Cubs TV broadcast rights

[Old Style]

I am sick of blackouts of Spring games.

Lol, what a dumb policy.

[Irrelevant Dude]

I am sick of blackouts of Spring games.

Just fly to Arizona. Easy peasy!

[Brian]

lol, they found the absolute easiest thing they could do to listen to the fans

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[UMFan83]

lol, they found the absolute easiest thing they could do to listen to the fans

 

[tweet]

[/tweet]

 

Except for the fans that want to watch Marquee on a multitude of streaming platforms

[Cubfanintheknow]

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cubs/ct-chicago-cubs-marquee-sports-network-fubotv-20210331-u4vxc6ip6zdspe5uwjnkrzwfhm-story.html

 

fuboTV just added Marquee. Sounds like maybe this is the start of the dominoes falling.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Get a load of this bootlicker.

 

[Cubfanintheknow]

Get a load of this bootlicker.

 

 

He needs a not-so-subtle reminder of the stupid blackout rules on MLB-TV. Giants and A's are blacked out in Guam. GUAM!!!

[soccer10k]

He needs a not-so-subtle reminder of the stupid blackout rules on MLB-TV. Giants and A's are blacked out in Guam. GUAM!!!

 

And I thought it was bad that all the California teams were blacked out in Hawaii.

[Omar]

Got free MLB.TV thanks to TMobile. Also purchased a subscription of NordVPN on top of that.

 

It sucks having to watch games on my laptop and not TV, but oh well.

[JeffH]

Get a streaming device you can plug into your TV.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

Or just connect your laptop to your tv with any number of cords/converters? Or cast to it? Etc?

[Omar]

Get a streaming device you can plug into your TV.

 

but how will that change the IP?

 

Or just connect your laptop to your tv with any number of cords/converters? Or cast to it? Etc?

 

Will try casting it. Cannot connect it, usually am doing work on my laptop.

[Rob]

Get a streaming device you can plug into your TV.

 

but how will that change the IP?

 

Or just connect your laptop to your tv with any number of cords/converters? Or cast to it? Etc?

 

Will try casting it. Cannot connect it, usually am doing work on my laptop.

 

I remember there being an issue with chromecast and MLB.tv a while back. It wouldn't work if I'd try it from the main window they'd opened. But if I copied the link to my own new tab, I was 100% fine.

 

Not sure if that's still a loop that needs jumping through, but it's worth keeping in mind.

[JeffH]

Get a streaming device you can plug into your TV.

 

but how will that change the IP?

 

I'm over the age of fifty, so I'm not really the right person to give advice on this. That said, I don't understand the question.

 

I have a Roku that's plugged into the TV. MLB.tv is one of the streaming choices. I log in using my MLB.tv credentials (username and password). I watch the games on the TV.

[Rob]

Get a streaming device you can plug into your TV.

 

but how will that change the IP?

 

I'm over the age of fifty, so I'm not really the right person to give advice on this. That said, I don't understand the question.

 

I have a Roku that's plugged into the TV. MLB.tv is one of the streaming choices. I log in using my MLB.tv credentials (username and password). I watch the games on the TV.

 

Omar mentioned that he also got NordVPN to change his IP address.

 

In short, if you're in what MLB has determined to be a "local market" you'll be blacked out of watching games for that team on MLB.tv. So if you live in Chicago, no Cubs games or White Sox games. But you can watch everybody else as long as they aren't playing the Cubs or White Sox. If you live in Florida, no Marlins or Rays games but you can watch Cubs and White Sox games, etc... Some places the local restrictions make sense -- some they do not. I believe Iowa was blacked out for six different teams, for instance.

 

People use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to convince MLB that you're really watching the game from some location other than where you're actually watching it. Essentially, it reroutes your internet traffic through a server of your choice. If you use a server in Brazil or Luxembourg or wherever, MLB thinks you live overseas and have no local market teams -- so you can watch all the games without any blackouts whatsoever. So people living in Chicago can use that to watch Cubs games.

 

Trying to get a streaming service to work with a VPN can be a bit of a pain.

[JeffH]

I understand. Thanks.

[Omar]

Trying to get a streaming service to work with a VPN can be a bit of a pain.

 

Thanks for the awesome explanation.

 

I've had almost no issues with ExpressVPN and NordVPN over the past few years on a PC/Macbook. I think the key is to have a dedicated server like those that you pay for (or that your company pays for >_>) that can handle a bandwidth of an HD stream.

