March 9: In addition to their deal with Apple, MLB has also finalized a streaming rights deal with NBC Sports, reports Mike Ozanin of Forbes. NBC will purchase the rights to the Monday Night Baseball and Wednesday Night Baseball packages that ESPN did not include in its new deal with MLB. Those games will “mainly” be streamed on NBC’s Peacock streaming service, though specific broadcast details have not yet been announced by MLB or by NBC.
The pair of new streaming deals will pay MLB $115MM annually, Ozanin further reports. MLB’s deal with Apple is a seven-year contract that comes out to $85MM annually. The NBC/Peacock deal is shorter, clocking in at two years and $30MM in annual rights fees. It’s not yet expressly clear that the NBC deal will make those games exclusive to Peacock, but assuming that’s the case (as it is with Apple), the league would be subtracting somewhere around 100 total games (perhaps a bit more) from its MLB.tv package with this pair of new streaming deals.
Under MLB’s previous deals with ESPN, FOX and TBS, the league pulled in an average of $1.55 billion in annual television rights between the regular season and the playoffs. Their newest batch of contracts with those providers, plus the recent additions of Apple and NBC, give MLB a 26% increase in television and streaming revenue — up to an average of $1.96 billion each year, according to Ozanin. That comes out to about $65MM per club, before factoring in each team’s local/regional broadcast contracts.
March 8: Major League Baseball and Apple announced Tuesday that they have agreed to a streaming deal that will see two Friday night games streamed exclusively on Apple TV+ each week, beginning with the 2022 season. “Friday Night Baseball” will feature live pregame and postgame shows and will be available in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. Apple TV+ will also offer a program called “MLB Big Inning” to U.S. viewers, which the press release describes as a “live show featuring highlights and look-ins airing every weeknight during the regular season.”
The new service will allow fans to watch “marquee” games each Friday which will be “free from local broadcast restrictions.” Fans who are frustrated by the blackout issues that have served as a persistent source of consternation for MLB.tv users will surely welcome an alternative — particularly those who are already subscribe to Apple TV+.
However, the Friday Night Baseball deal now removes two games per week from that same MLB.tv package, given that today’s press release from Apple emphasizes the exclusivity of those Friday night broadcasts. That’s sure to raise the ire of MLB.tv users who do not have an active Apple TV+ subscription, as they’ll now be required to sign up for an additional monthly service if they wish to catch those Friday night contests. Today’s press release indicates that “for a limited time,” Friday Night Baseball will be accessible without a subscription but offers no further detail.
Of course, it’s only natural to see Major League Baseball continue to push into the streaming space, as they’ve done in recent years with live-game broadcasts on YouTube and Facebook. Other such deals will surely follow, particularly given how prominent this model is becoming throughout all of professional sports. Amazon Prime began streaming Thursday Night Football games in recent years, for instance, while other services like Peacock, Hulu and Paramount+ have increasingly begun to offer exclusive live sports streams as part of their models. There’s considerable profit to be gained by expanding streaming partnerships in this fashion, even if it comes at the expense of MLB watering down its longstanding MLB.tv offerings.
“Apple is the ideal partner to bring ‘Friday Night Baseball’ to fans around the world,” MLB chief revenue officer Noah Garden said in a statement within today’s press release. “Following milestones like the launch of At Bat on day one of the App Store in 2008 to the integration of Apple technology in ballparks across the country, this robust new game package is the perfect next collaboration in our long history of offering quality and innovative content to our fans. With national availability and international reach, MLB on Apple TV+ offers an exciting new platform to fans that allows a wider audience to connect with the game.”
Why does MLB hate their own streaming service so much? You can’t watch local games and now they’re taking two games a week off of it to put on Apple+. And if you’ve got your local sports package, those games are now only on Apple+. I can’t imagine teams that own their own station (like YES and SNY) are going to participate in this.
Best option for fans is still illegal streaming.
Their just pigs. I’m not paying for Apple TV and neither do I believe most of those who don’t already subscribe. MLB continues to shoot themselves in the foot. You would think they’d be trying to give something back to fans. Why not lift TV blackout rules anyway? Radio is not restricted. I choose not to listen to certain broadcasts. A couple of times, the radio synced but usually I either watch silently or turn it off altogether.
I doubt that MLB’s blackout policy will ever change because each team has their own tv local broadcast and regional contracts and they’re for decades sometimes. I think the Cardinals have one with Fox Sports that goes through 2032. MLB would have to wait for the contract to end to try and negotiate a contract for each team.
