MLB & Barstool Sports: The Right Partnership?

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 3: Umpires review a call with the assistance of an MLB.TV technician in the fourth inning during a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals at Citizens Bank Park on July 3, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 7-2. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JULY 3: Umpires review a call with the assistance of an MLB.TV technician in the fourth inning during a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals at Citizens Bank Park on July 3, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 7-2. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
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MLB.Tv could be better
PHILADELPHIA, PA – JULY 3: Umpires review a call with the assistance of an MLB.TV technician in the fourth inning during a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals at Citizens Bank Park on July 3, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies won 7-2. (Photo by Hunter Martin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

Improve MLB.TV

As someone who used MLB.TV to watch the Mariners while living on the East Coast for a few years, MLB.TV is an application that could be improved to fit exactly what MLB is looking for. The league’s streaming application’s current issue is that it doesn’t allow viewers to watch games available on local cable stations (as we’re all familiar with Root Sports NW preventing MLB.TV from carrying any Mariners games).

My first suggestion to the MLB: change the blackout provisions preventing viewers from watching local games. What’s the point of buying this app if I can’t watch the Mariners even just play away games? I’ll even take this idea one step further: offer an additional membership option that comes with the local viewing permissions at an added cost. I’d absolutely pay a premium to access Root Sports NW via the MLB.TV app to watch every Mariners game.

As for the in-game betting experience, it’d have to go on a state-by-state basis due to local betting regulations. It’d be very easy to simply tap into William Hill or even partner with a known entity (MGM or Caesar’s) to provide in-app betting lines. Imagine being able to bet the under on the number of runs allowed by Paul Sewald in a game…that’s the future.

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