched the financing portion, but cable was only willing to put the MLB Network on a premium tier. Cable systems did guarantee to reach at least as many viewers of MLB Network as DirecTV will reach. MLB was not satisfied with the offer, and publicly claimed that the cable companies failed to meet more of the criteria for the deal than they had actually met. However, while MLB wanted the cable systems to match the same offer as DirecTV, MLB would be providing more generous benefits to DirecTV for the very same offer: DirecTV would be receiving a stake in MLB Network, thereby barring cable systems from receiving the telecasts. Hence, MLB was accused of claiming that cable would not meet the same terms as DirecTV, while not offering the same deal to the cable consortium.
As of the start of the season on April 2, only DirecTV had agreed to those terms and was able to retain Extra Innings. It would not be available on any cable system until after the deadline was extended and agreements were reached.
On April 4, MLB and iN DEMAND
finally reached an agreement similar to the one that MLB reached with DirecTV. Cable companies that carry iN DEMAND
resumed carrying MLB Extra Innings and also agreed to add the MLB Network upon its launch. iN DEMAND only had the authority to negotiate directly for and agree to add the MLB Network on their owners' cable systems which are made up by Comcast
, Time Warner Cable
, Cox Communications
and Advance/Newhouse
(Bright House Networks
); in turn, iN DEMAND got an equity stake in the MLB Network about the same as the one DirecTV
received. Cablevision which had been asking for their own equity stake as terms for them to agree to add the MLB Network came to terms with iN DEMAND and Major League Baseball on May 4, 2007 which was iN DEMAND and MLB's deadline for cable companies and Dish Network to reach a deal. Dish never came to an agreement, and is still not carrying the package to this day. Cablevision agreed to carry the MLB Network without getting the equity stake in it. Charter Communications
also reached an agreement with MLB.
iN DEMAND places MLB Extra Innings on the same channels as its NHL Center Ice
service. Some providers, like Comcast
and Suddenlink Communications
may not offer all 14 MLB game channels. Because of hockey games shown on the same channels (particularly in April), some nights on Comcast and Suddenlink see no more than 2 or 3 games being shown. Some Comcast cable systems do carry all 14 game channels, while some systems have limited number of channels. DirecTV customers do not have this problem, as their 15 channels (mostly RSN
remaps) are dedicated solely to baseball.
restricts its customers from viewing MLB Extra Innings games in HD. Comcast's restriction on HD broadcasts add to existing blackout
restrictions in some broadcast markets. For example, Comcast customers living in the Houston-area broadcast market are restricted from watching the Texas Rangers
. This blackout restriction is applied to both MLB Extra Innings and all local and regional broadcast stations.
. This includes a "Game Mix" with eight games on the same channel, and a "Strike Zone Channel" with live cut-ins to the night's games. It is commercial free as well, and is also available in HD.
DirecTV subscribers with the Superfan package for the 2008 season also get access to up to 40 games in HD
each week. In 2007, at least 10 games each week were in HD. HD equipment is required. Superfan costs an additional $50 on top of the MLB Extra Innings package subscription cost as well as requires one to subscribe to the $9.99 HD monthly access fee.
Beginning with the 2009 MLB season, "Superfan" will no longer be offered as an option with MLB Extra Innings on DirecTV. Instead, the up to 40 HD games per week will be part of the base package, provided to subscribers who already possess HD-ready equipment, and who pay the aforementioned HD monthly access fee.
in that area if the same game is on the Extra Innings schedule. In most cases, these games can be seen locally on a broadcast or cable/satellite network. (If both feeds are available, as noted above, they are both blacked out.)
Nationally-broadcast games on Fox or ESPN
are not made available on Extra Innings. Chicago Cubs
and White Sox
games broadcasted nationally on WGN America are also blacked out occasionally.
