Seriously, If You Live in Iowa, Just Stop Following Baseball

by royalsreview on Feb 11, 2009 11:39 PM EST in News Comment 42 comments

According to Maury Brown, despite the groundswell of support, or rather complaints, regarding the MLB blackout policies last season, it looks like nothing is going to change.

Here's the blackout map for MLB Extra Innings:

via www.bizofbaseball.com

The internet isn't advanced enough yet to blow up that gif to a large enough size to correctly determine just what teams you can watch in Iowa. One of the really striking things about living in eastern Iowa (the more populated side of the state) is that just about every major Midwestern city is exactly the same distance away: 300 miles. With local cable coverage random, Iowans are caught on the periphery of Chicago, St. Louis, Minnesota, Kansas City and Milwaukee, it's probably just easier for Iowans to adopt, say, the Orioles as their team.

Other horrible places to try to watch baseball include: southern Nevada, Oklahoma, Arkansas and parts of the Mid-South. Transplated Red Sox and Yankees fans are fine just about anywhere however, so no worries.

The best? How about North Carolina? Nominally Nats territory (laughing) it looks like they can still watch the Braves, while all the transplants from the Megalopolis can still obnoxiously watch their hometown teams.

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Horrendously stupid, short-sighted thinking by Major League baseball

They are getting more and more revenue from national sources (MLB.com, MLB.tv, MLB Network) and yet they are still acting like it’s all about the gate. Don’t let people in eastern Montana watch Seattle games on TV or the internet because they might want to drive all day and all night to see a Mariner’s game in person! This is horse and buggy thinking.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Feb 11, 2009 11:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Horse and buggy! That would take even longer to get there!

I don’t even think it’s about gate anymore. Owners, I think, realize that people aren’t gonna come so far, they just like the measure of control they get by having a territory. They’re making tons of money, they’re too afraid to change anything or try anything outlandish.

Kansas City Royals: your 2006 and 2007 NL Central champions!

by mazoboom on Feb 12, 2009 5:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I am from KC, but go to Iowa State

And didn’t know about the blackout until I moved here (and had already purchased MLB.tv). They did cancel it for me, for free, but still it’s a joke.

I wrote a paper about it for marketing class, actually while in Australia. How they think this is a good idea is so beyond me it is not even funny.

My best example of why it is dumb is this. What teams rose to be the most popular teams in the midwest in the last lets say 40 years.

When radio was the king.
Reds, Royals, Cards I guess

After WGN and TBS.
Braves and Cubs grabbed a huge chunk.

After national games on ESPN became very common, (showing the bosox, yanks, mets dodgers)
Those teams grabbed a piece. Now the reds and royals regional fanbases are much much much smaller.

My point is that with knowledge of teams players, stats, and actually getting to see them play, people become fans. AND with being a fan, are more likely to go down for a weekend and buy tickets!!!! (if mlb wanted to be stupid, but somewhat acceptable they could blackout weekend home games in the summer months only to try and draw people down from regional states. To blackout a royals game in KC for me in ames, 4 hours away by car, on a M-Fing tuesday night is beyond dumb)

If the royals were actually on TV in Iowa, (let alone be allowed to be on tv), there popularity would double or triple easy.

I know of multiple friends whos parents used to be big royals fans here in Iowa, but now it is easier to see other teams, so they have switched.

At least Wally Joyner's not on the team....

by tcon125 on Feb 16, 2009 11:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I live in Iowa!

I don’t know what to do.

Pecota, watch over us.

by castille on Feb 11, 2009 11:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Slingbox

I don’t know exactly how it works, but I’ve heard it is a work-around for something like MLB.tv when you’re in a blackout zone.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Feb 11, 2009 11:45 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'll have to google that

Maybe there is reason to renew my mlb.com subscription…

Pecota, watch over us.

by castille on Feb 11, 2009 11:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Doesn't work either

I went to school in Western Maryland for a year and I’m an Orioles fan. Since Western Maryland gets Pittsburgh TV stations, I couldn’t see Orioles games on TV so I got on that MLB.tv. Didn’t work, it was considered part of the Orioles TV market, so for one spring I was Orioles Baseball-less.

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey

by jobe on Feb 12, 2009 12:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Frostburg State?

I was sorta thinking of applying for a job there

by royalsreview on Feb 12, 2009 12:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

wow... you actually are in a situation where you can consider

not applying for a job? I no longer will feel empathy towards your plight…

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary since sometime in 2008.

by devil_fingers on Feb 12, 2009 12:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

well its like three hours away... is an adjunct position, etc.

