In Demand

Apologies, those readers who actually care about the convergence of politics and baseball. I've certainly let you down. But, being a DirectTV consumer to begin with, I really haven't focused too much on the MLB/DirecTV agreement to carry "Extra Innings" exclusively on the satellite network. But John Kerry, no doubt motivated by the many outposts of "Red Sox Nation" across this great land, has been pretty relentless in going after MLB on this, and it looks like he succeeded. Sort of.

"In keeping with MLB's desire to provide as much MLB programming to as many baseball fans as possible," Thursday's press release read, "MLB and DirecTV have agreed to include a provision that allows MLB Extra Innings to be offered to other incumbents -- In Demand and Dish Network -- at consistent rates and carriage requirements with a deal to be concluded before the baseball season begins. The provision also requires the incumbents to agree to carriage rights to the MLB Channel proportionally equivalent to DIRECTV's commitment."

That innocuous-sounding last sentence contains the sticking point to the deal. DirecTV has agreed to carry the MLB Channel on its basic tier starting in 2009, rather than on a sports tier. DirecTV will pay a lot less for a non-exclusive package if the cable companies and Dish sign up, but they've dug in their heels about not carrying niche sports channels on the basic tier, which is why the NFL has been battling cable companies lately too.

The baseball season begins April 1, so In Demand and Dish have till the end of the month to decide what to do, though it sounds like they've already decided.

Brilliant. In one stroke the cable companies and Dish have gone from victims to villains in this. In typical cable TV logic, they refuse to put the MLB channel on basic because...wait for it...it would be bad for their customers to get more programming for the same price.

Until Thursday, opponents of the deal -- including this column but especially the cable companies and Dish -- had been whining that MLB was the bad guy, denying hardworking, puppy-loving baseball fans their precious out-of-town games in the venal pursuit of a few bucks.

So now baseball says, "OK, In Demand and Dish, if you're going to crusade for the inalienable right of baseball fans to be able to see their national game as much as they ever have, match DirecTV's offer and you'll get your wish."

And all of a sudden it's not about the inalienable rights of baseball fans anymore, is it? It's about the cable companies and the Dish Network not liking the terms of the deal. Who's keeping baseball fans who can't or don't want to sign up for DirecTV from getting Extra Innings now?

It's one thing for Major League Baseball to make a less-than-optimal deal to ensure that all baseball fans have access to Extra Innings, In Demand and the Dish Network seem to be saying. It's quite another for us to do so.

So, crazy Pittsburgh Pirates fans living in, oh, Mississippi, better make sure you have a clear view of the southern sky.