Ask the SOB that runs MLB why he is so callous and indifferent to his biggest fans? Ask if he really thinks that a game is a game instead of realizing that games inovlving our favorite team are special to us. Ask if he thinks that watching a game on a computer monitor is the same as watching on a big screen TV.

Are you going to have a chance to ask questions, or can you only listen?

This smacks of serious spin. I'll wait for more details.

If you can ask questions, could you ask about Barry Bonds? I mean... you can't have an MLB-related conference call without talking about Barry... he's the most important thing in baseball, of course...

There's gotta be a catch, like required ad time for Direct TV. At minimum, if Comcast (e.g.) doesn't want to deal with Direct, then they'll seem like the bad guy.

I can't believe that Directv and MLB are going to let cable have it for last year's rights fees - I'm sure there are some onerous conditions to cable (like Phillies games on EI) or some strange pricing structure (ex. if the cable system does not carry the MLB Channel on the basic tier, they shall pay ONE BILLION DOLLARS!). This is kind of like the NFL Network deal all over again - I'm sure cable will be made out to be the bad guy, not that I love Comcast but I just want reasonable access to Mets games living in Texas

This absolutely blows. I discovered Extra Innings last year on cable (I'm in a community that bans dishes) and it made my year as I was able to see 90%+ of my Mets's games while living in CA. This just sucks...MLB is alienating some of its most loyal customers.

What did Carey mean by "no cost"? No activation fee for those who switch, or no cost for the setup equipment necessary?

I wonder, on top of the $179/season EI charge, how much the basic DIRECTV bill will go up because of this.

(I'm a cable subscriber ... so I'm screwed) :-(

Mike - For what it's worth, the FCC has adopted federal regulations requiring communities to allow satellite dishes, although I think there can be some limited restrictions. I don't know all of the details, but if you do want satellite TV, you may want to look into that further.

Tony, Carey said it's the same deal they've been offering for new subscribers. You get four basic receivers for free and free installation, I believe.

A reader sent in a link to my blog this AM, no restrictions are allowed on dishes. They are unenforceable. Click on my name when this is posted.

so does this mean we have to put some heat on comcast????

sounds like a backdoor into an exclusive to me. my guess is that the price directv is paying is only really worth it if they have an exclusive -- since the cable cos. know that if they sign up directv will already be there, the economics may not make sense for them to do so. so in the end they don't come to a deal, and mlb can wash their hands and say that the cable cos. didn't want to step up. if the cable cos. do step up, mlb has just doubled their revs on the deal.

CW, I agree that this new offer by MLB seems like a great way to deflect the heat from them to the cable companies. And thus even though I want EI on cable since DirecTV is not an option for us, still I'm not sure I trust Bud in all this, especially given how he just a few days ago called this controversy "ridiculous." So I don't yet know if I'm going to hound Comcast -- again.

I thought that's what he meant by no cost. Meh. That does nothing for me. I'd have to deal with all the startup costs, as well as putting holes in my house. There are reasons I haven't done that yet, and I won't now. Looks like it's Selig's terrible backup plan for me. Instead of 50" of viewing fun, it'll be 4". Thanks.

For what it's worth, my decision might be different if I wasn't affected by the Phillies being left out of EI. Half the games and never the Phillies announcers. There are only so many times I can hear the same stupid stories about Phillies players. I must've heard that Bobby Abreu was traded for Kevin Stocker 300 times in the last 4 years.

No cost to switch to DirecTV? Does that mean they will pony up the early termination fees for those Dish Network customers to get out of their contracts?

A community CANNOT ban satellite dishes. There is a law that guarantees you your dish if you want it.

That's great. I don't want it.

So what do we think? Will cable get something done before 4/1 or should I go ahead and order my dish?

It was tough enough contacting MLB to express disdain -- InDemand is even more distant, with no apparent direct e-mail addresses to Mr. Jacobsen and his minions, just the 'Contact Us' option at their website. I called my cable provider, as I would have been doing anyway if I could order MLB Extra Innings at this time of year, and asked for this. The friendly but otherwise disinterested sales guy said he'd make note of my request, but I had a Harold and Kumar sense of the moment.

At the very least, InDemand should identify its problems with what they clearly see as a Trojan Horse or bait-and-switch deal (something Bud Selig, a former car dealer, certainly knows a lot about).

Baseball appears to have offered a thin olive branch. If it is a sham, InDemand needs to explain why.

And the clock is ticking......

As I said on another thread, this whole argument makes no difference to me. I just bought the mlb.com package for $120, considerably less than Extra Innings.

And I get more. Every game on radio, almost every game on TV, spring training games on radio and TV, highlights and condensed games, the mosaic six-screen option.

I used to buy Extra Innings, but I wasn't going to get it any more because of the cost. This deal just gives me an excuse not to pay more for less.

Judy,

I don't know if you should wait or not, but having had cable and DirecTV in my house, I'm less unhappy with DirecTV. They offered HD way before my cable operator did. They are cheaper on a monthly basis, but somewhat more expensive at startup if you want the HD equipment and DVRs. The picture is great on every channel, something i didn't get with cable. And they're about to launch two satellites which will bring in more HD programming.

My problems with them are at the customer service end, but even there it's more of a "takes to long to get to a who can answer my question," rather than they can't help me. Even there, when I call now I'm told I'm one of their best customers and get moved up the queue.

What I miss is the local weather reports on the Weather Channel and some in town programming. But the broadcast stations in the area use their spare Digital capacity to make up for that on the weather end.

Other people have problems with DTV, which I'm sure you can find documented. But DTV service does get better, albeit slowly. It's not the greatest thing in the world, but in my opinion it's better than cable.

Don't mean to sound like a shill for the mlb.com media package, but...

I got to watch Dice-K's spring training debut. He looked pretty good, though the fastball hardly seems overpowering. Remy was kind of noncommittal on NESN. I think he's a little worried about the fast one, too.

It's nice being able to listen to almost any spring training game at work. I happen to hear Castiglione's call of the walkoff win in yesterday's Sox game. He sounded downright interested, as did the crowd. Troop is gone, which isn't a gigantic loss for me.

Really, just get the mlb.com package and forget all the hoohah about this deal.

By the way, mlb.com has four games on TV today and thirteen on radio. Extra Innings has none on TV and none on radio. Tomorrow mlb.com has four games on TV and eighteen on radio. Extra Innings has none and none. And the day after that...

Just a reminder.

Thank you David. To be honest, my biggest reservation is that I won't get good reception using a dish.

I wish I didn't need to get anything, but I don't want to spend my summer staring at a computer screen to watch games.