Last year, a hot-button issue was the NFL’s institution of what has been called the “45-second rule” whereby media outlets were restricted from airing no more than 45 seconds of audio or video online. Now, Major League Baseball is following suit.

According to Sports Business Journal, starting this coming season news organizations will be limited to no more than 120 seconds of audio or video from league facilities. To add to that, “with game highlights restricted only to rights holders that have a separate rights deal with MLB Advanced Media.” As further reported:

The 120 seconds of MLB content cannot be streamed live, and like the NFL’s rule, the cap does not apply to news outlets providing their own analysis or reporting, commonly known as “talking head” material. The new MLB rules, in development for roughly six months, also prohibit news organizations from posting more than seven photos from any game online and from creating a photo gallery on their Web sites. In addition, non-text content created at MLB ballparks cannot stay up on a news outlet Web site for more than 72 hours.

Not all content will fall under the rigorous new restrictions. Formal press conferences will not fall under the guidelines, however, those outlets that apply for press credentials must provide written notice of any intent to transmit any information that is not text-based, i.e. audio or video. Already, the Associated Press Sports Editors has voiced their dissatisfaction with the new restrictions.

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