MLB scores a tech patent
Of all the sports leagues, Major League Baseball has the reputation of being the most technologically savvy. On Thursday, MLB proved it by winning its first tech patent.
Bob Bowman says baseball couldn't stream games without subscriber-locating system.
(Credit: Major League Baseball Advanced Media)The league's digital unit, Major League Baseball Advanced Media(MLBAM), announced on Thursday that it was granted patent No. 7,486,943 for a system that helps determine a subscriber's geographical location. MLBAM oversees MLB.tv, the online video distribution service that streams live and on-demand games, and is widely considered to be the most successful subscription business on the Internet.
Pinpointing where a subscriber is located when he or she logs on to watch a game is necessary to avoid violating "blackout rules." TV stations all over the nation purchase exclusive broadcast rights from the clubs that cover highly specific geographical areas. MLBAM's system enables the service to locate where subscribers are logging on and block them from receiving streaming video of a game if they are located in a region where a TV broadcaster has the exclusive rights to show the game.
Sure, the blackout rules frustrate plenty of sports fans, but without baseball's subscriber-locating system, MLBAM would be prevented from streaming games over the Web, said the company's CEO, Bob Bowman.
Baseball finds MLB.tv users via a system that combines several different pieces of tracking software. Quova, based in Mountain View, Calif., contributes with software that helps determine a person's network address. The software makes a series of best guesses and assigns a confidence factor to the estimate. MLBAM will then use other sources, such as payment data, to close in on a person's local.
Greg Sandoval covers media and digital entertainment for CNET News. He is a former reporter for The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times. E-mail Greg, or follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/sandoCNET. 
The purpose of the blackout is to promote the idea that you should actually watch the game LIVE! I live in Hawaii where we have NO MLB team. If we did, the season would be a sell-out! While we continue wishing, you guys HAVE the teams in your cities! And yet, you'd rather watch the game on TV than to see the game live.
Based on your attitude in your comment, I don't think MLB will miss you.
Ah, that's funny. Who [in the continental US] can afford to go to baseball games anymore?
Seriously, you wouldn't be suggesting that if you lived in the NYC region where ticket prices are out of control.
I wish someone would bring to light this FRAUD that is taking place by MLB.tv. And don't bother going to their support forums to voice your opinions since they take down all the negative posts on a daily basis.
I purchased the Premium package on the morning of opening day only to cancel the day after (I received my refund weeks later I might add). The video quality was horrible and you couldn't watch any game without it stuttering, freezing, or locking up. I was promised features that they couldn't deliver.
The sad thing is if someone wanted to get a "feel" for the service that they were planning on buying they wouldn't have any idea since the support forums are useless. Poor Joe Schmoe would end up buying the service and get screwed............and have a hard time getting a refund.
Whoever said the blackouts were archaic was right on. They sucked me in once - never again.
- by nemojack May 15, 2009 3:21 PM PDT
- The last word of the article should be 'locale', not 'local'. 'local' cannot be used as a noun.
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