MLB.tv gets cheaper, adds HD and more in '09

by Richard Lawler posted Feb 6th 2009 at 10:48AM

While Scott Boras still works on a deal for Manny, baseball fans can take heart, MLB.tv's streaming package has dropped its upfront costs $10 for next season, plus HD streaming and "Live Game DVR Functionality", so you can rewind and fast forward -- but only during the game. Throw in picture-in-picture and live chat features and it looks like the switch from Silverlight to Flash is paying off, at least on paper. We're trying to find an argument against lower price and more features that doesn't have to do with the Yankees and Red Sox trying to buy a title every offseason, but we're coming up blank.

Filed under: Sports

Tags: baseball, dvr, flash, hd, mlb, mlb.tv, online video, OnlineVideo, streaming

Subscribe to these comments

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Galley @ Feb 6th 2009 11:51AM

I had thought about switching to MLB Extra Innings on DirecTV HD this year for $189.00, but these new features are awful compelling.

Highly Ranked

Jason @ Feb 6th 2009 12:02PM

Now if they'd drop the price to $10 and do something about those archaic blackout restrictions, I might think about signing up.

Highest Ranked

Renaud @ Feb 6th 2009 12:11PM

I'd spend $50 if they didn't have blackout restrictions. What's the point if I can't watch my team?

Neutral

drphil7 @ Feb 6th 2009 12:23PM

I might have to get this if UVerse doesn't get it together and offer MLB Network or Extra Innings.

Highest Ranked

Jeff @ Feb 6th 2009 12:26PM

Just because MLB has lowered the price, it doesn't fix the real problem...blackouts. If you live in Las Vegas or parts of the Midwest, you'll still have up to 6 teams blacked out, even when watching the games online. MLB needs to reconsider their 1950's radio blackout rules that they are using for TV and bring them up-to-date more closely to the NFL or NBA standards.

When MLB fixes this problem, I'll consider, but why should I pay for this package when half my games are already on WGN?

Neutral

Jay @ Feb 6th 2009 12:34PM

I'm a Mets fan and live in the DC area, so this great news for me! I'll be able to watch them with higher res and cheaper price. Any excuse to avoid giving more money to Com-crap is what I'm looking for!

Highly Ranked

Miguel @ Feb 6th 2009 2:04PM

Like others have said, I'd sign up if they would drop the local blackout restrictions.

I just want to cancel comcrap and sign up for this but these monopolistic blackout rules ruin it.

Neutral

Zheng @ Feb 6th 2009 2:38PM

If you changed your billing address to Alaska, would that change the blackouts of local games? How does the internet know where you live? Also, what if you're traveling for business/vacation and you're not in your local area. Can you watch the local teams when you're away? I'm just curious.

Neutral

nick @ Feb 6th 2009 2:41PM

Do any of you guys complaining about blackout rules have paperless billing on your credit cards? Trusted relative that lives across country? Change you CC address and sign up. No more blackouts!!!

Neutral

Dan Rayburn @ Feb 6th 2009 7:56PM

You can't change your billing address to a different state and then get the local games. MLB.TV does a look up of your IP address to see where you are coming from. You can't get around it.

Neutral

VIPRegan @ Feb 6th 2009 5:47PM

yes you can. It's called Sopcast!

Neutral

Big John @ Feb 10th 2009 1:41PM

Actually, yes it is.

Two summers ago I lived in a house with no cable. I wanted to watch my Tigers. A friend runs his own PBX server and had a number local to Seattle. I looked up a real estate listing in Seattle for an address. I called MLB, told them I had just moved yet my blackout was still in Detroit. The man called me back on the Seattle number (forwarded to my cell phone) and he whitelisted my IP address.

Had MLB.TV with my local team all summer.

Neutral

theoneneo81 @ Feb 7th 2009 12:27AM

the blackouts arent bad for me the only time i get black outs are if games are on Fox or ESPN ESPN2 although its mainly cause im a yankees fan living in TN. this will be a nice update though.

Neutral

tranzparentl @ Feb 7th 2009 9:28AM

Proxys are a great friend.

Review: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Assassin's Creed 2's final dev diary takes us into Ezio's villa This is Modern Warfare 2's official launch party	Mobile Minute: Open GL and Flash support coming soon to your Blackberry Droid Does... only have 256MB of storage for apps With AdMob purchase, there's really no escaping Google advertising now
Nvidia CEO loves Apple, possesses mysterious alien device Congressional caricatures on the App Store: The nays have it Confirmed: 10.6.2 removes Atom CPU support from Snow Leopard	Before the bell: Stocks ready for a lower open after reaching 13-month highs Ray of light: U.S. temp worker hiring increased by 34k in October Cameron International: Pull-back is an opportunity
Xbox 360 Fancast 142 -- ODSB XBLM Deal of the Week: Saints Row 2 DLC Crackdown HDD installation now available	REPORT: VW takes over #1 carmaker slot, sings "Wir sind die Meister, mein Freund" AutoblogGreen for 11.10.09 VIDEO: BMW M3 GTS takes to the track
Dragon Age: Origins on top of latest Steam top 10 best seller list PC game sales start hitting early New Left 4 Dead patch adds 4 on 4 competitive matchmaking	Fed-Up K.C. Ownership Pushed to Act Larry Johnson Released, Redskins Already Expressing Interest Bengals a Win Away From Controlling AFC North