So this means I can’t watch any Yankees vs Red Sox Friday night games.
Just another reason to continue avoiding all Apple products.
Don’t blame Apple. Blame the owners and the player’s. Apple didn’t ruin the games and take push baseball off of local TV then off network tv the. Off regular cable then off RSN then off regional streaming service then off MLB tv. That was the owners and the players pricing more and more fans away.
Huh?? Go home lee, you’re drunk.
I’m home perfectly sober enjoying my dinner and a movie. Boondock Saint’s.
The players have no control over tv negotiations. That’s on the owners. If the players had a say, then their percentage of revenue would be going up, not down.
@Fever Pitch Guy
Look on the bright side. You and Red Sox nation will be saved from a lot of heartache.
You’re forgetting about a large portion of fans that dont live within hundreds of miles of a baseball team .and have NO LOCAL TV BROADCASTS. I am one of those. I live in the Boise Idaho area which is the fastest growing metropolitan area in the country with a population of over 600k. Yet we are 500 miles from Seattle with no local Mariner games and are blacked out.
I gave up my MLB.TV subscription in 2019 and will NOT renew it until the anti-trust exemption blackout restrictions are removed.
I lived in Montana, 9 hours drive from Seattle (the closest city to my home), and I was blacked out. If the Mariners and MLB think I’m gonna drive 9 hours one way to watch a ballgame, they are out of their freakin’ minds. GREED.
All of Montana is within the Mariners’ TV territory as is Boise. Hence you would get the Mariners via their RSN, which is Root Sports.
They actually just switched to Bally sports and it’s even harder to watch games where I’m at cause only one local cable provider and no major streaming service has been able to negotiate a deal with bally to actually show my cards.
To the Boise, Idaho guy. Its 2022. Use a VPN for your location so you can watch your “local” team play. Or better yet, find someone to put one of those apps on a firestick and watch every channel in existence for around $10/mo. The only real downside to watching tv using it is that there is definitely a 30+ second lag on live sports.
@Cmurphy….except they obviously did just change it for apple
I’m in Iowa nothing closer than 3.5 hours for a MLB team and I’m blacked out on both Chicago teams Milwaukee Saint Louis kanas city and Detroit being a former tribe fan half of the games I wanted to watch on MLB.tv were blacked out it’s nonsense to be blacked out of 6 different teams and 5 markets when we are nowhere near any of them
Hey yo! I’m in Iowa too and it’s almost impossible to watch a game
Yeah because the Yankees have been so successful in the post season since 2009 right?
You?
can not follow. So Lee is half swacked? Get a real job..
I’m 2,300 away and i get blacked out.
Sorry Cecil I don’t quite understand this comment. Are you calling me half stacked or someone else?
@braves2 No, they didn’t “just change it for Apple.” Just as they do with ESPN and Fox, and now Peacock and Apple, they’re showing national games. ESPN’s new contract is televising only 30-40 games, down from 90 games in the agreement that ended after last season.
ChuckyNJ — Yes, but I’m not a Mariners fan, and would only watch one of their games if it were free or if my team was playing them. Either way, it makes NO SENSE to blackout people that far away. Why would I want to sign up with Root Sports?
MLB does not care about the likes of Dewey the Dinosaur. They go where the money takes them … and then they complain that all the players care about is money. And they do it with a straight face.
Dewey the Dino? With a name like Pickles, you sure you want to pick a fight?
Dewey, Pickles (silly name or not) is not the one picking the fight. MLB, by your own admission, is and has been for a long time. I’m just pointing out that they have long since cared what people who depend on radio (aka dinosaurs) care about. MLB is a TV medium, the players TV stars.
My bad for misinterpreting. I listen in the car primarily on the radio but out of frustration tried to link a Yankee YES broadcast with the red Sox radio team. twice I got the timing but usually it was not. My point was if they could allow out of market for radio be it their network or XM, they could do the same for TV
Do the selected Friday night games still come on cable if they are local? The YouTube and Facebook games didn’t but I could still catch them because those services are free. I know cable kind of sucks in it’s own way but I’m not sure why so many people are switching strictly to streaming services. Every company and their sister have a streaming service now. You can’t get them all. I do hate dealing with cable companies but I hate dealing with all of them. I just get cable so I can get all my local games and then look at some streaming services like add-ons to my cable. Up until now I’ve never missed a game but that’s because the YouTube and Facebook games have been available without a subscription.