I am probably not going to be applying anywhere actually. It looks like I will finish up without getting published, and the job market is its usual horrible self… so yea…

by royalsreview on Feb 12, 2009 2:12 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

adjuncting, ok, that's different

I thought you meant tenure-track

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary since sometime in 2008.

by devil_fingers on Feb 12, 2009 12:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

you continue to amaze me

yep. you got it.

by jobe on Feb 12, 2009 12:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

western ma seems like an interesting area

i’ve only driven through a few times… but i think the wife and i may do a weekend trip to cumberland or something at some point

by royalsreview on Feb 12, 2009 2:13 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

There is a solution

When I moved to the Hell that is Iowa in 2007, I had to cancel my mlb.tv subscription because it became worthless.

But you can watch most games streaming online for free using sites like http//myp2p.eu (mostly with tv ants) or justin.tv (usually set up just like youtube, just streams in your browser) and a few others. I’ve watched more Royals and Chiefs games in the last year than in years and years, and it was all because of streaming feeds. I’ll by mlb.tv again if the league ever pulls its collective head out of its collective ass, but for now, I’ll just have to keep watching the free feeds.

by royaleswithcheese on Feb 12, 2009 8:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

are those sites free, or how much do they cost?

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary since sometime in 2008.

by devil_fingers on Feb 12, 2009 12:28 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

free

i used those sites to watch some Chiefs games last year

Founder of the Johnny Giavotella fan club.

by doublestix on Feb 12, 2009 1:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

sweet

maybe I’ll get to watch something besides the legendary Royals-Jays rivalry next season

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary since sometime in 2008.

by devil_fingers on Feb 12, 2009 1:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Really miss your site, rwc

It was always worth a click to see if you had a new update; eventually, I got to the point where I could predict which Royal ignominy would trigger your next post.

Mr Glass, this is a pro sports team, not a retail store - run it like one!

by loyal2sdad on Feb 12, 2009 4:07 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

when i lived in iowa city

the local cable company had pulled in chicago comcast, so I got like half white sox, half cubs, with lots of nothing mixed in… a random WB or UPN channel would sometimes show the Cardinal Sunday Day games as well for some reason, and I think once I saw a Twins game when there was a rainout or something

i have no idea what they get in des moines or the quad cities

by royalsreview on Feb 11, 2009 11:49 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary since sometime in 2008.

by devil_fingers on Feb 12, 2009 12:23 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

i'm trying to think of a team fanbase more adversely effected by this than us

maybe the Braves people in the south, but they probably can easily watch the braves on TV

the royals have, or should have, substantial #s of fans throughout the plains who have to rely on cable, which is pretty unrelaiable outside metro KC and in Kansas

I wanna know what love is, I want you to show me

by LeoBloom on Feb 12, 2009 12:23 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

maybe, I hate to say, but the Cardinals as well

by royalsreview on Feb 12, 2009 12:36 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

they are such good fans

they don’t need to watch it on TV, they will go to the park

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary since sometime in 2008.

by devil_fingers on Feb 12, 2009 12:37 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

they just read day old games stories and score by hand using the boxscores

by royalsreview on Feb 12, 2009 2:14 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

And then recreate each pitch with their own little...

dioramas and miniature player-figurines that they have hand-crafted and painted.

"Now…put that in your [BLEEP]ing pipe and smoke it." -Hal McRae

by Sweep_the_Leg on Feb 12, 2009 11:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

It is ridiculous

But want to know something really dumb? All of Canada is in the Blue Jays area. But in some provinces the Jays share it with a US team. So here in Alberta, the Jays and Mariners are blacked. I find it really weird that i am blacked out for teams 48 hours and 12 hours away by car. None of this really impacts me because i don’t want to watch either team, it just shows how retarded the whole thing is.

Oh, and it really sucks to be in Iowa. They should get their senators to pull the whole anti-trust threat again. That would get them moving.

The Allard Baird of incisive internet discourse.

by kcbottom9th on Feb 12, 2009 7:50 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

CHUCK GRASSLEY NOW!

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Feb 12, 2009 10:20 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

EDMONTON ROYALS NOW!!!!

