Verizon is charging $199 for this year’s MLB Extra Innings plan, at least $27 more than every other major pay TV provider.
Click Amazon: The hottest deals on video games!
The out-of-market package of regular season MLB games will begin on Monday with a slate of opening day games.
Verizon’s price of $199 for the plan is the same rate it charged for the 2015 and 2016 editions of Extra Innings. However, the price is well above the cost of the plan if purchased through its rivals.
DIRECTV, for example, is charging $172.74 for the 2017 Extra Innings package; Comcast is charging $155; Dish is charging $165; Cox is asking for $169 and Charter is charging $164.99.
Click Amazon: Best-selling products in Grocery.
(Under the terms of a settlement of a lawsuit brought by fans, Comcast and DIRECTV are required this year (and last year) to offer the MLB plan at a 12.5 percent discount over its regular price of $199. But both DIRECTV and Comcast are offering prices lower than the 12.5 percent discount.)
Verizon’s higher price is more puzzling when you consider that its package will include up to 80 out-of-market games per week, compared to Dish and DIRECTV’s plans which will offer up to 100 games per week for a smaller cost.
Comcast, Charter and Cox will also offer just 80 games per week in the package, although their prices are far lower than Verizon’s.
Click Amazon: The hottest deals on car electronics!
I have asked Verizon’s PR department for an explanation, and will report back here if I receive one.
— Phillip Swann
Verizon and other cable system have the indemand feeds that are shared with NHL CI and at times they don’t have the room to show all MLB games even with no NHL games.