On The Border Patrol (6-10 a.m., M-F) with Steven St. John & Todd Leabo Thursday morning, ESPN Major League Baseball Insider Buster Olney shared that MLB has “no plans” to lift the TV/radio/app blackout restrictions at this point.
This news spurred a good deal of backlash from fans, a majority of which are already upset with the league following their ugly back-and-forth dispute with the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) during a strenuous return to play negotiation process.
Listen to Buster Olney’s full interview here on Spotify:
Here is the MLB blackout policy, per MLB.TV:
All live games streamed within any MLB.TV product and available through the MLB App and any other location or device where MLB.TV is sold or available are subject to local and national blackouts. If a game is blacked out in an area, it is not available for live game viewing through MLB.TV. If you are an MLB.TV subscriber within an area subject to blackout, the applicable game will be available as an archived game approximately 90 minutes after the conclusion of the game.
Regular Season Local Blackout: Except for certain MLB regular season and Postseason games as described below or in certain MLB Club home television territories for which MLB may offer in-market subscription services, all live games will be blacked out in each applicable Club’s home television territory.
In addition, note:
- Home television territory blackout restrictions apply regardless of whether a Club is home or away and regardless of whether or not a game is televised in a Club’s home television territory.
- U.S. Clubs may be subject to blackout outside of the United States based on their home television territory as determined by Major League Baseball.
- All live San Francisco Giants and Oakland Athletics games will be blacked out in the U.S. territory of Guam.
Regular Season U.S. National Blackout: Due to Major League Baseball exclusivities, live national broadcasts and/or streaming of MLB events and select live national broadcasts and/or streaming of MLB games, will be blacked out in the United States (including, with respect to certain games and events, the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands). For a current listing of events and regular season games that will be nationally blacked out in the United States, click here. The list at this link will be updated throughout the season.
Authenticated Access to National Games and Events via MLB.TV. Certain MLB games and events, such as the All-Star Game and select MLB Postseason games, broadcast nationally by Fox and MLB Network may be available for live streaming via MLB.TV to those subscribers who are also eligible customers of a participating cable or video service provider (“Authenticated Access”). MLB.TV subscribers who are not able to authenticate with a participating cable or video service provider, as determined by the applicable provider, will be blacked out from live streaming of these nationally broadcast games or events.
Regular Season Play-In Game Blackout: Due to Major League Baseball exclusivities, any play-in game to determine the final team(s) to reach the MLB Postseason, i.e. a 163rd game, will be blacked out in the United States (including the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands).
Postseason Blackout: Due to Major League Baseball exclusivities, during the MLB Postseason, all live games, except for those games for which Authenticated Access is available, will be blacked out in the United States (including the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and Canada.
Live audio of games subject to the blackout restrictions reflected above is available as “MLB Audio,” which is included with any MLB.TV subscription.
Regular Season International Blackout: Due to Major League Baseball exclusivities, select live broadcasts and/or streaming of Major League Baseball events and select live broadcasts and/or streaming of Major League Baseball games, will be blacked out internationally outside of the United States. For a current listing of events and regular season games that will be blacked out internationally outside of the United States, click here. The list at this link will be updated throughout the season.