We asked.
Many answered.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution put out a call at the end of last week when the Comcast/Bally’s dispute resulted in Braves games not being available on the cable television provider. We wanted to know how Braves fans were watching or keeping up with the team.
We got some possible solutions. We got some cutting of the cord all together. We got a whole lot of disappointment and frustration.
Here is a selection of some of the many responses. We have identified respondents by just their first names. Some did not want to be identified.
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“I signed up for Fubo TV. So, I’m paying $94 per month just to watch the Braves.” – Ron
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“Braves lost a viewer. It is way too hard to navigate alternate viewing. Hard on us retirees who are long-time fans. Sad.” - Mary
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“There are a few steps, and it’s not cost-free, but a VPN (even with a Firestick and a TV) plus an MLB subscription can allow you to trick them into thinking you’re somewhere other than Atlanta. I chose Denver because, I mean, if they want to block me from watching the Rockies, that’s a fate I can accept.” – Name withheld
“MLB needs to get their hands around this. I miss the Superstation.”
“I’d love to watch the Braves, but I can’t. But I can’t cut the cord, won’t pay for some huge expensive package to get MLB games when all I want is to watch the Braves. So I catch the highlights next day on YouTube. Will the playoffs be on network TV? Maybe I can see them there. MLB needs to get their hands around this. I miss the Superstation.” – Alan
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“I got Fubo for a 7-day trial. This will get me through the weekend. I ended up telling Xfinity to take a hike for dumping this on us fans. Bad enough they did this with no warning. Then I signed up with DirecTV. Took 2 days- installation one day, received the TV dongle the next. I’m all hooked up now. Problem solved.” – Rob
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“I’m really upset about this severing of Braves coverage in ATL. I’ve been a fan since 1975 and coverage of the team on the Superstation through the years has built up a great fan base for us. I’m not spending an extra $75 a month for Tubo or whatever it’s called. The Braves need to do something about this.” – Curtis
“Come on Xfinity/Bally solve this problem NOW.”
“There are a lot of disabled, old and shut-ins that love the Braves. They are not computer savvy to get FUBO or whatever .. or even how to work it if they had it. Come on Xfinity/Bally solve this problem NOW.” – Margaretann
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“My husband is a Braves fanatic, so I knew I had to do something quickly. I subscribed to FUBO and had to install Fire Sticks so our older TVs could access FUBO. Made it in time for the 3:30 p.m. game on Wednesday. The $8-10 that Comcast/xfinity plans to deduct from bill doesn’t come close to the extra $79/month Fubo cost.” – Leslie
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“Wednesday I took a walk and listened to the radio broadcast through the MLB app. I also watched the condensed game on the MLB app. That is how I intend to watch in the foreseeable future, probably without the walk. I assume no deal will happen until the bankruptcy trustee and judge agree on any deal, probably in June. Shame Turner sold to Time Warner to get their movie catalog and then they bought AOL. Miss the old days of watching the Braves either on TBS or WGN when they played the Cubs and WOR when they played the Mets. The big problem is the blackout rule. But for that rule, we could watch the Braves either on the MLB app or with Extra Innings on Comcast when the Braves play a non-Bally team.” – Dave
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“I listen to games these days. The pandemic taught me that I can live without watching every game but I do miss live Braves games. I disconnected from cable a few years ago and stream exclusively. Bally Sports failed to make a contract with YouTube TV and they are in bankruptcy. I thought I could stream over the MLB app but that is also blacked out for local games. Bally needs to accept the cable and streamers offers or they are just going to face more difficulty in bankruptcy court. My kids play baseball but they only know the Braves via going to games or national broadcast. I love this team and have supported them for years. They even gave me tickets to Hanks 50th anniversary of 715 because my dad and I went to the original. I am not going back to cable nor are the majority of streamers. They need to work on an agreement that allows streaming via multiple platforms and utilize the extended ad revenue.” – John
‘How can the Braves sit on the sideline and be silent when the fan base is going crazy?”
“I understand the complex contract dispute between Bally Sports and Comcast as well as the contract arrangement between Braves and Bally Sports. MLB has given broadcast rights of the Braves solely to the Braves in the seven southern states. Braves contracted broadcasting rights to Diamond for distribution through cable operators in the authorized geographic area. Braves are receiving revenue from Diamond (assume payment is made if Diamond sells the Braves to Comcast or not). Diamond is also trying to recover from bankruptcy in Federal court. At the same time, Diamond is refusing income from Comcast. That won’t be viewed well by the bankruptcy judge.
“The players involved are Diamond, Bally, Braves and MLB. While the dispute is between Bally and the Comcast, all are complicit in the current “blackout” of the Braves.
“Comcast is largest cable carrier of the Braves in metro Atlanta and other markets in the seven southeastern states.
“So, how can the Braves sit on the sideline and be silent when the fan base is going crazy??
“The Braves’ situation is even more complex. The Braves are owned by Liberty Media, John Malone’s company. They are in the media business of all types. So is there an indirect conflict as to why the Braves organization is silent, given this weekend is one of the Braves biggest series of the season in LA!!!!
“Hum…
“Their answer is to jump on one of those irritating streaming services that Comcast does not support through their Xfinity service cable boxes. Make fans subscribe to another streaming service they don’t want just to watch the Braves?? Outrageous!
