Apr 29, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano speaks at a press conference before the game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
According to various Twitter users who run baseball podcasts that are posted through iTunes, some of their podcasts were taken down due to complaints from Major League Baseball.
"Gleeman and The Geek" was removed from iTunes after 144 episodes because we're told MLB requested several team-related podcasts be removed.
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) May 7, 2014
For those wondering, The BN Podcast was also washed away in the great MLB podcast purge of 2014. Working on getting it back in iTunes.
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) May 7, 2014
There is no official reason as to why this happened, although rumors are saying that it is due to copyright infringement and other legal issues being enforced by Major League Baseball. This seems strange since any publicity is good publicity, and the only reason I can think that this would be happening is that MLB wants fans to tune in and listen to their own podcasts. If that is the case then I would highly recommend you to not do so and find other podcasts to listen to.
Many of the podcasts that have been shut down apparently use a team name in the title of the show. Even if that is the case, there should not be a penalty simply for using a team name. Tigers, Cardinals, and Pirates are all pretty common. Imagine if Apple and iTunes removed every podcast for having those words in the title? If a team logo is used, I understand where MLB would be upset. The simple fact of a team name to get fans to listen shouldn’t be that big of a deal. If Major League Baseball can’t produce a weekly or daily podcast as good or better than every single podcast out there, then they should let the fans be happy and talk about the game they love.
Major League Baseball should want its fans to be talking about baseball and not preventing it. If they are able to influence Apple to take down those independently produced podcasts, imagine if they try to come after those with blogs and websites, Facebook pages, Twitter handles, or sketches drawn in art class that aren’t licensed by MLB? This is an awful move and could leave fans very disgruntled. Many already are after finding out that their podcasts no longer exist.
MLBAM has successfully convinced Apple to remove #Rangers Podcast in Arlington from iTunes. Mine and other fan-created shows are not there.
— Ted Price (@tedprice) May 7, 2014
Baseball is the greatest game on earth, but this is not helping anybody’s cause. If a podcast you listened to has been taken off the iTunes store, try and find it on another site like Stitcher. Wait for the show producers to make a new podcast. Please don’t go and listen to the Major League Baseball podcasts if you do not already do so. That is what they are trying to get you to do and big business monopolies are not a good thing. That’s another discussion for another day though.
Hopefully blogs and websites are left alone, and you will be able to see and read this for years to come. RIP baseball podcasts.