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World Series TV Ratings Average Drops 32% Below Previous Low

Why would MLB do that?

They probably won't, but the RSN via cable/satellite is a dead business model walking. I can see them as a standalone streaming service with a monthly charge for each network, but the days of partnering up with other providers is on its way out. In the case of DirecTV, it's also on its way out.

For example, in metro Phoenix, Fox Sports Net Arizona is only available to about half the market, via DirecTV and the cable companies. Dish and YouTube TV have already dropped them. Fortunately, they aren't airing anything important right now, but the NBA is starting up again next month. Once baseball season starts again (with hopefully a full 2021 season), they're going to have to figure something out.
 
I can see them as a standalone streaming service with a monthly charge for each network,

Don't they already have things like that now with YouTube and Amazon? Seems to me they've kind of over-monetized their content.

I will tell you that in my case, there are so many choices, I just look for the cheapest one.
 
Don't they already have things like that now with YouTube and Amazon? Seems to me they've kind of over-monetized their content.

YouTube TV dropped all Sinclair-owned RSNs about a month ago. Don't know about Amazon or the others.

I will tell you that in my case, there are so many choices, I just look for the cheapest one.

Streaming services work better than cable or satellite, if you have a connection that's capable of handling them. Much cheaper, too. I pay about $65 a month for YTTV on my Roku boxes; I paid close to $175 a month for DirecTV, not including MLB.TV, NHL Center Ice, or NFL Sunday Ticket, all of which are available on Roku apps. Were it not for a couple of local channels that I can't pick up via antenna (notably NBC and PBS), plus ESPN and the other sports networks, I wouldn't bother with YTTV, either.
 
YouTube TV dropped all Sinclair-owned RSNs about a month ago. Don't know about Amazon or the others.

Amazon never had the Fox Sports RSNs.
Hulu Live TV dropped the Fox Sports RSNs recently as well. And SlingTV dropped them in 2019. I'm not aware of any virtual cable provider currently offering the Fox Sports RSNs.

As mentioned, that might change with the return of the NBA in 6 weeks.
 
I ended up paying $19 for MLB.com. But nothing beats the free game of the day.

I've been an MLB TV subscriber for 10 years and paid the full $125 for the 2020 season in late February, before the COVID shutdown. Before the 60-game season started, I received an email telling me that the cost had been reduced to -- I think -- $50, and I had the option of a refund for the remainder or to use the remainder as a credit toward the 2021 season. I chose the latter, and now I'm afraid that the 2021 season will be shortened as well. The one bad thing about MLB.TV is that it's only good for the regular season.
 
It's a win for local MLB cities OTA stations to have Sunday afternoon games for example instead of rerunning the same movies that people watched dozens of times.
 
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