Goodbye fantasy baseball?

Just when you think MLB can't do anything to else to hurt the game, they do something like this.

 

I'm afraid I missed that one... whaddup?

 

Here's a take on the AT&T deal.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/web2explorer/?p=366

 

NFL Ventures filed an Amicus brief in support of baseball's position, as did NBA Properties Inc., NHL Enterprises, L.P., National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR), PGA Tour, Inc., WNBA Enterprises, LLC, NFL Players Association, and the International Licensing Merchandisers' Association Inc.

 

nuts... just when I was thinking of ATT because Charter's internet has to improve to suck right now...

 

Actually, there are plenty of IP lawyers around who believe the lower court ruling was ridiculous and believe it should and will be overturned...Some of them voice opinions on this thread:


http://www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/newsstand/discussion/the_biz_of_baseball_brown_oral_arguments_in_fantasy_stats_appeal_tomorrow/

 

My baseball league is a Yahoo league here; my footbal league is run by me with software. The football league is run as well, with features just as good as the baseball league.

In other words, I don't need one of the big fantasy conglomerates to stage the game with me. Neither do you. We can play fantasy the rest of our lives if we want, and there isn't one damned thing they're gonna do about it.

 

I read some of that stuff, but I still don't see it, cranberry.

In the end you still end up with names and facts that are in the public domain already. Unless a court wants to swing all the way to the other side and say that MLB has exclusive rights to this data, I don't think much of this case.

But, then again, I'm not a lawyer or a judge.

 

Well, football is a hell of a lot easier to do without one of those sites.

And obviously, those of us who really want to play will manage. And some fringe players will drop out altogether.This will do a lot more to hurt the game than anything.

 

Fantasy baseball isn't endangered. Essentially, the players believe (rightfully in my opinion) they are entitled to a piece of the action (licensing fee) since these are for-profit games based on their performances.

 

Agreed. Though it's funny. I turned to fantasy baseball because I got sick of the system in baseball.
I never wanted to play the game until after the 1992 season. That was when the Pirates let both Barry Bonds and Doug Drabek go for nothing. That meant they were either unable or unwilling to do what it takes to compete, so I needed another rooting interest.

I still follow the Pirates, but only after my fantasy teams....which is sad. Then again, so is the state of the Pirates.

 

The players have ALWAYS received a licensing fee for fantasy sports. This isn't something new. More people would attend games if they were free, too. That would help the interest level, right?

And it's a false argument anyway. The price of the product will be based on what the retailer can charge for it, regardless of licensing fees.