Fox has exclusive broadcasting rights for Saturday afternoon games starting 3 hours prior to first pitch of their scheduled game through 3 hours after the start of their scheduled first pitch. For the majority of the 2010 season, an MLB on Fox telecast is scheduled to start at 4:10pm ET. Any games starting prior to 1:10pm ET and after 7:05pm ET will be shown on MLB Extra Innings. However there are 5 instances this season that Fox will have games starting other than 4:10pm ET. On May 22 and June 26, this year Fox will have games starting at 7:10pm ET. In this instance games starting prior to 4:10pm ET and after 10:05pm ET will be shown on MLB Extra Innings. In the other 3 instances, Fox will have games starting at 3:10pm ET (April 10, May 1, and May 8). Games starting prior to 12:10pm ET and after 6:05pm ET will be shown on MLB Extra Innings. Any games not shown on Fox falling in between those aforementioned time frames will be blacked out. This is a departure from previous seasons, whereas all games were blacked out on Saturdays prior to 7:05pm ET in previous seasons.
ESPN has exclusive broadcast rights for Sunday evening games. Any game starting after 5:00 PM Eastern time on Sundays will not be broadcast on MLB Extra Innings. ESPN also televises a number of other games throughout the week. These, however, are not blacked out.
In North Carolina, Time Warner persistently refuses to carry the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), which means all Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles games - home and away - are blacked out because MLB includes the state in those teams' broadcast territory. North Carolina's Time Warner customers are now considering a class action lawsuit because they have access to 15% fewer games despite paying the same fee for the package as all other parts of the country.
Additionally, Cox Communications in Northern Connecticut refuses to carry YES (Yankees Entertainment Network) in an area of the country where the fan base is fairly split between Red Sox and Yankees fans. Since Connecticut is designated Yankees, Red Sox, and Mets territory, those games are blacked out not only on Extra Innings, but also when the Yankees are playing on ESPN. Since, in many areas, Cox has a monopoly on Northern Connecticut (cable-wise) the only way to get YES in this area is to buy DirecTV.
Nationally-broadcast Toronto Blue Jays
games and Sunday Night Baseball
are not made available on Extra Innings and are available on Sportsnet and TSN2
respectively. All remaining televised games, including Major League Baseball on Fox, ESPN Major League Baseball
and Major League Baseball on TBS are shown without exclusivity. Chicago Cubs
and White Sox
games broadcasted on WGN-TV
and New York Mets
games on WPIX-TV are not blacked out. Out-of-market and shared territory games that air on Sportsnet's regional feeds are not blacked out, but may be subject to improper use of the simultaneous substitution
rules.
DIRECTV has historically charged less for their SD only package than cable ($169 to renew and $179 for early bird in 2008) and instead offered HD and 'Superfan' for an additional charge.
Out-of-Market Sports Package
In the North America, an Out-of-Market Sports Package is a form of subscription television that broadcasts sporting events to areas who are unavailable to see them because the games are not broadcast in their local market....
distributed in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
by satellite provider DirecTV since 1996 and by most cable providers since 2001. The package allows its subscribers to see up to 80 out-of-market Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
games a week using local over the air stations and regional sports networks. Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
offered the package from 2004–2006, but as of August 15, 2011, Dish was still not offering MLB Extra Innings. Despite the status, the satellite provider began carrying the MLB Network
MLB Network
MLB Network is an American television specialty channel dedicated to professional baseball. It is primarily owned by Major League Baseball. Comcast, DirecTV, Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications have minority ownership of the new network, with MLB retaining a controlling two-thirds share...
on September 1, 2011.
As of the 2008 season
2008 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:* Regular Season Champions* World Series Champions – Philadelphia Phillies** American League Champions – Tampa Bay Rays** National League Champions – Philadelphia Phillies* Postseason – October 1 to October 29...
, the feeds from both teams' broadcasts are available for each game on DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
, even if a team is showing the game locally on a broadcast station
Terrestrial television
Terrestrial television is a mode of television broadcasting which does not involve satellite transmission or cables — typically using radio waves through transmitting and receiving antennas or television antenna aerials...
. Even though the package relies on satellite uplink paths, DirecTV also carries feeds from local broadcast and even cable-only networks as well, such as 4SD
4SD
4SD, commonly referred to as Channel 4 San Diego is a local origination cable TV channel based in San Diego, California, United States, and is owned and operated by Cox Communications, through its San Diego-based cable television system. In addition to Cox...
for The San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
and CSN Philadelphia for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. Feeds that aren't included on the DirecTV version of Extra Innings include KCAL
KCAL
KCAL may refer to:*KCAL , a radio station licensed to Redlands, California, United States*KCAL-FM, a radio station licensed to Redlands, California, United States...
