MLB Charging for gameday audio?

I don't know if it is new or not, but MLB.com will not allow me to listen to the games on my computer. I either have to fork over $19.99 for the year, or I have to go purchase a god damn radio to put on my desk. This is absurd. Why should my computer be different than my radio?

 

No free app for iPad. Bastards.

 

I don't know if you are agreeing with me or being sarcastic, but my computer serves as a radio, so why should I have to pay?

 

I'm not being sarcastic. There's no lite version of new iPad MLB app.

 

I'm pretty sure they've been charging that price for years now. As for why you should have to pay, it could be because they own the content and want to make money off that content, I don't know, just a guess.

 

With the purchase of the iPhone app, you get Gameday Audio free. I'm pretty sure it's 15 bucks, but you then can only listen on your phone.

 

I thought MLB always charged to listen to their product online.

Your computer is different than your radio in many, many ways.

 

Can't you just pick up the stream directly from the station's website?

 

Nope, blacked out online.

 

I know what you are saying, but fundamentally there is no difference between me listening from a computer at my desk or a radio at my desk.

 

They have been doing it for a few years now. It's well worth the money to me.


The excuse I heard for why they charge for Internet radio because you are not necessarily in the target market for local advertisers who make the broadcasts free over terrestrial radio. The real reason they do it is because they can.

 

Maybe not to you. To them, big difference. It's not possible to block delivery to non-subscribers on the radio, or I'm sure they'd try it. (This is already happening somewhat with TV, as there are far fewer and in many cases zero games on over-the-air stations in local markets.) If you look at the history of MLB Advanced Media you will find that nobody has been better at maximizing online revenue, except I guess Apple. MLB has had its servers in everything -- don't know if this is still the case but for many years they were the technological know-how behind streaming the NCAA tournament online. It's a new technology and the customs are being made as we go, and MLB was very wise to create a pay model for its product.

Put it this way: If MLB had been in charge of newspapers 12 years ago, I would wager that newspapers would be an enormously profitable asset.

The price point is not obscene. If it's this big of a deal to you, $20 for the year is a pretty good bargain.