Author Topic: MASN 2019 streaming options? (Updated for 2020)  (Read 4416 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #25: February 05, 2019, 07:58:01 PM »
What's holding you guys back form MLB.TV single team for $100/year and unlocator for $5/month during baseball season?

For me it's making it easy to broadcast onto two or three TVs.

Offline nfotiu

  • Posts: 5041
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #26: February 05, 2019, 08:02:55 PM »
For me it's making it easy to broadcast onto two or three TVs.

Set the Unlocator DNS on the router, and rokus or apple TVs on each TV does the trick pretty easily.   

Offline nfotiu

  • Posts: 5041
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #27: February 05, 2019, 08:05:17 PM »
I think so- the only ones I know that don’t stream are masn and the dodgers
Yep, but this year is up in the air.

Quote
Remember those dark days when you couldn’t stream your local MLB team through Fox Sports Go or the NBC Sports app? A deal with Fox didn’t get done until after the 2015 season (starting in 2016), and NBC’s RSNs fell in line for 2017. Eventually, local streaming deals were lined up for all but three of the league’s teams (Dodgers, Nationals, Orioles), and everything was great.

Well, until now.

The in-market streaming deals with Fox, Comcast/NBC, NESN, and Root Sports all expired after the 2018 season. And heading into 2019, MLB is butting heads with all of the RSNs (even though the Fox RSNs still don’t have a new owner) about the in-market streaming deals.
https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/mlbs-in-market-streaming-deals-have-expired-and-the-league-is-once-again-clashing-with-rsns-about-new-deals.html

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25688
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #28: February 05, 2019, 08:28:03 PM »
Yep, but this year is up in the air.
https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/mlbs-in-market-streaming-deals-have-expired-and-the-league-is-once-again-clashing-with-rsns-about-new-deals.html
Thanks for posting that. MLB seems a little clueless although the cable companies are despicable also.

Offline nfotiu

  • Posts: 5041
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #29: February 05, 2019, 09:01:54 PM »
Thanks for posting that. MLB seems a little clueless although the cable companies are despicable also.
I tend to think MLB is fairly cunning in all of this.  The current cable model is insanely lucrative to them. 

They are collectively making in the 2-3 billion dollar range on local TV contracts.  Any model that counted on baseball fans voluntarily paying for their networks, or advertising revenue from making it free to all would not generate even 1/10th of that, and would not pay production costs to even bother showing the games for a third of the teams.   

They need navigate the tricky waters of not competing against cable/sat companies which will still be their golden goose for a few years, and having their games available on platforms that younger people watch so they don't lose them forever.  At the same time they are also trying to figure out how to monetize the streaming future to replace at least some of that declining revenue.

MLBs has shown to be very forward thinking in this regard, both with their very profitable MLBAM venture and in holding on to the trump card of all streaming rights.   It will be interesting to see how they play that trump card.  The Fox RSN auction combined with all streaming rights expiring this off season could make for some interesting developments and give a good look to what MLB plans to do with these rights.

Offline bluestreak

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 11259
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #30: February 05, 2019, 09:05:50 PM »
I tend to think MLB is fairly cunning in all of this.  The current cable model is insanely lucrative to them. 

They are collectively making in the 2-3 billion dollar range on local TV contracts.  Any model that counted on baseball fans voluntarily paying for their networks, or advertising revenue from making it free to all would not generate even 1/10th of that, and would not pay production costs to even bother showing the games for a third of the teams.   

They need navigate the tricky waters of not competing against cable/sat companies which will still be their golden goose for a few years, and having their games available on platforms that younger people watch so they don't lose them forever.  At the same time they are also trying to figure out how to monetize the streaming future to replace at least some of that declining revenue.

MLBs has shown to be very forward thinking in this regard, both with their very profitable MLBAM venture and in holding on to the trump card of all streaming rights.   It will be interesting to see how they play that trump card.  The Fox RSN auction combined with all streaming rights expiring this off season could make for some interesting developments and give a good look to what MLB plans to do with these rights.

If MLB is going to be major entrenched business that eschews current profits in order to secure future market, they will be the first. Good luck to them.

Offline bluestreak

  • Global Moderator
  • ****
  • Posts: 11259
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #31: February 06, 2019, 06:39:38 PM »
I just got an email saying the Season Ticket holders get a free MLB.tv subscription. Wonder if this has anything to do with what he are talking about.

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25688
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #32: February 06, 2019, 06:46:09 PM »
I just got an email saying the Season Ticket golfers get a free MLB.tv subscription. Wonder if this has anything to do with what he are talking about.
How do I become a season ticket golfer??

Offline nfotiu

  • Posts: 5041
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #33: February 07, 2019, 02:15:52 PM »
I just got an email saying the Season Ticket holders get a free MLB.tv subscription. Wonder if this has anything to do with what he are talking about.

That's interesting.  It would be cool middle finger to Angelos if they included unlocator for free too :-)

A little more intrigue in the FOX RSN bids
https://nypost.com/2019/02/06/john-malone-planning-to-battle-mlb-over-foxs-regional-sports-networks/

It looks like Liberty is putting together a consortium of team owner's whose teams are on Fox sports nets to bid against MLB.

Quote
The Liberty mogul’s strategy, according to sources, includes a promise to team owners that he will continue to sell games to local broadcasters, where cable television is chiefly how fans follow their favorite teams.

Manfred, by contrast, wants to secure central control of media rights so the league can package games and sell them to different streaming and terrestrial networks, much as the NFL does.

“MLB is more an adversary with the cable companies than a friend,” said a source close to the process.

