Transplanted Baseball Fans: John Kerry Has Your Back

Since news broke that DirecTV was about to sign an exclusive deal with Major League Baseball to carry its Extra Innings package, out of market baseball fans everywhere have cried foul. If you can't, or don't want to, switch from cable, and you want to watch out of market baseball games, you'll be S-O-L once the new deal takes place.

Today, Metsblog passes along word that Senator John Kerry has spoken out against the deal, and may take the issue up with the FCC:

"I am opposed to anything that deprives people of reasonable choices," Kerry said in a statement. "In this day and age, consumers should have more choices -- not fewer. I'd like to know how this serves the public -- a deal that will force fans to subscribe to DirecTV in order to tune in to their favorite players. A Red Sox fan ought to be able to watch their team without having to switch to DirecTV."

As a transplanted Mets Fan, I hate this deal, but I am seriously doubt it will be resolved with legal action. I find it hard to believe that the courts will say that broadcast and cable TV viewers have a "right" to watch MLB games around the country. I hope though, that MLB caves a little bit, just due to negative public reaction. Tough to see them walking away from $700 mil, though.

If the deal does go through, and you can't or don't want a dish, your remaining options are
MLB.com or satellite radio. Still getting screwed there, are fans who fall into the blackout zones, where they are subject to blackout restrictions because their zip code falls within a team's non-compete zone, yet they aren't able to get the games on TV because their cable company doesn't have a deal with the carrying channel, such as SNY...