The on-going saga regarding whether DirectTV will have exclusive access to selling MLB's Extra Innings package just got a little interesting. In order to help quell the backlash to not being able to offer televised out-of-market games to their customers this year, Cox Cable has decided to throw a bone to all of their customers who ordered Extra Innings last year by offering them a "free" subscription to MLB.TV this season. Of course, MLB doesn't officially endorse this (and, as previously discussed on The Biz of Baseball, it might not be something they're too happy about), so eligible customers will need to initially pay for MLB.TV on their own (which runs about $90) before filling out a rebate form to send Cox. But still, it's a hoop worth jumping through if you were planning on ordering Extra Innings this year but can't, even though watching games on your computer is a far cry from enjoying a game on your wide-screen plasma, no matter if they're free.
Cox Cable offers service in only 16 states, but it will be interesting to see if other cable companies follow suit by offering a full rebate to past subscribers and/or a partial rebate to new subscribers. It sounds like MLB won't be too happy about it if other companies go this route, but putting up too much of a fight would result in a huge P.R. hit ... not that I necessarily think that'll stop them.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shame on MLB!!! I live in the upper midwest and the one splurge i allow myself is the Mlb package. Since i live in an apt. I cannot get direct tv. It is a shame that the greedy owners are screwing us fans. I sure hopw charter cable will do what cox is doing, But i have little hope. I hope MLB is proud of the way it treats it's fan base. I guess the billionairs win.