Play Ball

Cox has started sending out letters to all of its 2006 MLB Extra Innings customers offering them a rebate of $89.95—the base price of the yearly MLB.TV broadband package—if they order the broadband package this season (see: http://www.cox.com/promotions/mlb). The offer, first reported in Sports Business Daily, looks to be a work-around if a deal for the out-of-market TV package isn’t reached between MLB and cable, as many predict. "We’re doing it because we care about our customers, and we understand how much people love the game," said a spokesman. "At this point, we’re continuing to negotiate… but we don’t know how that’s going to turn out." If a deal is reached for the package, the rebate offer would not be taken away, he said. Cox appears to be the only MSO with such a deal on the table. Charter is working out the details for an MLB broadband deal that is "a homerun for our customers who shouldn’t have to miss out when we can bring the games to them others have taken away," a spokeswoman said. Comcast said "we are not making this offer [ie, Cox’s] at this time," while Time Warner Cable hasn’t announced any plans regarding MLB Extra Innings yet. Cablevision had no comment.