(Dodgers), KCOP-TV
KCOP-TV
KCOP-TV, channel 13, is a television station in Los Angeles, California. Owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, KCOP is a sister station to Fox network outlet KTTV , and is affiliated with the MyNetworkTV programming service...
(Angels), KNTV
KNTV
KNTV, channel 11, is the NBC owned-and-operated television station in the Bay Area market. It is licensed to San Jose, with its transmitter located on San Bruno Mountain, just south of San Francisco. It shares facilities in San Jose with NBC Universal sister station KSTS and CNBC's Silicon...
(Giants), and WCIU (Cubs and White Sox).
The iN DEMAND
IN DEMAND
In Demand is a provider of pay-per-view and subscription video-on-demand services, jointly owned by Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks...
version of Extra Innings added the "dual feed" system for select broadcasts after the 2008 MLB All-Star Game. Along with this, the iN DEMAND
IN DEMAND
In Demand is a provider of pay-per-view and subscription video-on-demand services, jointly owned by Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks...
version of MLB Extra Innings has been able to add broadcast television stations, WKYC
WKYC-TV
WKYC, virtual channel 3 , is an NBC-affiliated television station located in Cleveland, Ohio, owned by the Gannett Company. Its studio is located on the shores of Lake Erie, while its transmitter is located in Parma, Ohio....
(Indians), WPCH-TV (Braves), WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the flagship station of the MyNetworkTV programming service, licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey and serving the Tri-State metropolitan area. WWOR is owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is a sister station to Fox network flagship...
(Yankees), WJZ-TV
WJZ-TV
WJZ-TV, channel 13, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Baltimore, Maryland. WJZ-TV's studios and offices are located on Television Hill in the Woodberry section of Baltimore, adjacent to the transmission tower it shares with four other Baltimore...
(Orioles), WDCW
WDCW
WDCW, channel 50, is the CW-affiliated television station for Washington, D.C. It transmits from the Hughes Memorial Tower located in the Brightwood section of the city. Owned by the Tribune Company, the station has studios on Wisconsin Avenue Northwest in the Glover Park section of Washington...
(Nationals), WPIX
WPIX
WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...
(Mets), WPHL-TV
WPHL-TV
WPHL-TV, channel 17, is a television station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, owned by the Tribune Company and currently affiliated with the News Corporation-owned MyNetworkTV television network. This makes it the largest non-O&O station of the network...
(Phillies), WMLW-CA
WMLW-CA
WMLW-CA, channel 41 , is a LPTV independent television station located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its transmitter is located in Milwaukee's Lincoln Park...
(Brewers) and KTXH
KTXH
KTXH, digital channel 19 , is a MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station in Houston, Texas. It is owned by the Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is one-half of a duopoly with Fox network station KRIV .Along with programming from MyNetworkTV, the station also airs...
(Astros), and in addition, one Canadian RSN
Regional sports network
In the United States of America and Canada, a regional sports network, or RSN, is a cable television station that presents sports programming to a local market. The most important programming on an RSN consists of live broadcasts of professional and college sporting events, as those games generate...
, the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
' Rogers Sports Net feed. Previously, only one feed was available, usually the home team's.
Free previews of MLB Extra Innings are shown during the first week of the season, and the week after the All Star Game.
Availability
MLB Extra Innings is available with these cable and satellite providers:- United States:
- DirecTVDirecTVDirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
- iN DEMAND GameIN DEMANDIn Demand is a provider of pay-per-view and subscription video-on-demand services, jointly owned by Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks...
- Bright House NetworksBright House NetworksBright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
- Cablevision (iO)
- Charter CommunicationsCharter CommunicationsCharter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
- ComcastComcastComcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
- Cox CommunicationsCox CommunicationsCox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
- Midcontinent CommunicationsMidcontinent CommunicationsMidcontinent Communications is a regional cable provider, providing a triple play service of cable television, cable modem Internet service, and cable telephone service for both North Dakota and South Dakota, along with several communities in western Minnesota...
