Proposed Settlement Opens Door To In-Market Streaming On MLB.tv

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A proposed settlement in a class-action lawsuit over the way Major League Baseball streams its games could open the door for fans to receive games within their team's market.

A lawsuit alleged the broadcast rights assigned to MLB clubs that were sold to regional sports networks violated federal antitrust laws, and left fans with fewer choices.

As part of the settlement, the league's streaming service MLB.tv will be dropped from $129.99 to $109.99, and the league can't increase the price more than 3 percent a year through 2020. Comcast and DirecTV will also have to provide the MLB Extra Innings package at a 12.5 percent discount.

The league also must seek agreements with Comcast, Root Sports, and Fox regional sports networks for live, in-market streaming if they want to increase prices.

Currently, fans can't stream in-market games through the MLB.tv service. With the way markets are drawn, San Francisco Giants fans as far away as Nevada and central Oregon are not able to stream the games, despite being more than 600 miles away.

Fans who aren't able to get service from a video provider in their market to carry the games will also be able to get streaming from MLB under the settlement.

The final hearing will be on April 25.