First the NFL wanted to limit websites unassociated from the league from using more than 45 seconds worth of video coverage a day, now MLB is shutting out ESPN from doing live coverage at the All-Star Game on Tuesday night.
Baseball executives told ESPN that it must pare its broadcast efforts from AT&T Park in San Francisco, where the All-Star Game is being held. So, most coverage will be done out of ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, Conn., rather than having “Baseball Tonight” and a portion of “SportsCenter” originate from California as planned.
Basically, MLB is pissed at ESPN for broadcasting what players made each All-Star team on its selection show a week ago, before TBS (who owned the rights) had the chance to.
I get why the league is upset with the ESPN, seeing as how TBS probably paid a ton of money to be the first network to announce who made each team. However, doesn’t MLB understand that the All-Star Game is supposed to be about the players and the fans? It’s not about who gave the league the most money to break the news first or who should have the prime position to do broadcasts. ESPN is highly regarded – for better or worst – as the “worldwide leader in sports”, and now you’re going to tell them that they can’t even broadcast live from the park? How fair is it to fans that you’re limiting the coverage to just one station?
These leagues that are trying to crack down on media coverage because they’re selling to the highest bidder or forcing us as fans to only go to league-sponsored websites is total crap.