- RCNRCN CorporationRCN Corporation, founded in 1993 and based in Herndon, Virginia, is the first American facilities-based competitive provider of bundled telephone, cable television and high-speed internet service delivered over its own fiber-optic local network to consumers in the Boston, New York, Eastern...
- Suddenlink CommunicationsSuddenlink CommunicationsSuddenlink Communications, formerly Cebridge Connections, is a top-10 cable broadband services provider in the United States with approximately 1.4 million subscribers. Suddenlink operates in 18 states in primarily medium-sized communities. With its corporate headquarters in St. Louis, MO,...
- Time Warner CableTime Warner CableTime Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
- Verizon FiOSVerizon FiOSVerizon FiOS is a bundled Internet access, telephone, and television service which operates over a fiber-optic communications network. It is offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon Communications. Verizon was one of the first major U.S...
- WOW!
- DirecTV
- Canada:
- Bell TV
- TELUS Satellite TVTelus TVTelus TV is a product of Telus that provides IPTV and Satellite service across the Canadian provinces of British Columbia and Alberta. Telus launched its IPTV based service in November 2005 to Telus customers in select communities of Alberta but is now available in several communities throughout...
- Access CommunicationsAccess CommunicationsAccess Communications Co-operative Ltd. is a Canadian cable television provider, operating in Regina, Saskatchewan and several other communities in Saskatchewan...
- Cogeco CableCogecoCogeco Inc. is a Canadian media and communications company. The name is an acronym for Compagnie Générale de Communication .-History:...
- EastLink CableEastLink (company)EastLink is a Canadian cable television and telecommunications company. In 1970, EastLink was established in Amherst, Nova Scotia, when it was issued one of the first cable licences granted by the CRTC...
- Rogers CableRogers CableRogers Cable Inc., a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc., is Canada's largest cable television service provider with about 2.25 million television customers, and over 930,000 Internet subscribers, in Manitoba, Southern & Eastern Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador.The...
- VidéotronVidéotronVidéotron GP is a Canadian integrated telecommunications company active in cable television, interactive multimedia development, video on demand, cable telephony, wireless communication and Internet access services. Currently, the company primarily serves Quebec, as well as the francophone...
- Westman CommunicationsWestman Communications GroupWestman Communications Group is the operating name of Westman Media Co-operative. Formerly referred to as Westman Cable, it is the main cable television company for the city of Brandon, Manitoba and the surrounding towns and villages of southwestern Manitoba.WCG was established in 1977 and...
- Mexico and Central America:
- SKY MéxicoSKY MéxicoSKY México is a company that operates a subscription television service in the Mexico, Central America, Dominican Republic area. It produces TV content, and owns several TV channels...
- SKY México
- South America and Caribbean:
- DirecTVDirecTVDirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
- DirecTV
New contract and controversy
On March 6, 2007, DirecTVDirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
signed a new seven-year carriage contract with the MLB. At first, it was to be an exclusive deal worth $700 million. However, as a result of viewer complaints and antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
concerns - voiced by, among others, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Senator John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
- MLB agreed to offer the package for renewal by cable systems
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
and Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
. By March 9, negotiations had begun to try to settle the dispute, with a deadline of April 1, the first day of the MLB regular season
2007 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*Regular Season Champions*World Series Champion – [Boston Red Sox]*Postseason – October 2 to October 28Click on any series score to link to that series' page....
. MLB demanded that the cable systems bundle the renewal of the Extra Innings package with the MLB Network
MLB Network
MLB Network is an American television specialty channel dedicated to professional baseball. It is primarily owned by Major League Baseball. Comcast, DirecTV, Time Warner Cable and Cox Communications have minority ownership of the new network, with MLB retaining a controlling two-thirds share...
, a 24-hour network in the vein of NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
, NBA TV
NBA TV
NBA TV is a television specialty channel that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association , which also uses NBA TV as a way of advertising their out of market package NBA League Pass, and partner...
, and NHL Network that MLB launched on January 1, 2009. Furthermore, these systems were asked to place the channel on an expanded digital tier. At least one major system, Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
, balked at the terms.
