2020 Around the MLB Thread

[Derek]

Okay, if that's your take have at it. Owners have no clue what they're doing.

I haven't seen much evidence to the contrary

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Wait... do you think anybody actually believes they're doing it out of spite?

I think it's pretty clear that the MLB owners have no fucking clue what they're doing or how to promote their sport. That's the issue we're trying to address here!

They're already losing out on money due to their dwindling fan base and they're too stupid to fix it.

I don't think the analysis as to what hurts them is as clear cut as you think. It's always possible that they're right, not stupid. Or to put it differently, I'm not sure there's incontrovertible evidence that the blackout rules materially reduce the number of fans long-term.

 

[Derek]

I don't think the analysis as to what hurts them is as clear cut as you think. It's always possible that they're right, not stupid. Or to put it differently, I'm not sure there's incontrovertible evidence that the blackout rules materially reduce the number of fans long-term.

Well, the fan base is dwindling and they do next to nothing to build it back up.

We can argue the reasons or the right course of action, but they're literally not doing anything. That's stupid.

 

[Otsego Mar]

I don't think the analysis as to what hurts them is as clear cut as you think. It's always possible that they're right, not stupid. Or to put it differently, I'm not sure there's incontrovertible evidence that the blackout rules materially reduce the number of fans long-term.

I'm not even sure the owners care. As angelfan is alluding to, this is purely contractual ($$).

I think the idea of blackouts is ridiculous.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Well, the fan base is dwindling and they do next to nothing to build it back up.

We can argue the reasons or the right course of action, but they're literally not doing anything. That's stupid.

Well, they are doing things though. They're pushing for more playoffs, universal DH, instant replay...it might not be the stuff you'd do, but it isn't literally nothing.

And it's not like individual franchises have a free hand, either. It takes a supermajority of owners, and often the agreement of the MLBPA to make league-wide changes. So a handful of "dumb" owners could hold back the "smart" ones.

While they do have a free hand for their local contracts, the fact that all of them (or close to it) all take advantage of blackout authority suggests that they're probably correct in believing that maximizes long-term revenue. I'm sure they've all got their own analysts running the numbers, etc., and if they're all coming to the same conclusion, there's a good chance they're right.

I personally suspect the fans most likely to be upset by blackouts are the die-hards anyway.

 

[Derek]

Well, they are doing things though. They're pushing for more playoffs, universal DH, instant replay...it might not be the stuff you'd do, but it isn't literally nothing.

And it's not like individual franchises have a free hand, either. It takes a supermajority of owners, and often the agreement of the MLBPA to make league-wide changes. So a handful of "dumb" owners could hold back the "smart" ones.

While they do have a free hand for their local contracts, the fact that all of them (or close to it) all take advantage of blackout authority suggests that they're probably correct in believing that maximizes long-term revenue. I'm sure they've all got their own analysts running the numbers, etc., and if they're all coming to the same conclusion, there's a good chance they're right.

I personally suspect the fans most likely to be upset by blackouts are the die-hards anyway.

We’re so far apart on this, I don’t think it’s worth continuing the discussion.

I believe the owners have proven themselves to be dumbasses who have no idea how to grow the game.

 

[sportscoach]

@The Human Q-Tip

I am siding with @Derek on this argument, but i am looking at it this way.

NBA honestly is watched around the world and basketball is a world sport. They have fans all over the world. Most casual fans can name the best players in the league and the NBA (almost to much) promotes these players and many people know them.

NFL, now they arent a world sport, but you can watch around 12 if not more of the games per season on free TV (just antenna or on NFL.com) as long as enough tickets are sold. So you have access without paying much to be able to watch most of the games. Plus they promote players as well. Guys like Burrows (who hasn't even had an NFL snap) has already sold more jerseys than likely Roberto Perez has and he has been on the tribe the longest.

MLB, does not promote its players (maybe it stems from the history of baseball, but they need to change things with this). How many guys can you name that arent on the Indians? Can you name the AL Leader in HRs in 19? Can you explain why the Marlins are looking to lock up 3B Brian Anderson to an extension? Can you tell me why Bryan Reynolds could compete for a batting title? Most people cannot even tell me who those guys are let alone tell me anything about them.

Also in my mind, they arent changing with the people's lifestyles. You need cable/satellite if you don't have mlb.tv, to watch baseball gamss at home. With the decline in subscriptions to cable/satellite and the big increase to Netflix and other options like that, there is less and less people that have access to your teams games. Turner, who owned the Braves, always wanted his team on a regular TV so everyone could watch them, not just the local people. I saw more Braves games than Indians games growing up in Canton. I often could only watch the replay cause Time Warner Cable blacked out a lot of the games. I became a fan of baseball because of the Braves and my dad, not because of the Indians since I never got to watch them.

Don't get me wrong, I understand the economics and whatnot of baseball, but with what @Derek was saying, they arent being smart since they arent adjusting to the times. Some places have 4 or more teams blackout even with MLB.tv subscription. They cannot watch any of those games live cause of the location (I will not be able to watch 50% of the Indians games this season because of the local blackouts and i am not even in Ohio) if you have an MLB.tv subscription, you cannot watch any Indians live games if you are in Ohio, and some parts of Pennsylvania. Isnt that what an MLB.tv subscription is for, to be able to watch baseball games? Its useless in a local area and it costs what at least 100 a month if not more a month to get STO. So do you want to spend that much for one station/to be able to watch the local sports team?

Also in some areas, like other posters stated, they have a bunch of teams blocked but they are states away from any pro team, how does that make sense to bring in fans without the ability to watch a team. If I could only watch the Braves, I would be a Braves fan, but a fan nonetheless, but if i cannot watch any team without paying 100 a month, why would i become a fan? You just lost any who could be a casual fan for baseball. You need more than diehards to make a business that large successful.

Derek essentially just wants a way through MLB itself to be able to watch games (even with a fee) without blackouts in the local area. We arent saying for free, just an option to watch the team without blackouts. Also it is something Trevor Bauer complained about in his off season rant, so the players feel the same way as Derek feels about the situation.

 

[Otsego Mar]

162 games compared to 16 or even 82. Something that needs to be mentioned. Media as a business is what we are ultimately discussing here, at its core, unfortunate as it may be.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

The Dolans bought the Indians in 2000 for $323 million. Forbes puts the current value of the franchise at $1.15 billion, an increase of $827 million in 20 years. That doesn't even count whatever profits they made over 20 seasons, and you know they don't operate at a loss, otherwise we'd still have Bauer, Kluber, etc.

I wish I could be that stupid.

 

[Ohio]

 

[NorthCoastBias]

Just read he left with right shoulder tightness. Sucks for the guy.

 

[Derek]

Reds pen wasting a great start by Bauer today

 

[CBBI]

Justin Verlander out for the season.

 

[MadThinker88]

Not exactly happy Verlander got injured but I am thinking karma is probably involved...

Question remains who is next: Altuve? Springer? Correa? Bregman??

 

[Ohio]

Generally wouldn't wish an injury on any player...

But fuck the Astros.