“There is too much money on the table for Diamond to continue their boycott of Comcast. It’s time for MLB to step in and be the adult in the room and make all the spoiled kids in the room behave like ADULTS, and fix this mess.” - Bob
Memories of the SuperStation and America’s Team
“I grew up watching the Braves on TBS with my mother. Having the Braves on the tube meant that we got quality time together on an almost nightly basis. Not only was it important for my mother and I, but having the Braves easily available on TV was ground atop which Braves Country was built. Braves TV tied to our team’s identity like an 89-pitch complete game was tied to Maddux. I haven’t watched a Braves game all season. I listen to them or follow them on my phone. And for what I would have to pay to watch them on TV, I could almost get a 20-game pack to Truist Park. For decades, the Braves identity was tied to the fact that anyone, anywhere could watch a Braves game. Today, their practices are as classist as they are nonsensical. (Imagine this: they had a local blackout in effect during COVID when no one could even attend a game.) Bally, Comcast, the Braves, and MLB have cut the legs out from under any working-class person that wants to enjoy baseball on TV.” – Evan
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“Having been a Comcast customer for as long as there has been a Comcast, and also being a diehard Braves fan, I am livid about not being able to access the games, especially considering the ridiculous amount we pay to Comcast each month for cable. It has gotten to be outrageous. When the news came out that we could no longer watch the Braves with Comcast accounts, I was determined to not let that stop me. I bit the bullet and signed up for FUBO. I’m going to give this week of free FUBO a go and compare the line-up of channels and the cost to what we are getting through Comcast. It would thrill me to pieces to send Comcast packing and let them know that they don’t mess with Braves fans when they charge an embarrassing (for me) and shameful (for them) fee for content that can be accessed with many other services. They’re shooting themselves in the foot. My leaving won’t affect them, but if all of the Braves’ Nation cancels, maybe it’ll give the cable company a wake-up call!!” - Carol Anne
Getting reacquainted with baseball games on the radio
“Actually, I’m listening to the Braves on the radio, instead of finding a streaming service to watch them. True, I’m not willing to spend the money, but I have a more positive reason. I’ve always listened to Major League Baseball games on the radio, beginning with WGN Radio when I lived close to Chicago, and listened to the Cubs. Now, I listen to the 680 AM radio broadcast. Frankly, I’ve always believed that radio is a great medium for baseball, and always will be. You actually have to supply the pictures in your own brain while you hear Ben and Joe broadcast the words. I’m actually reliving my experience when I was a child. Radio works for baseball, in the past and in the present.” – Peter
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“While this week’s Bally/Comcast dispute has grabbed headlines, I’m a DISH subscriber and I haven’t been able to watch the Braves for several years. Very frustrating! I keep up by using the ESPN app, attending an occasional game, and reading about the game after the fact in the AJC. Inaccessibility to MLB games is a widespread problem, not just a Braves issue. MLB is losing fans by not addressing it more expeditiously.” – Richard
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“Currently I am doing a 7-day trial of FUBO which has Bally’s on it. The trial ends Wednesday … and I am considering cutting my cable and just using FUBO instead which would save me some money as well. That being said FUBO is a bit clunky, lol. My hope is some type of resolution is found before the trial ends. I would be willing to pay up to about $20 more a month to get the Braves games.” – John
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“We have been watching the Braves on Uzzu tv. It’s shockingly inexpensive.” - Rick
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“I’m not (watching the Braves). I’m all for cutting the cable as soon as MLB can get out of the Diamond Sports mess but right now I got to believe that Diamond and Comcast will come to an agreement in the near future … this is just a who will blink first.” - Mark
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“On Facebook are fans that stream most games on their Facebook page.” – James
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“I live on Tybee Island, GA and have Comcast, so no Bally for now. I signed up for the 7-day free trial with Fubo last night with the hope things will be resolved in that time. If not, then I might just have to go radio only. It’s a shame that all of this is over the almighty dollar with no consideration for fans who already pay good money to watch them. Let’s get this resolved ASAP people!” – George
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“I’ve been a Braves fan since 1972, and I still have my ticket stub from the game where Hank Aaron hit his 715th home run on April 8, 1974. I can send a photo of the stub if you like. I was age 17 then. In 1995, when the Braves won the World Series, I was going through cancer treatment and the Braves’ championship run was instrumental in assisting me get through it. Now I’m a 28-year survivor of breast cancer, and I cannot tell you how much they’ve meant to me all these years. They’re the family I lack.
“I’m a low-income senior now and just moved into Campbell Stone Buckhead senior community last July. My whole reason for subscribing to the Comcast sports package was to be able to watch Braves games on TV for the first time in about a decade. I was limited to radio before. And don’t get me wrong; I adore the radio announcers, especially Ben Ingram (who is the best in the business) and Joe Simpson. And I miss them when I watch on TV. But I’m furious with Comcast for deleting the Bally Sports channels. I think that they should have provided an alternative plan. I get Expanded Basic cable through Campbell Stone for just $25 per month, so subscribing to an alternative TV service is not an option. So, I’m just stranded. If I could just buy the Braves games exclusively without 200 other channels, it might be possible. But I don’t know what to do except go back to radio, when was I was enjoying the TV broadcasts so much. What else can I do?” - Catherine
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“When I called to delete the sports package from my Comcast account, the rep suggested signing up for the special offers on Fubo. I’m glad I did! It works magnificently on all our smart TVs, and I can cast it from my phone to any device. Streaming Fubo allowed me to drop all my channels with Comcast since it’s cheaper and offers virtually the same lineup.” – Name withheld
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“To your question, I cancelled the Xfinity Cable package on May 4 and went with DirecTV Streaming. Saved money and finally cut the cord. It will be interesting to see if there is another option soon. The Braves have a terrible TV deal with Diamond compared to other big clubs. I wish they would sponsor their own network again and stream it!” – Name withheld
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“We are in our 70′s and several months ago dropped Comcast at $270 a month for ATT Fiber with Direct TV for about $160 month. Lost a couple of channels gained a couple . But now with Roku and the password any device in the house will have Braves, Hawks NFL, SEC etc. No big deal. I despise Comcast worked there for 30 years. I just think it’s hilarious that their building with sign is in the background of every wide shot of a Braves game.” - Steve