The offer from the cable consortium to MLB would have matched the financing portion, but cable was only willing to put the MLB Network on a premium tier. Cable systems did guarantee to reach at least as many viewers of MLB Network as DirecTV will reach. MLB was not satisfied with the offer, and publicly claimed that the cable companies failed to meet more of the criteria for the deal than they had actually met. However, while MLB wanted the cable systems to match the same offer as DirecTV, MLB would be providing more generous benefits to DirecTV for the very same offer: DirecTV would be receiving a stake in MLB Network, thereby barring cable systems from receiving the telecasts. Hence, MLB was accused of claiming that cable would not meet the same terms as DirecTV, while not offering the same deal to the cable consortium.
As of the start of the season on April 2, only DirecTV had agreed to those terms and was able to retain Extra Innings. It would not be available on any cable system until after the deadline was extended and agreements were reached.
On April 4, MLB and iN DEMAND
IN DEMAND
In Demand is a provider of pay-per-view and subscription video-on-demand services, jointly owned by Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks...
finally reached an agreement similar to the one that MLB reached with DirecTV. Cable companies that carry iN DEMAND
IN DEMAND
In Demand is a provider of pay-per-view and subscription video-on-demand services, jointly owned by Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, and Bright House Networks...
resumed carrying MLB Extra Innings and also agreed to add the MLB Network upon its launch. iN DEMAND only had the authority to negotiate directly for and agree to add the MLB Network on their owners' cable systems which are made up by Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
, Cox Communications
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
and Advance/Newhouse
Advance Publications
Advance Publications, Inc., is an American media company owned by the descendants of S.I. Newhouse Sr., Donald Newhouse and S.I. Newhouse, Jr. It is named after the Staten Island Advance, the first newspaper owned by the Newhouse family...
(Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
); in turn, iN DEMAND got an equity stake in the MLB Network about the same as the one DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
received. Cablevision which had been asking for their own equity stake as terms for them to agree to add the MLB Network came to terms with iN DEMAND and Major League Baseball on May 4, 2007 which was iN DEMAND and MLB's deadline for cable companies and Dish Network to reach a deal. Dish never came to an agreement, and is still not carrying the package to this day. Cablevision agreed to carry the MLB Network without getting the equity stake in it. Charter Communications
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
also reached an agreement with MLB.
iN DEMAND places MLB Extra Innings on the same channels as its NHL Center Ice
NHL Center Ice
NHL Center Ice is an Out-of-Market Sports Package distributed by most cable and satellite providers in the United States and Canada. The package allows its subscribers to see up to forty out-of-market National Hockey League games a week using local and national television networks.NHL Center Ice...
service. Some providers, like Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
and Suddenlink Communications
Suddenlink Communications
Suddenlink Communications, formerly Cebridge Connections, is a top-10 cable broadband services provider in the United States with approximately 1.4 million subscribers. Suddenlink operates in 18 states in primarily medium-sized communities. With its corporate headquarters in St. Louis, MO,...
may not offer all 14 MLB game channels. Because of hockey games shown on the same channels (particularly in April), some nights on Comcast and Suddenlink see no more than 2 or 3 games being shown. Some Comcast cable systems do carry all 14 game channels, while some systems have limited number of channels. DirecTV customers do not have this problem, as their 15 channels (mostly RSN
RSN
RSN is a three letter acronym that may refer to:*Real soon now*Red Sox Nation*Regional Sports Network**Rogers Sportsnet, a Canadian regional sports network*Renal Support Network*Republic of Singapore Navy*Resort Sports Network*Robust Security Network...
remaps) are dedicated solely to baseball.
Comcast HD Restrictions and Blackouts
ComcastComcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
restricts its customers from viewing MLB Extra Innings games in HD. Comcast's restriction on HD broadcasts add to existing blackout
Blackout (broadcasting)
Blackout usually relates to the broadcasting of sports events, television programming, that is prohibited in a certain media market.The purpose is theoretically to generate more revenue by obliging certain actions from fans, either by making them buy tickets or watch other games on TV...
restrictions in some broadcast markets. For example, Comcast customers living in the Houston-area broadcast market are restricted from watching the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
. This blackout restriction is applied to both MLB Extra Innings and all local and regional broadcast stations.
