Does anyone get this? I travel a ton for my job and thinking about getting this but I know MLB has some wacked out blackout rules. Would these have any effect on me? Or would that only be if I were in KC and used MLB.tv?

Also - do they track if 2 people use the same login info?

TIA

You get a whole new set of broadcasters to hate if you are watching when the Royals are away.

I think it was the Ranger's team I really hated.

The Red Sox broadcasters are probably the worst in my opinion.

I'd just find free streams personally.

I used mlb.tv when I spent the entire summer in the hospital after surgery. You don't have to worry about many blackouts as most the games are televised. The customer service department is really good too. I had emailed them to stop my service once I got home and when I found out the hadn't I called in and they backdated my unused service. Totally recommend using it. Just do the basic package. No need to spend money on the premium.

They do have whacked out blackout rules, but they're based on the computer you're using and it's IP address. For my home computer set-up which is what I stream to my TV, it relies on my Charter IP address, which is actually in St. Louis, as opposed to my actual location at Lake of the Ozarks. If they went by my location, I'd be blacked out from Royals games, but since the IP address is St. Louis, I get the Royals fine. AT HOME, through that computer system.

Now, if I try to watch a game on my iPhone, it's blacked out in this area, which is claimed by both the Royals and Cardinals. I'm pretty sure that's because the iPhone MLB app uses the GPS location of the phone, rather than the IP address. Go figure.

Myself, I think MLB should be happy to let me watch any freaking game I want to, wherever I am, because I'm paying them $130 a year to do so. The TV networks that pay for the rights to broadcast the games disagree, I think because MLB.tv doesn't show the commercials between innings. I say, why not show the freaking commercials? Who loses?

Good info, thanks. Yeah I figure when I am on the road I will be on hotel wifi so not my KC IP. When I'm home I can just register to a proxy server in a different city.

A friend of mine says him and his brother (Reds fans) share the user account and it works just fine, not sure how they get around that. Looks like I can also stream through my PS3, that would be nice.

Yes, I used my PS3 for MLB.tv for a couple years, then switched to a Roku box. Worked fine on both, but again, it depends on your IP address. Don't know about how to use the proxy server thing.

DonaldEldridge wrote: I'd just find free streams personally.

It's like porn dude (er, I heard.).  Seriously though, you pull **** from sources that aren't legit, you're inviting a lot of garbage into your computer.

for 3 or 4 years, I used a proxy to bypass mlb blackout rules. finally in 2009, diectv started carrying fox sports kc and gave me the privilege of paying extra for it.  using the proxy is a pain, but justifiable due to mlb's insane blackout rules

Nick explained it pretty well, and without all the cursing I would've used. I travel all the time, and here are the issues I've had:

If you're behind a proxy server--like at most hotels--you will likely get blacked out if MLB can't figure out where your public IP addresss is. Their default behavior is to black you out if your location is indeterminate. Be prepared for a 20-30min call with their tech support every time you fire up a game in this situation.

My Verizon hotspot (which is tied to my cell phone service in Oklahoma) places me in Oklahoma no matter where in the country I'm at. Oklahoma is within KC's blackout, so that's another 20-30min call...this is relevant when my hotel has lousy internet service.

If the game is being telecast in the area where you're traveling, you'll be blacked out (assuming their locator service finds you correctly)...this drove me crazy last summer whenever the Royals were on the east coast. Sitting in a Connecticut hotel, NESN & YES are both "available" even if the hotel doesn't carry those channels.

When it works, it's freakin' great...bring an HDMI cable with you and pump the game to the hotel TV. Watching 4 games in split screens is a little slice of heaven.

One other thing about the iPhone app - it asks you if it can use your location, which is how it determines your GPS coordinates. If you refuse to let it use your GPS, MLB says, "No game for you."

Have had it for two years and love it (though live outside KC blackout area so I always get the Royals, unless they are playing the White Sox). 

Also, don't sleep on how often you might use it when you're at home.  Invaluable if you play fantasy baseball, or just really like baseball, because you can skip around to all sorts of games.  Is Jose Bautista on your fantasy team?  Pull up the Toronto feed and enjoy.  Felix Hernandez throwing tonight?  Pull up and enjoy.

COroyal wrote:

DonaldEldridge wrote: I'd just find free streams personally.

It's like porn dude (er, I heard.).  Seriously though, you pull **** from sources that aren't legit, you're inviting a lot of garbage into your computer.

I've never once had problems with first row sports.

It is gotten a bit pricey lately but still is worth it for me. I have had it for the last 8 years or so, since it started. It works great if you have a speedy bb.

I have an mlb app on both my bluray and roku...and the results are excellent-no need to hook up the computer. This is easily the best sports subscription product on the market. The NFL should catch a clue and green light the equivalent.

dallasroyalsfan wrote: I have an mlb app on both my bluray and roku...and the results are excellent-no need to hook up the computer. This is easily the best sports subscription product on the market. The NFL should catch a clue and green light the equivalent.

Agreed...now if they'd just do away with those stupid blackout rules....

As has already been stated, the blackout rules are terrible.  It is possible to be in Idaho somewhere while the Royals are in Seattle and be blacked out of the game if Seattle claims the territory in Idaho that you are at.

Seems like if you travel a lot though, outside of the Missouri Border states, then it will be a good get for you and you will have no trouble watching the games live.  Even if you find yourself blacked out, after the game is over and they publish it you can watch any game that you wish regardless of where you are so if you just really want to stay up super late and avoid the score beforehand you can still watch it.

All of this to say:
CHANGE YOUR STUPID BLACKOUT RULES MLB!!!!!

Premium Package Purchased.

Technically, you could get yourself a VPN and watch whatever you want. You can even order the NFL's all-game package for those that live outside of the United States. It'll cost you $75 for the freedom, though. www.hidemyass.com/vpn/