Help me cheer on my Cubbies from afar!

September 23, 2008 12:03 AM

Will the MLB postseason be available for [legal] online viewing this season?

As a lifelong Cubs fan living overseas, my MLB.TV subscription has been a godsend the past few months for watching the action leading up to the playoffs. But it doesn't look like MLB.TV will be offering video of the postseason games this year, only audio. Which is better than nothing, but I'm still on the lookout for where I might be able to actually watch the games live online. If it makes a difference, looks like the first series is on TBS, and (if we manage not to choke!) the following two are on FOX. I can't find any mention of the games being shown on their websites, though. Has anyone found anything I've missed, or heard any rumors? I've done some digging around, but my connection is rather slowish these days so I haven't been able to cover as much cyber-ground as I would've liked!

posted by globetrotter30 to sports, hobbies, & recreation (6 answers total)

Almost certainly, this is going to be a no-go for you. TBS and Fox won't rebroadcast the games online for much the same reason that MLB.TV blacks you out when you're in a region that can view the game on TV. (Or, as I tragically learned two weeks ago, in a region where the game's TV rights have been PURCHASED, even though they aren't BROADCASTING. Thanks, that was $20 well spent, asses.)

On the plus side, if you want to enter into a self-blackout, you can watch the games on MLB.TV as an archived game 45 minutes after. Which is actually pretty terrible, because there's almost no way to browse to a game without learning the results of said game.

If you're looking for a service that dynamically rebroadcasts Fox or TBS online... I don't think you'll find one. Some people may do that over Shoutcast, but it'd be kind of weird to see, frankly.

Good luck to your Cubs. Please root for my Diamondbacks. You know, because NO one wants to see the Dodgers take it.
posted by disillusioned at 12:30 AM on September 23, 2008

Well if you have $100 and a friend or family member back in the states that is a little techy, go with a Slingbox.

As a diehard football (American) fan, I couldn't handle living overseas without my Sunday and Monday football. So a friend of mine stateside has set up a Slingbox for me on his TV and lets me record all of my football games to watch at a later time that week (with the time difference, I watch in the evenings while he's still at work). Greatest. Invention. Ever.

No monthly subscription fees, just purchase the item and hook it up to a TV and an internet connection. That's it. And since the Cubs are only on for a few weeks, you will be able to other types of TV while living overseas. You can find the non HD versions for around $100 if you look hard enough.

Highly recommended.
posted by wile e at 12:44 AM on September 23, 2008

Slingbox and a friend in Chicagoland with a TV and broadband connection.

Watching the Phillies outpace the Mets (again!) in the regular season will be good enough for this Philadelphia fan.
posted by three blind mice at 12:46 AM on September 23, 2008

Oh, shit, duh, you can also probably get someone to help you with Orb, which is like... software-based slingbox and/or free-ish.

Because, you know, I'm not a complete idiot.

(But this requires someone with access to the root broadcast helping you out.)
posted by disillusioned at 12:56 AM on September 23, 2008

I don't think you are out of luck, it depends a bit in which country you are but if a read the small print correctly on mlb.com the postseason games will only be blacked out in the US and Canada:


From: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/subscriptions/compare.jsp?c_id=mlb&affiliateId=MLBMENUBANNERNAV

Postseason Live Blackout: Due to Major League Baseball exclusivities, during the MLB Postseason, all live games will be blacked out in the United States (including the territories of Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands) and Canada. Live Audio of MLB Postseason games is available as part of any MLB.TV subscription or as part of the MLB.com Gameday Audio Package. Each game will be available 45 minutes after the conclusion of the game as an archived game (archived games are blackout free).

So somewhere else you should be able to watch it. Last year I was able to see all the post season games via MLB.com in The Netherlands even as this was not completly clear on the US centric website. But of course, the options mentioned above will also work and give you a lot of other US programming at the same time.
posted by PaulZ at 3:01 AM on September 23, 2008

Thanks a lot, guys! The slingbox and orb options sound pretty slick, and even if they don't work out it sounds like I have a better shot than I'd realized with MLB.TV. Even the 45 minute delayed archive option isn't the end of the world if I can somehow manage to avert my eyes from the final score ahead of time. And disillusioned: Don't worry, I've always had a soft spot for the Diamondbacks ever since Mark Grace (my first true love!!) went over there! Good luck!
posted by globetrotter30 at 10:12 AM on September 23, 2008