The 2010 Major League Baseball season will begin as it has the last three seasons before with league’s arcane blackout policy still in place.

Fans that purchase the out-of-market television package MLB Extra Innings or the online version, MLB.TV can be blacked out of games by one or more team broadcasts, depending in location. For example, if you live in Las Vegas, the Athletics, Giants, Dodgers, Angels, Padres, and Diamondbacks are all blacked out in the area.

And, as of publication, there seems to be no end in sight to the current policy, with the hope for adjustments to the broadcast territories coming this year remote.

In 2007, MLB president and COO Bob DuPuy began attempts to get the owners to make changes to the territories. The adjustment that DuPuy has been lobbying for would have clubs lose a portion of their television territory, if they have not broadcast within it for over a year.

“I see no reason why there ought to be so many clubs able to black out in those territories,” DuPuy said in late 2008. “That’s my intention. That’s my goal. I didn’t get any pushback. The whole thing is about making the game more popular and available.”

Maury Brown is the Founder and President of the Business of Sports Network, which includes The Biz of Baseball, The Biz of Football, The Biz of Basketball and The Biz of Hockey. He is available for hire or freelance. Brown's full bio is here. He looks forward to your comments via email and can be contacted through the Business of Sports Network.

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Stupid, Frustrating, and only hurts the game
written by limo ben, May 01, 2010

This is one of the most ridiculous and self-spiting rules in American Industry. it's the equivalent of GM pulling the EV from the market back in the 90s. It's especially vexing now that "broadcast" is not defined as over-the-air broadcast, so those of us who are not able to plug in to a cable outlet (whether because we're on the road, or simply unwilling to pay for cable) have no access to live games! I'd love to pay $100 for MLB.TV to watch my Red Sox, but the fact that I can't also use it for my local Giants, makes it just not quite worth it. How 'bout a little bit of the long view here. There doesn't have to be a looser here! all you're doing is EXPANDING your fan base!

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