This whole saga has the potential to have a pretty big impact on how we watch baseball games.   If Liberty wins, it sounds like their plan is to run the current cable model into the ground while MLB wants to gracefully bring in the age of cord cutting and monetize it.


Offline Nick the Pig

  • Posts: 702
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #34: February 10, 2019, 06:24:14 PM »
I tend to think MLB is fairly cunning in all of this.  The current cable model is insanely lucrative to them. 

It is, indeed.

Offline miller10

  • Posts: 609
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #35: January 21, 2020, 07:09:33 AM »
Bumping this up for 2020 purposes.  It seems we are still in the same spot?  I just cut the cord (going with YouTube TV which has all of the channels I like, except for MASN).  I prefer not to use a locater masking option since I still like the DC locals and I still get the Caps game on NBC Sports Washington.  I may just get the MLB app so I can listen to the games and watch the highlights in the mornings.

Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #36: January 21, 2020, 09:10:03 AM »
If you want to listen and see highlights, you only need AtBat, which is cheap.

Bumping this up for 2020 purposes.  It seems we are still in the same spot?  I just cut the cord (going with YouTube TV which has all of the channels I like, except for MASN).  I prefer not to use a locater masking option since I still like the DC locals and I still get the Caps game on NBC Sports Washington.  I may just get the MLB app so I can listen to the games and watch the highlights in the mornings.

Offline miller10

  • Posts: 609
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #37: January 21, 2020, 10:13:48 AM »
If you want to listen and see highlights, you only need AtBat, which is cheap.


Yeah, that was what I was planning on doing if MASN won't allow streaming in the DMV area.  I like the AtBat because it allows you to listen to the out of town feed which is kind of fun.

Offline expos1994

  • Posts: 339
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #38: January 21, 2020, 10:24:52 AM »
Move to Iowa. I watch all the Nats games live through MLB.tv. St Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee are blacked out, but I can usually get those games on too.

Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #39: January 21, 2020, 11:05:55 AM »
Baseball on the radio lets you get a couple of things done around the house, too.

Yeah, that was what I was planning on doing if MASN won't allow streaming in the DMV area.  I like the AtBat because it allows you to listen to the out of town feed which is kind of fun.

Offline nfotiu

  • Posts: 5041
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #40: January 21, 2020, 11:19:32 AM »
Bumping this up for 2020 purposes.  It seems we are still in the same spot?  I just cut the cord (going with YouTube TV which has all of the channels I like, except for MASN).  I prefer not to use a locater masking option since I still like the DC locals and I still get the Caps game on NBC Sports Washington.  I may just get the MLB app so I can listen to the games and watch the highlights in the mornings.
I've used unlocator w/mlb.tv.  It's not a VPN and won't change your location for YTTV.   It just uses some dns magic to fool mlb.tv.

The teams are supposed to have some ability to sell their own in market streaming as of a few months ago.  But I doubt that helps us this year any.   The Sinclair bought fox sports nets are disappearing from a lot of the YTTV like services too.  If half the teams are in our boat this year, it makes it more likely that MLB will have to force the issue or they are going to risking losing a lot of fans.

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25688
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #41: January 21, 2020, 11:20:24 AM »
Free streams can be your friend.  Not always a reliable friend but still a friend.

Offline nfotiu

  • Posts: 5041
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #42: January 21, 2020, 11:24:31 AM »
Free streams can be your friend.  Not always a reliable friend but still a friend.
I never found a great way to get them on the tv reliably, and with good picture.  mlb.tv single team and unlocator for 6 months is a reasonable enough price wise, IMO.

Offline Monarch

  • Posts: 650
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #43: January 22, 2020, 03:50:32 PM »
I never found a great way to get them on the tv reliably, and with good picture.  mlb.tv single team and unlocator for 6 months is a reasonable enough price wise, IMO.

I had the opposite experience. Macbook - airplay - apple TV. Flawless every time. All season.

Offline dracnal

  • Posts: 1696
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #44: January 22, 2020, 04:05:54 PM »
I had the opposite experience. Macbook - airplay - apple TV. Flawless every time. All season.

 I've got an Amazon Fire Cube and cut the cord earlier this month. Saved about $300 a month but I do need to figure out MASN. I'm debating about over the aire C&D. If that doesn't work sounds like mlb.tv and unlocater are the way to go. Certainly happy to hear suggestions, though.

Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #45: January 22, 2020, 04:20:38 PM »
I've got an Amazon Fire Cube and cut the cord earlier this month. Saved about $300 a month but I do need to figure out MASN. I'm debating about over the aire C&D. If that doesn't work sounds like mlb.tv and unlocater are the way to go. Certainly happy to hear suggestions, though.

Over the air and AtBat when you're travelling. Well, I don't know where you live, but OTA isn't all that great in The Land of Sublime Living™, Gaithersburg, MD. I use AtBat a lot when I'm working in the yard.

Offline GburgNatsFan

  • Posts: 22277
  • Let's drink a few for Mathguy.
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #46: January 22, 2020, 04:21:58 PM »
So sort of like an old college friend.

Free streams can be your friend.  Not always a reliable friend but still a friend.

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25688
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #47: January 22, 2020, 04:33:47 PM »
So sort of like an old college friend.
If that works. 

Offline Natsinpwc

  • Posts: 25688
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #48: January 22, 2020, 04:34:36 PM »
I had the opposite experience. Macbook - airplay - apple TV. Flawless every time. All season.
Apple airplay seems to work better than chrome cast.

Offline skippy1999

  • Posts: 19411
  • Believe!!!
Re: MASN 2019 streaming options?
« Reply #49: January 22, 2020, 05:46:50 PM »
None of this helps those of us who miss watching Nats Talk Live on Saturdays or the post game shows :(