Net neutrality is the notion that Internet service providers and governments should treat all data on the Internet equally. It would prevent broadband providers from being able to block legal internet content. The issue has drawn outrage from all corners of the internet, but one such outlet may surprise you: Major League Baseball.
MLB Advanced Media is one of the more than million filed comments against the net neutrality law. You can read the entire thing here. The main crux of the complaint is the creation of “fast lanes” among Broadband ISPs.
In response to a central issue raised in the NPRM, we urge the Commission to prohibit Broadband ISPs from charging Internet content distributors (“Edge Providers”) for faster or otherwise preferential delivery o f content to American consumers.
Fast lanes would serve only one purpose: for Broadband ISPs to receive an economic windfall. American consumers would be worse off as the costs of fast lanes are passed along to them in new fees or charges where there were none, or higher fees or charges where they existed.
Fast lanes would create new economic barriers for start-up entrepreneurs and innovators that have been critical to the growth of the Internet economy. As bad, since fast lanes would necessarily mean there are slow lanes, they would amount to “picking winners and losers onlinc,” with Broadband ISPs acting as fast lane “gatekeepers,” precisely the opposite ofthe Commission’s past policy.
Essentially, if there were “fast lanes” they would be able to charge more for the ability to provide them, and that extra cost would be passed on to the consumers. MLB AM is expected to bring in over $800 million this year, so the idea of messing with their cash cow is certainly a motivation here. Still, it’s good to see prominent entities with a stake in this fight the good fight.