Word of advice to streaming users. Don’t be super uptight about “everyone getting exactly what they pay for.” These streaming services know this is going to happen and I know several employees of streaming services who use this exact tactic. Streaming services typically allow up to 5 people all over the country to use the service at any given time. Get one service for yourself. Find other friends who use different services. Share your passwords with one another. They use yours. You use theirs. The services know this is taking place because their own employees do it. There’s nothing ready wrong with it because they try to gouge you every chance they get so you should do the same. Unless you are one of those “Karens” who likes to complain about everything and thinks Apple doesn’t make enough money, this is what you should do. If it were wrong, employees of these companies wouldn’t do it themselves but even they do. Pay for one service. Watch 5. I their own employees can do it, so can you. Also, these streaming companies know it’s going to happen and they plan for it. When you pay for 5 screens it means you are paying for 5 screens. It doesn’t mean you have to be the one watching all of them at all times. So the smart thing to do is trade the 4 screens you don’t use for 4 other screens you will use.
Nope. Apple TV only lol. They get ya again. Table scarpa for the puppies yet again. Now just watching how this lockout has played out has been more entertaining than the past decade of baseball has been played on the field. There’s damn sure been more action and manufactured “suspense”. The owners and MLBPA constantly using they’re own versions of THE SHIFT. Is definitely more enjoyable to watch play out than watching the defensive shift on the field lol
It’s Hammer time!
too long so quit! zzzzzzzzz
the nightmare continues…… aren’t you late for Dungeon and Dragons in your mom’s basement? 30 words or less. No time for Hammer!
And what those that cut the cord are finding out is it’s easier to negotiate with the cable company. My package is far cheaper than what streamers could get. Cable discounts Internet extensively when packaged. I pay $205 a month on LI for four TVs, 300 speed, home phone and the cable includes local sports, HBO, Showtime, Stars and more. The only problem is I don’t watch it all and to try to get less, they would remove their discounts instead of lowering the cost. For example the amount charged includes TV set ups on empty rooms that used to be occupied in prior years. I’m not however buying another streaming service for a couple of games a week.
@Hammer:
You said the same thing like, 3 or 4 times. In the future, please edit for brevity and to remove repetition.
deweybelongsinthehall — Right, and now my MLB.TV subscription is worth much less, not only because I lose two games a week from it, but also because you KNOW AppleTV+ is going to pull the rug out quickly and demand we subscribe to AppleTV+.
Yup, MLB keeps shooting itself not only in the foot, but in the heart of the true fans.
They’re just pigs. I’m not paying for Apple TV and neither do I believe most of those who don’t already subscribe. MLB continues to shoot themselves in the foot. You would think they’d be trying to give something back to fans. Why not lift TV blackout rules anyway? Radio is not restricted. I choose not to listen to certain broadcasts. A couple of times, the radio synced but usually I either watch silently or turn it off altogether.
They’re
I forgot there was no editing…
Teams love this. Will now get regional tv money and apple money.
It’s not MLB who has a problem with streaming local games, it’s the local TV networks.
That makes no sense to me. Local TV doesn’t broadcast baseball games anymore (in many areas, not all). The games are broadcasted on a regional sports network. And I’m far enough away, physically, that I wouldn’t be able to get those TV channels anyway through any method other than streaming.
Blacking me out does nothing but keep a hardcore fan from seeing my team. I’m exactly the eyeballs they should want to support.
Local TV is out of the equation. The games are broadcast by the RSN. Let me steam the dang game—I’ve already shown that I’m willing to pay for it!
We should only have to pay once. Giving some games to Apple, where does it stop? I e gotten MLB free the last two years through T-Mobile. As much as I love the game, the way they are ruining it, I for one am not paying.
Yeah, the blackouts should only affect those who actually are in range of the RSNs. That’s the only real problem with the blackouts, although it’s a doozy of one.
Which is exactly why they did it. Force you and the rest of the fans to pony up more money for a product the gets worse everyday!!!! Ask yourself this question, would you go back to the same restaurant and pay more for meals the get increasingly worse? Continue to buy the same make and model of a car that continues to get worse but the cost rises? Apply the same logic to any product.
Great analogy! Hell, no!!!!