Additional "Superfan" feature
MLB Extra Innings on DirecTV has launched a "Superfan" premium package similar to that available from NFL Sunday TicketNFL Sunday Ticket
NFL Sunday Ticket is an Out-of-Market Sports Package that broadcasts National Football League regular season games unavailable on local affiliates. It carries all regional Sunday afternoon games produced by Fox and CBS...
. This includes a "Game Mix" with eight games on the same channel, and a "Strike Zone Channel" with live cut-ins to the night's games. It is commercial free as well, and is also available in HD.
DirecTV subscribers with the Superfan package for the 2008 season also get access to up to 40 games in HD
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
each week. In 2007, at least 10 games each week were in HD. HD equipment is required. Superfan costs an additional $50 on top of the MLB Extra Innings package subscription cost as well as requires one to subscribe to the $9.99 HD monthly access fee.
Beginning with the 2009 MLB season, "Superfan" will no longer be offered as an option with MLB Extra Innings on DirecTV. Instead, the up to 40 HD games per week will be part of the base package, provided to subscribers who already possess HD-ready equipment, and who pay the aforementioned HD monthly access fee.
USA
Game broadcasts of a major league team in its home market are blacked outBlackout (broadcasting)
Blackout usually relates to the broadcasting of sports events, television programming, that is prohibited in a certain media market.The purpose is theoretically to generate more revenue by obliging certain actions from fans, either by making them buy tickets or watch other games on TV...
in that area if the same game is on the Extra Innings schedule. In most cases, these games can be seen locally on a broadcast or cable/satellite network. (If both feeds are available, as noted above, they are both blacked out.)
Nationally-broadcast games on Fox or ESPN
ESPN Major League Baseball
ESPN Major League Baseball is a promotion of Major League Baseball on ESPN and ESPN2, with simulcasts on ESPNHD or ESPN2HD. ESPN's MLB coverage debuted on April 9, 1990 with three Opening Day telecasts. ESPN Major League Baseball is guaranteed to remain on air until 2013.The title is derived from...
are not made available on Extra Innings. Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
games broadcasted nationally on WGN America are also blacked out occasionally.
Fox has exclusive broadcasting rights for Saturday afternoon games starting 3 hours prior to first pitch of their scheduled game through 3 hours after the start of their scheduled first pitch. For the majority of the 2010 season, an MLB on Fox telecast is scheduled to start at 4:10pm ET. Any games starting prior to 1:10pm ET and after 7:05pm ET will be shown on MLB Extra Innings. However there are 5 instances this season that Fox will have games starting other than 4:10pm ET. On May 22 and June 26, this year Fox will have games starting at 7:10pm ET. In this instance games starting prior to 4:10pm ET and after 10:05pm ET will be shown on MLB Extra Innings. In the other 3 instances, Fox will have games starting at 3:10pm ET (April 10, May 1, and May 8). Games starting prior to 12:10pm ET and after 6:05pm ET will be shown on MLB Extra Innings. Any games not shown on Fox falling in between those aforementioned time frames will be blacked out. This is a departure from previous seasons, whereas all games were blacked out on Saturdays prior to 7:05pm ET in previous seasons.
ESPN has exclusive broadcast rights for Sunday evening games. Any game starting after 5:00 PM Eastern time on Sundays will not be broadcast on MLB Extra Innings. ESPN also televises a number of other games throughout the week. These, however, are not blacked out.
In North Carolina, Time Warner persistently refuses to carry the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), which means all Washington Nationals and Baltimore Orioles games - home and away - are blacked out because MLB includes the state in those teams' broadcast territory. North Carolina's Time Warner customers are now considering a class action lawsuit because they have access to 15% fewer games despite paying the same fee for the package as all other parts of the country.
Additionally, Cox Communications in Northern Connecticut refuses to carry YES (Yankees Entertainment Network) in an area of the country where the fan base is fairly split between Red Sox and Yankees fans. Since Connecticut is designated Yankees, Red Sox, and Mets territory, those games are blacked out not only on Extra Innings, but also when the Yankees are playing on ESPN. Since, in many areas, Cox has a monopoly on Northern Connecticut (cable-wise) the only way to get YES in this area is to buy DirecTV.
