Why DRM Sucks: Major League Baseball Kills Older, Paid Downloads

Blindly trusting types look at me askance when I tell them I refuse to buy DRM-enabled content that has been crippled by software designed to control how and where I listen to music or watch movies... no matter how much I might want that content. Well, here's Exhibit A in why DRM is downright evil: Major League Baseball, which charges $3.95 per game for users to download a video of any given baseball matchup, has suddenly and without warning canceled the DRM service it used up until 2005. In a nutshell, if you bought a game before 2006, it will no longer play on your computer.

There is no technical workaround for the problem. MLB has simply abandoned its old "DDS" DRM system, leaving consumers out in the cold. No replacements, no refunds, no pity. Discs burned with the games are now simply useless. (Contrary to its actual behavior, MLB's license agreement states that, once accepted, its DRM license is valid "forever.")

Allan Wood writes about his experience dealing with MLB on this issue since April of this year. First he was told his case was bizarre and unique, then told they were working on a fix. Six months later, there is no fix, just an eventual admission from MLB that Wood has been screwed.

The ultimate irony is that MLB has now launched a new DRM system, asking consumers to buy games for $1.99 a pop. The price cut may look good, but really, who would consider these purchases to be anything other than a rental? How long until MLB decides to abandon the new DRM system once again? You'd have to be crazy to buy one.

We're not talking about pennies here but rather serious cash. Baseball fans are maniacal collectors; Wood himself lost $280 to this scam. I have to imagine that the total monetary loss to fans has to run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. That's significant.

Ultimately, the situation is just sad. MLB needs to apologize and issue a technical fix to make older downloads permanently playable. Immediately. Otherwise, it should be prepared to defend itself in a nasty and much-deserved class-action lawsuit. I know which team I'll be rooting for, and I'm already getting my Cracker Jacks ready.

And now you know why I never pay for DRM-enabled content.

UPDATE: While there's no official word from MLB yet, the New York Times is reporting that customers will soon be able to re-download old games free of charge. I guess that's what an old-fashioned dust-up will get ya.

LINK: If You Purchased MLB Game Downloads Before 2006, Your Discs/Files Are Now Useless; MLB Has Stolen Your $$$ And Claims "No Refunds"