Although, I have to admit, having been watching baseball since ’61, it’s not the PACE of the game that bothers me; it’s the lack of action. Too many Ks, too many walks, not enough manufactured runs..Pitching is too dominant. I miss the stolen base. I miss the hit and run. I miss the occasional bunt.
But I wont miss pitchers hitting. I wont miss the banning of the shift. I won’t/don’t miss having relievers pitch to more batters.
I’m glad someone can see through the B.S that both sides are putting out and what the real problems are.
A few seasons ago, White Sox head coach Ricky Renteria used the bunt numerous times in the season. He was fairly criticized for its misuse, but he was unfairly criticized for using it as well. Unfortunately the sports media and MLB prefer to advertise home runs and strike outs than small ball baseball.
Hell’s yea it is !
Good post
Yet another reason I’m laughing at MLB and glad I’ve already walked away fromm the game and have a full year under my belt of not watching or attending games. I just love coming here to enjoy watching the snake eat its own tail. All the fans who are obsessing everyday praying for this lockout to end remind me of puppy dogs begging for scraps from the dinner table.
Well, thanks for stopping by.
@leemassey
“Already walked away from the game” would suggest you’d have no interest in posting here about the sport you abandoned. I think you miss it, don’t you? Who’s a good little puppy? You are, yes you are!
If you would have paid attention to my post would would have seen I said I love coming here to read how the snake is eating it’s tail. The owners and players have destroyed the game I grew up loving for the better part of 50 yrs. Of course I miss the game. Never said I didn’t. I also said they will never get $.01 from me again. I have my memories of the game when it was great and when I was actually able to make friends with many of the 1990 Red’s WS CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM due to my job at the time. So yes I will continue to come here read about this circus until it’s over and get my daily laughter at it’s lunacy. If you have a problem with that , don’t read my comments Rover.
Lee, it’s people like you who prompted the invention of the Mute button. Bye now.
leemassey3 hours ago
I just love coming here to enjoy watching the snake eat its own tail.
===================================
Very sad. You gave up baseball, and replaced that by coming in to watch people discuss baseball? I know you won’t see it, but it is a bit pathetic.
I probably haven’t watched basketball in five years. It became too boring before it became too political. But I never thought about signing onto a basketball site to proclaim my departure.
Nobody cares if I gave up the NBA, and no one will care if you give up on BB.
No I come to read the articles and then the comments and on certain articles I will comments. Keep up Young Padawan, the force is weak with you.
Wow leemassey is weird as hell lol. Sitting in his mom’s basement trolling these boards, yikes.
Lol yea right. You wish. I’m a 61 yr old man . Retired. Live on 5 acres in the country with my wife and 3 dogs. Wanna try an original insult that might actually be accurate. My guess is your a fantasy sports geek incel who thinks creating YouTube content as a career is a significant achievement in ones life
Yep, you are definitely mad. Telling your pretend life story is a classic sign.
Ah I get it now . Your a millennial. So when you hear someone tell you the truth , you automatic response is it’s a lie. How sad. Don’t worry tho, those of us who work/have worked for a living all of our lives will continue to be taxed to death so you can get your government handouts so you can keep paying to watch MLB
…lee is so mad right now
Again, that makes no sense whatsoever. You said you:
“…already walked away fromm the game and have a full year under my belt of not watching or attending games.”
So you don’t watch the games, or attend, but you come in here to read the comments about games that you don’t watch or attend? How can that possibly make any sense?
Hmmm you left out an important part of what I said . I come here to read the articles and read the comments and sometimes chime in. I don’t comment on every article. I’ll make it simple for you. I loved the game and it sucked a me the way these people have ruined it. However, I find it funny how the snake is just continually eating its own tail and and some here don’t even see the real problems and just blame the owners and say the players are saints and angels and deserve to be treated as God’s on earth. Just so they can get on their smart phones and play fantasy baseball and sound smart using advanced metrics. I find it entertaining. Y’all are funny and sad at the same time.
lee is so mad that he’s here for another day of whining disguised as self-entertainment. One has to wonder what his “wife” thinks lmao.
Lol no I’m simply replying to yet another simpleton and laughing at you as you continue to whine about my comment. My wife just left work shaking her head wondering why yours still harping on my comment instead of going to work yourself. My guess is your hands are too busy. One is one some sort of fantasy baseball draft guide and the other is on …. Well you know.
LOL he’s so mad he showed his wife this comment section. No wonder she’s leaving for… sure, let’s call it work. Definitely not to see another guy.
