What are the (legal) options for watching Angel games on TV this year?

[Taylor]

1 hour ago, steveuk said:

I've never understood this 'blackout' thing you guys have over there. So TV companies stop you from watching your local team? Why would that do that? Over here TV companies want viewers, ad revenue etc. I'm not interested in watching a sports team from 500 miles away unless they're playing my team. Confused :).

Oh and I can still watch Angels games with an MLB.tv subscription right? I think you're all just speaking about TV?

 

It's not the networks themselves that black out the games, but MLB.tv. If you live anywhere close to the regional range to watch a certain team on cable, you can't watch that team's games on MLB.tv.

In other words, it's an evil arrangement between MLB and the cable channels that carry baseball games, and everyone hates it except the rich people who run MLB and the cable channels.

[AngelsLakersFan]

2 hours ago, steveuk said:

I've never understood this 'blackout' thing you guys have over there. So TV companies stop you from watching your local team? Why would that do that? Over here TV companies want viewers, ad revenue etc. I'm not interested in watching a sports team from 500 miles away unless they're playing my team. Confused :).

Oh and I can still watch Angels games with an MLB.tv subscription right? I think you're all just speaking about TV?

 

It's related to MLB's anti-trust exemption. Each team is given territorial rights over a geographic area, giving them sole control over media rights in their territory. Teams then sell these rights to media companies like Bally Sports, Root, MSG etc granting these cable companies sole control of distribution in the territory. Put simply, this means that Bally's is the only company allowed to air Angels games within the Angels territory (SoCal and Las Vegas). MLB cannot air Angels games in SoCal because we have to get those games from Bally. 

MLB could make a deal with each of these RSN's, or implement a new rule that would have to be grandfathered in, to end or reduce the blackouts, but the networks don't have the financial incentive to do so because cable television is the cash cow being eaten alive by streaming. The blackouts are one of the few things that slow the rapid decline of these networks.

[steveuk]

Ah, thanks for the explanation guys. I stupidly assumed it was the clubs blocking it locally as a way of encouraging fans to attend games. So anyone can watch local teams on TV - but you have to pay big bucks to the owners of the rights. It's rubbish that MLB can't show every game regardless! My nephew gets an MLB.TV subscription and gives me his password so I can watch any game (that isn't on in the middle of the night!) over here but people living nearby can't, crazy.

[Lou]

I like the word rubbish. 

[Biergott]

14 hours ago, Taylor said:

The app and interface suck though. We had it last year during the season and immediately switched back to Hulu in October.

True story.  Fact checked by me.

[JoJo26]

On 3/17/2022 at 11:39 AM, Angels 1961 said:

Since 1961 I've watched games on my transistor radio. 

The best years were Enberg & Drysdale....by the 6th ...they were hammered (well, at least Big D was) & laughing b/c the game sucked so bad.

Sunday games were the best.

Hot weather

Halos getting trumped

15,000 at The Big A

Good Times....

[failos]

17 hours ago, Lou said:

I like the word rubbish. 

Anglophile

[Lou]

12 minutes ago, failos said:

Anglophile

Spot on, mate.

[failos]

50 minutes ago, Lou said:

Spot on, mate.

Are you moving to the UK, bruv?

[Lou]

16 minutes ago, failos said:

Are you moving to the UK, bruv?

Wind your neck in, ye old mucker.

[failos]

1 hour ago, Lou said:

Wind your neck in, ye old mucker.

Who are you calling old mucker, you chav?

[Paolo11]

I'm moving from Orange County to the Midwest this week.  Anyone have experience on how out-of-market fans can still watch Angel broadcasts on TV... (and LA Kings Hockey broadcasts too)?  I'm willing to keep my DTV Bally satellite service if that's what it takes...and I'm willing to consider any alternative options-- even if they are only loosely ethical.

[Taylor]

34 minutes ago, Paolo11 said:

I'm moving from Orange County to the Midwest this week.  Anyone have experience on how out-of-market fans can still watch Angel broadcasts on TV... (and LA Kings Hockey broadcasts too)?  I'm willing to keep my DTV Bally satellite service if that's what it takes...and I'm willing to consider any alternative options-- even if they are only loosely ethical.

If you have a smart TV, MLB.tv is your best bet since you won't be in a blackout zone anymore.

[Slegnaac]

7 hours ago, Taylor said:

If you have a smart TV, MLB.tv is your best bet since you won't be in a blackout zone anymore.

