The Dodgers have the second-most wins in MLB this season, but are "on pace to have zero starters” in next month's All-Star Game, in part because "half the fans cannot watch the games on TV and they’re not voting," according to the L.A. Times' Bill Plascke. The stalemate between DirecTV and Charter Communications is in its fourth year, and Plaschke said, "They’re the best team in the league, probably the best team in baseball. They shouldn't be penalized by their TV deal” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 6/28). Plaschke wrote the stalemate is "finally starting to leave deep and noticeable cuts in the Dodgers brand." Numbers show the Dodgers "losing about half of their viewing audience since the blackout began," revealing a "simple truth." When the majority of households in a market "can’t watch" the games on TV, they "lose interest" in the team. While the blackout "hasn’t affected attendance, it’s put a huge dent in attitude." The winning "is there, but the buzz is not." The Dodgers "should be the biggest story in town this month," as "everyone should be fawning" over rookie LF Cody Bellinger. But "just as many people are talking" about new Lakers G Lonzo Ball. For many people in L.A. who "once connected with the team through television, the Dodgers are nowhere" (L.A. TIMES, 6/28).