Lol aweeee your such a cute little puppy dog. So tired of your worn out insults of the owners you wanna try em on me. Nice try. Go on back to your mother’s basement and dream of having a real woman and a real life. Time to put the puppy in the kennel I.E. MUTE
Good to know I will be in your head the rest of your life.
MLB does not hate their own streaming service—they just like lining their pockets more.
Hey, something new to whine and cry about! Bonanza!
I’m looking forward to the Apple+ streams,. I predict they’ll do a good job.
The certain whining and crying from all the self-proclaimed victims is just an added feature.
Who’s whining and crying? Who’s claiming they’re a victim? All I’m saying is that, due to the convoluted blackout rules for MLB.TV, illegal streaming was a better option. Now, with Apple+ involved, it’s even more convoluted.
You like Apple+, great. You do you. I’ll keep watching in my own way.
BallySports is launching a new app this year for some teams where if your local cable doesn’t carry an RSN, you can get the RSN through the ballysports app (if you are local). Why not all of the teams Bally’s carries? Because MLB is being stingy and trying to get someone who will pay even more or a bigger platform like Amazon. Stop trying to maximize returns on everything and just let us fans watch our games!!
If the games were only blacked out live and would be available archived on MLB.TV, I’d tolerate it… but if it’s permanently exclusive to Apple TV, I’m going to have to reconsider my subscription.
Funny these idiots are making deals to stream games they haven’t even agreed to play yet
What exactly will they be streaming? There are no MLB games so will they stream MLB the Show games?
Meanwhile, Evan Drellich at The Athletic reported that today’s meeting between owners and players ended after 20 minutes.
WTH! All this b.s. about talking through the night hours to hopefully reach a deal by early morning, and they adjourn in 20 minutes?! I blame the MLBPA for expecting waaaaaay too much to be agreed upon for this one CBA. These players are mostly millennials and it’s no wonder that they want everything and won’t take no for an answer. Screw them. I don’t care if baseball starts at all this year. Let everyone involved lose money for a change.
Was it millennials that went on strike in 1994?
Funny part to me is with more and more states getting gambling apps, some people will fill the void and not return.
Ok b00mer
Mr Roper actually does something
It’s not a great look for MLB to be negotiating deals like this with Apple, while ignoring their ridiculous blackout policies, and simultaneously crying poor mouth. This commissioner is so tone deaf, it’s hard to imagine anyone could create a fictional character more out of touch.
POV you thought it was the cba deal
First game cancelled
Great new revenue for the owners. Seems like they should have more leeway on the Luxury Tax…..right? Hello….hello?
it is strange they are making announcements on new revenue sources while crying poor during a negotiation
They know that their boot lickers will still lick their boots and everyone else sees through that BS anyway so the cognitive dissonance is of no concern to them.
Yeah if you think the players aren’t necessarily entitled to everything they’re asking for, that just means you’re a bootlicker of the owners. Simple as. Players deserve 100% of all profits. Owners bad, players good. Rise proletariat!
They hypocrisy of your comments is almost as hilarious as that of the owners! apparently in your world wanting to earn more money and create more of a free market that the players want is equivalent to socialism vs the owners insuring profits and regulating spending at all costs is capitalism….
These rsns have no choice
Poor poverty stricken owners get 150 mil for these deals so sad!
Then stop contributing to them if you dislike them getting rich. Disconnect from all your devices.
How about free to watch games? Ya know…grow the sport?
And my local diner can provide free food to grow their clientele as well.
That actually … uh … works. upserve.com/restaurant-insider/does-giving-free-sa…
That’s samples, not free food/meals.
this is literally the Costco model and they are pretty succesful
Stop using literally that way.
It is not literally the Costco model. They give free samples. Next time they offer me a free hotdog and fries I will notice.
Costco gives out samples that might have cost them a dime each. It’s almost nothing. Stew Leonard’s gives you a halfway decent meal if you time it right.
you probably can get more in free samples than the size of a hot dog.
The average baseball fan is 58.
The average lifespan is 74.
Baseball dies with the boomers unless they find someone new people who want to eat their food.
RedFraggle
They tried free games on tv back in the 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s ….guess it didn’t work
Too much complaining these days. These folks should’ve been around in the 70s & 80s. For $130 a year, I can watch virtually every single game that’s being played. I can watch four games at once. I can switch from one to another to another. When the stars align, I can watch four of my fantasy pitchers all going at the same time.