Canada
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
games and Sunday Night Baseball
Sunday Night Baseball
Sunday Night Baseball is the Major League Baseball exclusive game of the week that is televised Sunday nights at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN during the regular season...
are not made available on Extra Innings and are available on Sportsnet and TSN2
TSN2
TSN2 is a secondary feed of the Canadian English language Category C specialty channel TSN, owned by CTV Specialty Television Inc., a joint venture of Bell Media and ESPN...
respectively. All remaining televised games, including Major League Baseball on Fox, ESPN Major League Baseball
ESPN Major League Baseball
ESPN Major League Baseball is a promotion of Major League Baseball on ESPN and ESPN2, with simulcasts on ESPNHD or ESPN2HD. ESPN's MLB coverage debuted on April 9, 1990 with three Opening Day telecasts. ESPN Major League Baseball is guaranteed to remain on air until 2013.The title is derived from...
and Major League Baseball on TBS are shown without exclusivity. Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
games broadcasted on WGN-TV
WGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
and New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
games on WPIX-TV are not blacked out. Out-of-market and shared territory games that air on Sportsnet's regional feeds are not blacked out, but may be subject to improper use of the simultaneous substitution
Simultaneous substitution
Simultaneous substitution is a practice mandated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission requiring Canadian cable, direct broadcast satellite and multichannel multipoint distribution service television distribution companies to substitute the signal of a foreign or...
rules.
Package price history
Many cable and satellite companies offer "early bird" package prices if ordered by the first week of the season or for automatic renewal. The following prices were for the regular listed price per season for the cable packages.- 1996-2000: $139
- 2001: $149
- 2002: $159
- 2008: $199
- 2009: $191.94 (early renewal price)
- 2010: $199
- 2011: $209.94
DIRECTV has historically charged less for their SD only package than cable ($169 to renew and $179 for early bird in 2008) and instead offered HD and 'Superfan' for an additional charge.
See also
- NFL Sunday TicketNFL Sunday TicketNFL Sunday Ticket is an Out-of-Market Sports Package that broadcasts National Football League regular season games unavailable on local affiliates. It carries all regional Sunday afternoon games produced by Fox and CBS...
- NBA League PassNBA League PassNBA League Pass is an out-of-market sports package that allows its subscribers to watch up to 40 out-of-market National Basketball Association games a week....
- NHL Center IceNHL Center IceNHL Center Ice is an Out-of-Market Sports Package distributed by most cable and satellite providers in the United States and Canada. The package allows its subscribers to see up to forty out-of-market National Hockey League games a week using local and national television networks.NHL Center Ice...
- NASCAR Hot PassNASCAR Hot PassNASCAR Hot Pass is a complementary television package available exclusively on DirecTV in the United States and on various cable & satellite providers in Canada. It debuted at the 2007 Daytona 500, which aired on February 18 of that year. In 2007 and 2008, it was a pay-per-view subscription package...
- ESPN GamePlanESPN GamePlanESPN GamePlan is a Out-of-Market Sports Package offering college football games to viewers throughout the United States.GamePlan begins on Labor Day weekend and continues through the first Saturday in December. It includes all regional telecasts on ABC, as well as games from various syndicators...
- ESPN Full CourtESPN Full CourtESPN Full Court is an out-of-market sports package in the United States that carries college basketball games. It is available on most major cable and satellite television providers, and on any computer whose broadband Internet service is provided by one of ESPN.com's business partners.The package...
- MLS Direct KickMLS Direct KickMLS Direct Kick is an Out-of-Market Sports Package distributed by most cable and satellite providers in North America. As of the 2011 season, package subscribers will be able to watch up to 221 Major League Soccer regular season games as well as some MLS Cup playoff matches. The package costs $79...
- List of current Major League Baseball announcers
- Major League Baseball on regional sports networksMajor League Baseball on regional sports networksIn the United States of America and Canada, a regional sports network, or RSN, is a cable television station that presents sports programming to a local market. The most important programming on an RSN consists of live broadcasts of professional and college sporting events, as those games generate...