More MLB.TV gripes
Yesterday, I griped about not being able to access MLB.TV and Gameday Audio simultaneously. Today, I have a new round of MLB.TV complaints:
- Blackout restrictions. Why can't I watch the Jays on MLB.TV? Because I'm on the West Coast, in the Seattle-area market? But there isn't even a Seattle game scheduled for today!
- The MLB.TV/Gameday Audio bundle. I've been a Gameday Audio subscriber for years. Midway through this season, I got tired of missing out on the visuals of baseball (read: athletic guys in hot pants), so I got a subscription to MLB.TV. Gameday Audio is bundled into the MLB.TV subscription, so shouldn't I get a discount because I'm already a Gameday Audio user?
I also noticed a change with Gameday Audio this week that has me scratching my head: they've removed the box score from the Gameday Audio window! This means that if I get a phone call and miss some runs, I have to go check the MLB home page to see the score. Stupid.
UPDATE: Apparently, my proximity to Seattle has nothing to do with being blacked out of watching the Jays on MLB.TV: I just tried loading up the Seattle/Jays game and was denied. After checking the MLB site for further information, I think I'm being blacked out because I'm in the Jays' "home television territory". I guess this means that Rogers (the cable company that owns the Jays) has exclusive rights to show the game in my area, superceding MLB.TV's rights. The irony is that the blackout restriction doesn't make me want to go out and sign up for cable–it merely makes me ticked off at both Rogers and MLB.TV for not being able to work out a better deal for the fans. I'm thinking back fondly on the days when the CBC had a broadcast deal with the Jays…
Also, I emailed MLB support yesterday about two issues: the disappearance of the box score from Gameday Audio, and redirection errors I was running into yesterday when trying to sign-in and post comments on MLBlogs. I haven't received any responses, but today both issues have cleared up. I think I'll (politely) complain more often in life–being a squeaky wheel seems to get the job done!
UPDATE 2: After sending in a polite request for a refund on my Gameday Audio subscription last week, I'm pleased to say that MLB has refunded the cost of my GA subscription. It pays to speak up–literally!