 

However, I'm having issues with NordVPN and my android phone.

[Irrelevant Dude]

However, I'm having issues with NordVPN and my android phone.

Doesn't the MLB app on phones use location services, meaning the VPN doesn't help?

 

I had my Roku setup to stream through NordVPN, but it took a bit of effort and maintenance. Basically, I setup a 2nd (DD-WRT) router as an Access Point, connected to my primary router, and configured the 2nd router to use NordVPN. That way I could connect all my regular devices to my network as normal, but anything that needs the VPN can connect to the VPN network. It worked, but I had to update the configuration often to keep everything running. It wasn't ideal, but if you're desperate to get things running on a TV, it can be an option.

[Omar]

However, I'm having issues with NordVPN and my android phone.

Doesn't the MLB app on phones use location services, meaning the VPN doesn't help?

 

I had my Roku setup to stream through NordVPN, but it took a bit of effort and maintenance. Basically, I setup a 2nd (DD-WRT) router as an Access Point, connected to my primary router, and configured the 2nd router to use NordVPN. That way I could connect all my regular devices to my network as normal, but anything that needs the VPN can connect to the VPN network. It worked, but I had to update the configuration often to keep everything running. It wasn't ideal, but if you're desperate to get things running on a TV, it can be an option.

 

Yes, I believe MLB app uses location services. I used a spoof location app (Fake GPS for Android) to put my location well outside of Chicagoland. This caused the MLB app to log out, and not allow me to log in even with the correct credentials. I'm guessing because its also using mobile data to determine my phone location and when that doesn't match up with WiFi or GPS it goes haywire...

 

Thanks for the advice, I'll look into the router-VPN method. May have to just mess with my main router's settings.

[SpongeWorthy]

 

I haven't been able to watch any Padres games out here in San Diego on YouTube TV (they're on Bally's whatever that is) -- is this a bullish signal that the streaming platforms will be able to carry Bally's?

[CoolHandLuke]

Fox Sports became Bally. They are owned by Sinclair I think, which is also involved in Marquee. I don't think fubo is an indicator of others streamers picking up regional sports since they specifically brand themselves as a sports fans option. Most streamers seem to have made the decision that their audience wants lower cost and regional sports channels are too expensive and niche to fit that model.

[mias_tisg]

Fox Sports became Bally. They are owned by Sinclair I think, which is also involved in Marquee. I don't think fubo is an indicator of others streamers picking up regional sports since they specifically brand themselves as a sports fans option. Most streamers seem to have made the decision that their audience wants lower cost and regional sports channels are too expensive and niche to fit that model.

Someone really needs to come out with an all-sports streaming service option. Feels like all the options out there are all a mis-mash of options. The truth is, regional sports networks are expensive to carry and I feel like sports fans are less likely to cut the cord than non-sports fans. If these streaming services want to keep their costs below cable, they have to make sacrifices.

[Andy]

Every indication I've gotten when connected people discuss this stuff is that we should not expect to see Bally networks on a streaming service any time soon. Bally seems to want more than the channels are worth and the streaming services are betting that the post-lockdown decline in sports ratings is a sign that people are willing to go without them if it's not for the right price.

 

I'm not sure why Marquee was an exception for Fubo or why Sinclair was willing to make an exception for Marquee.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Fox Sports became Bally. They are owned by Sinclair I think, which is also involved in Marquee. I don't think fubo is an indicator of others streamers picking up regional sports since they specifically brand themselves as a sports fans option. Most streamers seem to have made the decision that their audience wants lower cost and regional sports channels are too expensive and niche to fit that model.

Someone really needs to come out with an all-sports streaming service option. Feels like all the options out there are all a mis-mash of options. The truth is, regional sports networks are expensive to carry and I feel like sports fans are less likely to cut the cord than non-sports fans. If these streaming services want to keep their costs below cable, they have to make sacrifices.

 

Things like YTTV or Fubo are basically as close as we can get without breaking up media conglomerates. Those companies that own both sports rights and random cooking channels can force providers like Google or Fubo to take on the smaller ones to wring a little more cash out of the deal, and sports is always the bulk of the cost so consumers are gonna stomach that to make the option more family friendly or to meet more needs than just sports. Plus with different conglomerates acting as providers(the Disney+/ESPN+/Hulu triumvirate, Paramount+, Peacock premium) they're further motivated to be very careful about what providers have access to the most valuable content they have.

[Banedon]