Blackouts Be Gone! Update
By Fred Owens
Last week I wrote about the Garber V MLB et al lawsuit and explained why although Bud Selig professes to care about the fans and this is something that affects every fan directly, fixing it is way down his list. I promised then to contact the attorneys for the plaintiff (see I know legal terms too, I watched Night Court) and see what we could do to help. This week I spoke with Ned Diver of Langer, Grogan & Diver, P.C. and got the straight information.
The help they need is stories that support their case against the blackouts. Not stories like mine. I can watch the Braves on Fox Sports Southwest when they play in Texas and MLB.TV when they are elsewhere. The stories he needs are from those folks blacked out unfairly even though they have a TV or Internet package or live where the package isn’t offered. For instance, you can’t see the Braves play in Atlanta because your cable provider doesn’t offer Peachtree and/or Fox Sports South in their package – even though you’re in the area where they should in theory do that – and MLB.TV or DirecTV blacks out their coverage. Or perhaps you’re in an area that has two teams blacked out Nationals and Braves for example and get caught in the double whammy of those blackouts when they play and there’s no viewing option in your area. Whatever the reason if you feel unfairly blacked out they want to hear about it.
The best way to contact Mr. Diver is via email. Tell him your story and he’ll contact you to discuss it and determine if it helps support the legal action. Here’s his contact information. The email is designed to catch only information about this case so someone will look at it.
Ned Diver
Langer, Grogan & Diver, P.C.
1717 Arch Street, Suite 4130
Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-320-5660
Keep in mind this is a nationwide search for stories so they’ll (we hope) get a ton of email and respond to those that add substance to the case. Don’t be upset if you don’t receive a reply immediately, they will review every email.
That’s A Wrap
Tell your friends, tell anyone complaining on Facebook. Twitter, LinkedIn or other such services you belong too. MLB hides behind their absurd antitrust exemption and congress has not shown willing to challenge it without cause. The attorneys need real stories and lots of them in order to force the Commish away from his counting house and to the negotiating table. This is our chance to get some relief. Let’s not allow it to pass without giving every possible support we can.