MLB Must Publish a Firm Blackout Elimination Timeline Before the 2026 All-Star Break
Commissioner Rob Manfred has said out loud that MLB wants to "be out of the business of blackouts." Twenty-one teams are now streamed blackout-free. And yet a fan in Ames, Iowa is still blocked from watching six teams on MLB.tv — none of them within 370 miles. Either the commissioner's words mean something, or they don't. Fans are done waiting for a voluntary promise to turn into a policy.
Submitted by Chase Garbarino
Background
The collapse of Diamond Sports/Bally Sports and subsequent FanDuel shutdown freed MLB to take direct control of local broadcasts for over 21 teams in 2026, finally enabling blackout-free streaming in those markets. Manfred publicly committed to the goal. But legacy broadcast contracts still block fans in geographic territories that were drawn in the 1990s. The FCC's March 2026 comment period specifically examined MLB's blackout model.
The Ask
Publish a binding public timeline by July 15, 2026 committing to full blackout elimination on MLB.tv for all 30 teams no later than the start of the 2028 season.
Gathering Support
50 more signatures needed to qualify.