Major League Baseball Agreement with DirecTV Becomes Exclusive at End of Week

According to a representative of Major League Baseball today, who would give his name only as Vinny, the deal to provide the MLB Extra Innings Package exclusively to DirecTV subscribers has NOT yet been finalized. Negotiations are continuing throughout this week with a decision to be made at the end of the week as to whether or not DirecTV will be awarded the exclusive contract or other providers will be able to give their subscribers access to the package. If Major League Baseball and DirecTV come to an exclusive agreement, it will prevent approximately 85% of former subscribers from being able to view up to 60 games per week during the regular season without switching cable or satellite providers.

The Major League Baseball website advises anyone wishing to subscribe to The Baseball Package to contact DirecTV with the only other option being to subscribe and view the games over the MLB.com website; not much of an option in my opinion. It would appear from the website that the deal is done, however, perhaps with enough protest from baseball fans, the exclusivity clause can be averted.

Subscribers to other networks, such as DISH, ComCast, and other cable providers who are trying to find a way to protest this decision find themselves in an email loop when accessing the MLB.com website, or a phone loop when calling the number listed there. The only option available is to send a letter via snail mail to the Commissioner's Office at the Major League Baseball headquarters, located at 245 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10067. However, considering the fact that the decision will be made by the end of the week, there isn't much time for letters to reach the Baseball Commissioner's office.

Needless to say, Bud Selig is not accepting direct calls from baseball fans; however, his office can be reached by telephone. Interested fans can voice their opinions by dialing the following number and asking for the Commissioner's office: 212-931-7800.

After being connected to the Commissioner's office, a representative (probably Vinny) will listen to what you have to say, as long as you remain calm, polite and do not become overly expressive or use any expletives in describing your opinion of Bud Selig. The representative will then tell you to contact your provider to express your opinion. Unfortunately, after calling my provider it became evident that doing so will not change the results. The decision that will affect baseball fans all over North America is in the hands of Bud Selig and his staff.

If you are a baseball fan, and feel that awarding this contract to only one provider is unfair and will either force people to change providers, or exclude them completely, it is imperative that you make this phone call this week. Keep in mind that some areas in the country cannot receive DirecTV and DirecTV is not available to some cable customers.

Baseball is America's sport. If you learned to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" as a child, and want baseball games to be available for viewing by anyone in the country that can afford to pay for the package (a capitalist concept in line with America's political premise) make this phone call and express your concern. Viewers should not be told to change providers, giving one provider a monopoly that will determine who is able to view baseball games not televised on ESPN, or local networks if you happen to live in an area with a Major League Baseball team.

If this contract is awarded exclusively to DirecTV, it is likely to have a similar effect on Major League Baseball as the baseball strike did; to drive lifelong fans away from the game. It took years for baseball to recover from that event and the sport should not have to be tested again.

Once again, the phone number of Major League Baseball is 212-931-7800. Call and ask to be connected to the Commissioner's office. Then start talking. Do it now. It cannot wait until next week.