Seriously, what is Edmonton like.. there’s an outside chance at a job opportunity for me down the road a few years…

Bringing you more-or-less replacement level analysis and commentary since sometime in 2008.

by devil_fingers on Feb 12, 2009 12:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Its the farthest north

of all North American cities with a major sports franchise. (excluding CFL) Its cold but and it is a mountain/outdoor culture. Its beautiful country up there though.

by labbadabba on Feb 12, 2009 2:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

If I recall

its not a long way from Banff…or maybe that’s Calgary, hmm

by labbadabba on Feb 12, 2009 2:58 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

thats calgary

by royalsreview on Feb 12, 2009 3:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Thats Calgary

Edmonton is a nice city. It has that kind of backcountry vibe to it, which is actually a good thing. It doesn’t feel like an overbearing big city in the way that Toronto does or even Calgary, or a lot of American cities. And it’s cold, and doesn’t really get the benefit of the “Chinook” winds that give a respite in the middle of winter. But it’s a nice place. And the Oilers suck and the Flames rule, that never changes.

The Allard Baird of incisive internet discourse.

by kcbottom9th on Feb 12, 2009 3:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I guess Iowegians

Will just have cross over into South Dakota…

by labbadabba on Feb 12, 2009 9:39 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

I think I read

Vegas is claimed as territory for the Padres, Angels, Dodgers, A’s and D-Backs. Must suck to live in Vegas if you’re a MLB fan.

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Feb 12, 2009 10:18 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

How would the sports books manage to get all the games?

by labbadabba on Feb 12, 2009 11:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

they don't

I was at the Mirage in Vegas and a lot of the western teams get blacked out.

by bucofanNY on Feb 17, 2009 3:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I hate all MLB owners

That’s where the problem is. Bob Dupay and MLB are trying to get them to fix it, and MLB owners refuse to relinquish territory. I live in Oklahoma City. The Royals have never, ever had a network presense here. We get Fox SW and about half of the Rangers and Astros games. Somehow, evil Cox makes sure we get tons of Cardinal games too.
I’m interested in trying Justin.TV. Anyone else have a comment on how that works. The last two years, I’ve gotten the royals on MLB.TV by messing with my proxy. This year, according to Maury Brown on Biz of Baseball, MLB.TV will be able to tell what zip code you are at. Don’t know if that’ll keep me from altering my proxy, or if that’s for people who live on blackout borders and are getting blacked out when they shouldn’t be.

by garbi on Feb 12, 2009 3:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Same deal in NW Arkansas.

FOX SW = lots of Rangers/Astros
COX Cable = almost every Cardinals game

Some obscure UHF channel will occasionally interrupt “Stanly Spadowski’s Clubhouse” to show a Royals game every few weeks, maybe.

by RATW on Feb 12, 2009 11:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I feel every one's pain

Used to be the situation here in Jeff City – but starting last season with the switch to Fox Sports KC, I now get same # of games as a fan in KC area. Also still get all of the Cardinals games, because if both are scheduled to be on Fox regional, the cable company simply puts KC on an additional channel. As a bonus, also get STL’s Channel 11 feed on cable, so I get the same # of Cardinal games as I would if I lived in STL. Throw in WGN, occasional TBS, and the game of the week, and I have no reason to order MLB Extra Innings either (but for a different reason than others).

Of course, MLB did miss out on revenue from me from the countless years before this changed, as I would have been GLAD to pay them for Extra Innings if the Royals were not blacked out.

It’s enough to make one marvel at how awesome a sport baseball is – they can still swim in revenue, despite the (evidently) concerted attempts by management to botch everything from collective bargaining to PEDs to competitive balance to marketing.

Mr Glass, this is a pro sports team, not a retail store - run it like one!

by loyal2sdad on Feb 12, 2009 4:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Forgot to add

My daughter (loyal2theroyals) goes to school in Warrensburg, and for some reason she received FEWER games on her cable system there than I did in JC, despite Warrensburg being nearly 100 miles closer to KC…

Mr Glass, this is a pro sports team, not a retail store - run it like one!

by loyal2sdad on Feb 12, 2009 4:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Ouch, Iowabashing... the faces of the Spur are not smiling.

If I were a Cardinal fan I would be happy as we get most of their games. With cable we get some of the Cubs games and now FOX SPORTS is going to show some of the Royals and Twins games. So, it is not like we are void of all baseball. Plus we have four A ballclubs and who can forget the ICubs. Kansas City is only a three hour drive from Des Moines and I have made it in two. What was the question again?

Stop following baseball??? Just shoot me and bury me in the backyard, why don’t you. I give up Scotch before baseball and maybe sex… I am rethinking that last one. I am a proud Iowegian and a Royal fan. Go Blue….

by grudz96 on Feb 12, 2009 5:33 PM EST reply actions 0 recs