MLB Exec Council Table TV Blackouts, Could Install Replay Soon

By Eric Fisher, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

DuPuy Says Plenty Of Time To Discuss TV Blackout Issue

MLB's Exec Council yesterday tabled any formal action on revising the league's local TV blackout policies until November, delaying movement on the much-debated issue. MLB President & COO Bob DuPuy did initiate discussion yesterday on the issue in which several U.S. areas such as Las Vegas and parts of Iowa find multiple teams blacked out from both in-market and out-of-market TV coverage. But league officials have not yet reviewed local TV contracts for all 30 clubs relative to the issue, necessitating the delay. A vote on new measures in which clubs can claim blackouts from the out-of-market packages only if they service those areas with local TV coverage will now be slated for the next set of owners' meetings November in N.Y. "I thought we had all the [club] data and we just don't yet. I'm not satisfied with the level of data collected to date," DuPuy said. "We weren't going to put this into effect until the 2009 season anyway, so there will still be plenty of time to pull this together for the November meetings. But we did talk about this, and I see no opposition to moving forward."

REPLAY COULD BE IN BY END OF MONTH: Instant replay, also a topic of discussion during owners meetings in Washington, now looks more likely to be implemented by the end of the month, pending agreements with the MLBPA and World Umpires Association. No owner vote is required to implement a new system to review home run and boundary calls. But the key hangup now is simply installing the needed technology in all 30 MLB ballparks and briefing relevant parties such as umpires on its use -- steps that could be complete within a matter of days. "We don't need a lot of lead-up time," DuPuy said. "What we need is to have stuff installed. What we need are people to make sure it's going to work. And what we need is for umpires to understand the protocol."

GIANTS' NEUKOM APPROVED: MLB's Exec Council also approved William Neukom's bid to become the control executive for the Giants, and the schedule and venues for the upcoming '09 World Baseball Classic, as expected. Neukom takes the reins from Peter Magowan, who will also step down from the council. Indians Owner Larry Dolan essentially replaces Magowan there, but rather than it being a straight one-for-one switch, Dolan was added to the board before Magowan's departure and the new vacancy will not be filled.

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SAY HEY! On a lighter note, Giants Exec VP & COO Larry Baer affably approached a fan at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in DC yesterday wearing a Willie Mays jersey and Giants cap, shook his hand, thanked him for brandishing the team colors and exclaimed "Go Giants!" Upon Baer's departure, two reporters informed the fan of the exec's identity. The fan, unaware of who Baer was, replied, "I don't even like the Giants. I have 125 of these [throwback jerseys] and I figured I'd pull this one out."

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