Unless it is an LG Smart TV.  LG does not have a native app for MLB.TV, so you need a streaming device like a Fire stick to plug into the TV.

[Taylor]

Just now, Slegnaac said:

Unless it is an LG Smart TV.  LG does not have a native app for MLB.TV, so you need a streaming device like a Fire stick to plug into the TV.

Dang, I have an LG Smart TV. Luckily there's no reason for me to download MLB.tv since Angel games are blacked out.

@St1ck even my 4K TV is inferior.

[eligrba4ever]

On 3/17/2022 at 11:39 AM, Angels 1961 said:

Since 1961 I've watched games on my transistor radio. 

Blattner and Wells, with Hessler.

[Jay]

21 hours ago, Slegnaac said:

Unless it is an LG Smart TV.  LG does not have a native app for MLB.TV, so you need a streaming device like a Fire stick to plug into the TV.

I think also Samsung no longer supports an MLB.TV app.

[Stradling]

Aren’t fire sticks like $25?

[ten ocho recon scout]

This kills me. I literally only keep cable for angel games... that i watch maybe twice a month. And have to pay to keep cable all year.

 

I dont mind paying to watch, but its ridiculous in current times you cant simply pay for an app instead of still having to pay for a whole package

[gotbeer]

On 3/20/2022 at 1:27 AM, ScottT said:

Just waiting on the tmobile announcement...

Next Tuesday, March 29th.

[gotbeer]

On 3/23/2022 at 9:18 AM, Paolo11 said:

I'm moving from Orange County to the Midwest this week.  Anyone have experience on how out-of-market fans can still watch Angel broadcasts on TV... (and LA Kings Hockey broadcasts too)?  I'm willing to keep my DTV Bally satellite service if that's what it takes...and I'm willing to consider any alternative options-- even if they are only loosely ethical.

MLB would be MLB.tv.  NHL is ESPN+ I believe.  You would only get blackouts for the local games, so only when the Kings and Angels are in town.  

You could also subscribe to each season pass I think via cable.  But then you have to get cable.  

Loosely ethical is streaming sites on Reddit.  VPN and those sites, and you can watch pretty much anything.  

[gotbeer]

13 hours ago, ten ocho recon scout said:

This kills me. I literally only keep cable for angel games... that i watch maybe twice a month. And have to pay to keep cable all year.

 

I dont mind paying to watch, but its ridiculous in current times you cant simply pay for an app instead of still having to pay for a whole package

Hope that Bally's goes through with their app, and they don't play the blackout rules.

[Dtwncbad]

On 3/20/2022 at 1:45 PM, AngelsLakersFan said:

It's related to MLB's anti-trust exemption. Each team is given territorial rights over a geographic area, giving them sole control over media rights in their territory. Teams then sell these rights to media companies like Bally Sports, Root, MSG etc granting these cable companies sole control of distribution in the territory. Put simply, this means that Bally's is the only company allowed to air Angels games within the Angels territory (SoCal and Las Vegas). MLB cannot air Angels games in SoCal because we have to get those games from Bally. 

MLB could make a deal with each of these RSN's, or implement a new rule that would have to be grandfathered in, to end or reduce the blackouts, but the networks don't have the financial incentive to do so because cable television is the cash cow being eaten alive by streaming. The blackouts are one of the few things that slow the rapid decline of these networks.

Great explanation other than the anti-trust exemption reference.  If the anti-trust exemption were eliminated you would still have the same exact broadcasting situation.

[jsnpritchett]

5 hours ago, gotbeer said:

Hope that Bally's goes through with their app, and they don't play the blackout rules.

This article from yesterday doesn't specifically mention the Angels, but they're obviously included in the larger conversation about the Bally regional sports networks. Given that the 5 teams for which Bally clearly controls digital streaming rights won't even be available on the app until mid-season, I'd say it's not looking good for them to close a deal to stream the Angels anytime soon. 

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/bally-sports-dtc-streaming-app-to-include-5-mlb-teams-expected-for-summer-launch/

 

[gotbeer]

20 minutes ago, jsnpritchett said:

This article from yesterday doesn't specifically mention the Angels, but they're obviously included in the larger conversation about the Bally regional sports networks. Given that the 5 teams for which Bally clearly controls digital streaming rights won't even be available on the app until mid-season, I'd say it's not looking good for them to close a deal to stream the Angels anytime soon. 

https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/bally-sports-dtc-streaming-app-to-include-5-mlb-teams-expected-for-summer-launch/

 

Ducks and Kings are on the list, so there is some hope.