New MLB.TV rules

http://www.apple.com/feedback/appletv.html

Agree on the removing icons aspect - if you don't pay you don't want it, and if you pay and can't use it either! Some people may even pay twice if the have cable and not be able to get the games they want.

AC

You're missing the point. All local baseball teams are blacked out in their designated home areas. I also happen to be in the Seattle area where ROOT sports pays millions of dollars to broadcast the Mariners games (both at home and away). What we're really talking about is advertising dollars. IF MLB showed the local Mariners games, ROOT sports would not be able to charge their advertisers as much due to the lower ratings.

Most if not other major sports do the same thing. You can't watch your local NFL team on Directv's Sunday ticket for the same reasoning.

While it doesn't help you much, if you go on the road with your MLB mobile devices (iPhone, iPad etc) AND you're outside of the Mariners home area, you CAN watch the Mariners on MLB.

You really have no complaint as this blackout is advertised on MLB.com. And regardless of anything in this post, complaining about it here is a waste of time as Apple has NOTHING to do with this blackout policy. You'll have to take that matter up with MLB.com. Sometimes if you get the right MLB service person, they will allow you to cancel your subscription.

It is what it is.

I am also a baseball fan, Philadelphia Phillies, I was carious about your blackout restriction in Alaska so I checked it out. If you go to the MLB.com and click on the MVL.TV ad. Look just below the checks where they are showing the comparison of the Premium package, you will see the blackout restriction "check here" link. This will actually take you down the page where you can enter your zip or check you IP address to see what blackout area you are in. From what I can tell, Alaska is in the Seattle Mariner's blackout area.I am not happy about the MLB blackout policy as well. I would love to be able to watch my Phillies at home and use MLB broadcast when I am on the road in my local area.

To lift the blackout rule, it's going to take a lot more than $100 for the season to offset the lose of the viewer base to the local sports networks who are paying millions for those rights. However, there's always the address outside of the local viewing area as a backdoor. The only problem going that route is it only works with Extra Innings on cable. The mobile devices base the rule on either GPS or triangulation. Hard to beat City Hall.

Me, I use both cable and mlb.com, the latter for other games or my local team when I'jm traveling.

I use this to get around it

http://support.unblock-us.com/customer/portal/articles/291549

Is the ability to access Canadian NetFlix a require for this round around?

It's probably a quirk, but at the moment I'm watching the Mariners-A's game on my iPad and IP. I do have MLB. Selecting the A's TV network allows me to see the game. If I select the Mariners, I can't. I haven't tried AirPlay to my ATV2 with this game, but AirPlay is an option. So far very impressed with the A's HD feed. Sharp picture with no pixilation so far.

Early season quirk?

A non scientific response to the ablitly to SEE games that are in your home area and subject to the blackout rule. I've noticed that more than once after say the 5th inning, I can pick up the video of these games. I haven't tried this on my ATV2 within MLB.

I've only seen this happen while viewing via my iPad and the MLB app. I have no idea if it's a fluke or not. Perhaps others can chip in here with their experiences.

I guess I'll have to admit that I haven't a clue as to the ability to watch games from a viewer's home market team. Today I was able to watch the entire Mariners-Rangers game on my iPad. On my IP is said I was blackout as I would expect. On my ATV2, when I clicked on the game, all I go was the sound portion.

Go figure. I'm wondering if MLB is unable to determine my iPad location and that is the reason I can see the game there. None of this matters to me as I can also get the game on my local sports channel (ROOT).

All I can say is for those who don't have the game on cable, to keep trying. Maybe you'll get lucky once in a while.

They can lift the blackouts at will. If you follow the @MLB and/or @MLBTV Twitter accounts, they usually put out the APB when they do do something like that.

ATV uses your credit card billing zip to find your location if all else fails. So, if you have your statements sent somewhere else besides your home, it may be possible to pick up the desired home market game on it.