Everything's Not Lost

As my three to four faithful readers know, my usual rabid intensity about the forthcoming baseball season has been tempered, nearly to the point of apathy. I just haven't been able to get excited about it. My Red Sox t-shirts, hats, jerseys, t-shirts and hats have remained in a drawer or on the shelf. Why? Major League Baseball has been in discussion with Direct TV about exclusive broadcast rights to Extra Innings, a broadcast package that carries all out-of-market baseball games - including about 150 of my Sox games - every night of the week, all season long. Previously available to all cable and satellite subscribers - you know, a lot of people - the Brainiacs at MLB figured that they would take less money to reach far fewer subscribers with this Direct TV deal (and, really, there is no logic whatsoever to it), leaving many confused and outraged, unable to see a season's worth of their favorite team's games that wouldn't ordinarily be available to them without this package. What's made it worse is that there doesn't seem to be anything we can do about it except complain, which is nothing but a shrug to MLB. $700 million goes a long way in drowning out the impotent cries of the angry fans. And they're going to get the fans money anyway: the only way for those to whom Direct TV is unavailable is a streaming video subscription via MLB.com. Because nothin' says baseball like a group of friends crowded around a computer, hanging on that 3-2 pitch to David Ortiz in the bottom of the 11th, when the little video box in the corner of the screen freezes up as it reloads, everyone hanging, screaming, waiting and waiting for the picture to return. Boy, just like olden times! And The Powers That Be wonder why baseball is no longer America's pastime. A few columnists wrote about the deal that, surprisingly, not many seemed to take notice of, or gave interest to. John Kerry threatened legislation (oh, no!), but nothing looked like it could stop this idiotic deal from happening. I regular check for updates on a Red Sox messageboard and usually click out angry and depressed. But yesterday?

A glimmer of hope.

The grassroots complaining has stirred into something of a storm. More are taking notice and writing about it. Even the FCC is "concerned." MLB has never worried too much about bad press and fan backlash (see Exhibit A) but it's starting to look like they may be listening. Of course, if the Direct TV deal falls apart and cable and other satellite providers carry the EI package again, then MLB will make even more money off the fans. Once again. Which is probably what they were after all along ... Maybe they are Brainiacs, after all.

Yet I don't care. Well, I do, but in the end this would become a tempest in a teacup. Everyone would get what they want, in that the song ultimately remains the same. As long as my wife and I can sit on our couch, see Big Papi stride to the plate and hear Jerry Remy and Don Orsillo call the games once again, then, then, all is right with the world (you know, relatively speaking) and I can annoy one and all with my thoughts about the State of the Sox alllllllllll season long (look at it this way - then I won't always be talking about these guys). This storm just has to keep gaining momentum.

I still can’t do my happy dance that I do whenever I order my Extra Innings cable package every March, but at least now I can kinda hear the music.