Comments on: DirecTV, MLB get two strikes on competition

The long-rumored deal to air out-of-market baseball games isn't quite exclusive, but it might as well be.

[calpundit]

Everybody loses ... except the owners

Cable subscribers lose because there will be no access to the
games.

DirecTV subscribers lose because, with the size of the deal, rates
for Extra Innings will almost certainly increase -- maybe not this
year, but you watch.

Owners win, of course, by getting huge new revenue stream. If
past is prologue, they won't use that additional revenue to hold
the line on ticket prices or revenue. Rather, they'll continue the
salary arms race, resulting in higher ticket prices.

Fans lose.

[calpundit]

Clarification ...

No access to games through Extra Innings, I mean. there will still
be ESPN and Fox

[Lucky Lou]

Free enterprise

It's called competition. One company does things to make itself
more attractive than another. The others try to imitate, innovate,
or exclude. It goes back and forth. How pathetic to listen to the
other companies complain. It's not like DirecTV is a monopoly. If
cable could have struck the same deal first with MLB I am sure
they would have.

And P.S. DirecTV is superior to cable in all respects. More
channels, way better quality, all digital sound and picture on
every channel, and soon way more HD channels, all for cheaper
than cable. Plus you don't have to deal with the cable company
anymore. Anybody whining about not having MLB can just switch
to DirecTV for free anyway and be way better off.