Dugouts To Have Cell Phones As Part Of Deal With T-Mobile

Post #1 » by **LittleOzzy** » Wed Jan 9, 2013 5:22 pm

Managers will now make calls to the bullpen on cell phones provided by T-Mobile, who has become the official wireless partner of Major League Baseball.

"Everyone wanted to make this deal happen," said Tim Brosnan, MLB's executive vice president of business. "It just took a while to get here."

The phone system will use T-Mobile's 4G network and a Samsung Galaxy 3, a standard phone that is available to consumers.

The dugout phones will remain in place in case teams prefer to use them.

http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... _t_mobile/

I'm guessing the chance of one of these cell phones being used is about 0. No way will Managers change something they have been doing for years simply to help a sponsor.

Gibby · Post #2 » by **Gibby** » Wed Jan 9, 2013 6:37 pm

This seems...completely useless

gei · Post #3 » by **gei** » Wed Jan 9, 2013 6:51 pm

Considering T-Mobile does not offer service in Canada, I can't see this affecting us at all.

Post #4 » by **LittleOzzy** » Wed Jan 9, 2013 7:16 pm

gei wrote:Considering T-Mobile does not offer service in Canada, I can't see this affecting us at all.

It's a league wide deal.

wtcantfw · Post #5 » by **wtcantfw** » Wed Jan 9, 2013 7:46 pm

LittleOzzy wrote:
gei wrote:Considering T-Mobile does not offer service in Canada, I can't see this affecting us at all.

It's a league wide deal.

Will Rogers be charged a roaming fee?

J-Roc · Post #6 » by **J-Roc** » Wed Jan 9, 2013 8:02 pm

LittleOzzy wrote:
Managers will now make calls to the bullpen on cell phones provided by T-Mobile, who has become the official wireless partner of Major League Baseball.

"Everyone wanted to make this deal happen," said Tim Brosnan, MLB's executive vice president of business. "It just took a while to get here."

The phone system will use T-Mobile's 4G network and a Samsung Galaxy 3, a standard phone that is available to consumers.

The dugout phones will remain in place in case teams prefer to use them.

http://baseball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_ ... _t_mobile/

I'm guessing the chance of one of these cell phones being used is about 0. No way will Managers change something they have been doing for years simply to help a sponsor.

You're showing your age Ozzy. This isn't Earl Weaver. Managers these days know how to use a cell phone. And besides, they can get their bench coach to dial for them. :lol:

Edit: Boy, this opens up some great phone hacking opportunities. 8-)

N31L · Post #7 » by **N31L** » Wed Jan 9, 2013 9:07 pm

The dugout phones have had numerous issues in the past. I recall there being half a dozen problems with the Jays' dugout phone last year alone. That's not a whole lot in the grand scheme of things, but when you have an alternative right next to you, especially one that will be pretty much 100% reliable, then I don't see the problem with it. Also, I specifically remember a team's dugout phone malfunctioning to the point where they couldn't even bring in the pitcher they wanted to. I forget if this happened to the Jays, or if it happened in the playoffs.

CrymeTime · Post #8 » by **CrymeTime** » Wed Jan 9, 2013 9:27 pm

Why don't they have the bullpens connected to the dugout?

The managers can walk between the 2, and make sure everything is in order.

torontoaces04 · Post #9 » by **torontoaces04** » Wed Jan 9, 2013 10:25 pm

tarheel06 wrote:
LittleOzzy wrote:
gei wrote:Considering T-Mobile does not offer service in Canada, I can't see this affecting us at all.

It's a league wide deal.

Will Rogers be charged a roaming fee?

No, just the opposite. Rogers is going to charge T-Mobile a roaming fee

distracted · Post #10 » by **distracted** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 2:10 pm

torontoaces04 wrote:No, just the opposite. Rogers is going to charge T-Mobile a roaming fee

And T-Mobile will pass on that roaming fee to the user

wtcantfw · Post #11 » by **wtcantfw** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 2:54 pm

distracted wrote:
torontoaces04 wrote:No, just the opposite. Rogers is going to charge T-Mobile a roaming fee

And T-Mobile will pass on that roaming fee to the user

Who, indirectly, is Rogers?

Jatt · Post #12 » by **Jatt** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 3:44 pm

Messenger Pigeons.

satyr9 · Post #13 » by **satyr9** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 4:05 pm

Jatt wrote:Messenger Pigeons.

This would be way too much fun. Throw in the ability for pitchers to pick them off if they desire (if you want to stay in the game you can literally shoot the messenger) and we've just added some serious entertainment value and saved on our cellphone bill.

I guess PETA could become an issue, but I think it's worth the risk.

gei · Post #14 » by **gei** » Thu Jan 10, 2013 4:54 pm

LittleOzzy wrote:
gei wrote:Considering T-Mobile does not offer service in Canada, I can't see this affecting us at all.

It's a league wide deal.

That doesn't mean that T-Mobile can magically offer service where they have none.

Maternal · Post #15 » by **Maternal** » Fri Jan 11, 2013 1:06 am

tarheel06 wrote:
distracted wrote:
torontoaces04 wrote:No, just the opposite. Rogers is going to charge T-Mobile a roaming fee

And T-Mobile will pass on that roaming fee to the user

Who, indirectly, is Rogers?

LOL. Now they'll know how it feels. Hopefully T-Mobile over-charges them, and when Rogers calls to fix their bill, they're put on hold for an hour before being hung up on.

Post #16 » by **LittleOzzy** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 12:59 am

I wonder if they actually will have them in Toronto. It's a league wide deal, but maybe T-Mobile won't bother putting them in Toronto. Maybe just the away dugout for advertising purposes for the American networks?

They sure are ugly.

Wo1verine · Post #17 » by **Wo1verine** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 1:43 am

Considering Rogers owns the Blue jays, i doubt they would allow it ..

Raps12 · Post #18 » by **Raps12** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 2:36 am

Wo1verine wrote:Considering Rogers owns the Blue jays, i doubt they would allow it ..

They wouldn't have a choice, it's a league wide exclusive sponsorship. If T-Mobile wants them there, they will be there even though the value of their sponsorship is significantly reduced (they can still capture the viewership but no local consumers to target)

Seasontickets · Post #19 » by **Seasontickets** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:23 am

There's a Red Sox & Fried Chicken joke somewhere here.

gei · Post #20 » by **gei** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:02 pm

This is an interesting situation - T-Mobile doesn't have any service here so it would be completely pointless. That being said, I'm sure this season there will be lots of foreign eyes watching the Jays, seeing how they are expected to be contenders, so maybe T-Mobile will still push for it....

At the same time however it would be stupid to put a T-Mobile phone in the Jays (or even the visitors) dugout, knowing that the phone wouldn't even be using T-Mobile service...