Direct TV DTV Direct TV and MLB Blackout Conspiracy Lakewood, New Jersey Nationwide
MLB and Direct TV totally blacks out Philadelphia Phillies games in my area (Lakewood, NJ 08701). I cannot even purchase them on MLB Extra Innings. The claim is that they must protect regional sports rights. Whatever that means, since DTV charges me a regional sports fee regardless whether I want it or not and I don't cause its for NYC teams and I'm not an NYC fan and don't normally watch NYC games unless they're playing Philly. This smacks of monopoly, but is so much more since the blackout is total unless I'm on the Comcast cable TV system which is not available where I live (unless I go to a sports bar). I'm not happy with MLB and rarely attend games anymore, as a form of protest, but blame DTV mostly because I am directly paying them for services. Consumers have got to get together and elect politicians who will fight monopolies such as these which make absolutely no sense except to defraud the public. I'm gonna send this complaint to my congressman even though he's been pretty useless so far.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
John S
Lakewood,New Jersey,
Monopoly Is As Monopoly Does
#3Author of original report
Tue, June 24, 2014
Ok Ken, I agree that MLB is a major offender with their arcane rules and suspicious cable coverage agreements. But I'm focusing on the problem with cable and satellite providers monopolizing feeds to whole communities thanks to political dingbats signing away our freedoms for life (probably for campaign contributions). Why am I restricted to NYC coverage when I'd rather choose Philly? Two miles over they got Philly coverage from the same satelitte company (satellites don't know the difference from 23K miles up). Please don't tell me they need the money more than consumers need the service (then I'll suspect you're some paid shill).
Moreover, DTV promised me that my team games would be unaffected by blackouts and came very close to selling me an MLB package for $200.00 (with no chance to change my mind even ten minutes after purchase). Luckily I checked deeper and found out the game was blacked out even though it was played in Atlanta. which means all Phillies games are blacked out in my area on DTV. They even blacked out the MLB channel a couple days before when Phillies were the scheduled game (even Cablevision never did that). It makes no sense that DTV designates my area as NYC coverage but blacks out Phillies (I'm 75 miles from Philly) because Comcast has the exclusive coverage even though I can't get Comcast because Cablevision has exclusive cable rights to my area. So you wanna blame MLB? Fine, just tell me who can fix these cable/satellite monopolies and you get my vote!
Ken
Colorado,How is DirectTV in ANY way responsible for this?
#3Consumer Comment
Mon, June 23, 2014
They're telling it like it is. Your beef, if any, is with MLB, but they're within their rights to protect the gate for their games.
Nice try at blame shifting, though.