It is a steal, really. But compared to the 70’s-80’s, the product is trash. Everything is better-the broadcasts, the players, the information… everything but the actual game. Go on YouTube, watch a random game from them…much better. Especially the NL games.
Ironic isn’t it, as Steve Kerr said ““They would all kill us. The game gets worse as time goes on. Players are less talented than they used to be. The guys in the ’50s would’ve destroyed everybody. It’s weird how human evolution goes in reverse in sports. Players get weaker, smaller, less skilled. I don’t know. I can’t explain it.”
@joe, well I have a real, local team I actually care about (not four pitchers from a fantasy team), so the mlb.tv is of no use to me since games are blacked out…and lots of other people who care about their local teams are in the same boat.
@tnope, now all you kids stay off my lawn!
Well not smaller, but it’s too bad young fans can’t watch ballplayers who had to play hard to keep their jobs.
Pretty good point. Since I am a RS fan in NY, it works great for me. But yeah, if I were in Boston, it would make a significant difference.
@Tnope
“Players get weaker, smaller, less skilled.”
Right, 5′ 6″ 150 lb Phil Rizzuto would be destroying the American League today.
What world are you and Steve Kerr living in?
It’s really pretty simply. The pitchers are dominating the sport with velocity, but the human arm can’t take it (with the rare exception of a Nolan Ryan) for long. So, teams continue to trot out young arms that last only a few years.
The pitching dominance, and the shift, dictates that the best strategy for winning games IS swinging for the fences. The odds of stringing together hits, to produce runs, has become small. .Hence, the swinging for the fence. Hence, all the Ks.
There were great players in the 50s, 60s and 70s but they wouldn’t fare any better than the current hitters against these pitchers and the shifts, IMO.. No one is coaching hitters in the lower ranks, to become a Tony Gwynn, a Wade Boggs, a Rod Carew. The HR hitters of that era would strike out as much as these bums are.
@Ol’ Uncle Charlie I know people who root for their local team who still subscribe to MLB.TV for that purpose. The blackouts only last a few hours, not everybody feels a need to watch live. Some people can’t watch live due to commitments or just hate the commercial breaks or prefer to be able to fast forward through some parts of the game and so prefer to wait.
Personally I prefer watching live, but waiting isn’t that big of a deal either.
It worked great (the TV deals of the 50’s, 60’s & 70’s): it grew the fan base astronomically. It’s just that the owners have gotten greedier and greedier.
And yet, the owners are too poor to give the players anything they want in the CBA negotiations.
Fine for those who subscribe to Apple TV, but not enough IMO to get those like myself to subscribe to it.
I wouldn’t subscribe. I get all the games (mostly) on my computer for a reasonable price. $130. This is a no-brainer.
JoeBrady
Yeah but who wants to sit at their computer for 3 hours a day to watch a ballgame
Me, for one. But the beauty of it is, you can work and watch at the same time. I’m situated in-between my living room and kitchen. In between innings, I can do the dishes, I can take out the trash, and I can vacuum the rug. Mostly I go to the kitchen for snacks, but my house is never cleaner than when I am watching a 4-hour NYY/BRS marathon.
Joe Brady clearly sits at his CPU for 3+ hours commenting on MLBTR
Is MLB package still blacking out local Joe (w/out a diff VPN ) ?
I haven’t had it since I quit fantasy myself 4 years ag0, agree the quad screen was worth $110 (back then ) to watch multiple Sps go and late game Rps
Think thats the main gripe w the package
I go illegal now, tho it’s merely 1 screen at a time but I can get all my Dodgers no problemo
I think so. It’s weird. I’m a RS fan from The Bronx, and the only games I don’t get to see are Yankee-Red Sox games. But some of those games are on regular TV, or ESPN, or some other random channels. I don’t miss much.
Yea, wish they could circumvent that somehow ….I’d pay (even extra) if I could get Dodgers just for the extra features.(Love Mlb studio)
But w/out providing the home teams it’s easy to forget how much they DO offer.
* Wish they’d just uniform all the TV rights like the NFL and find out a better way to parcel the money to ALL teams. Beyond pipedream now, just dreaming but MLB Tv rights have always been awful for the fans typically in any decade (and the disparities they havoc in team by team revenue as well for a side punch ) Something more uniform (like NFL) coulda made sense in another world
You can stream on your TV if you don’t want to watch on your Computer.
“I’m a red sox fan from the Bronx…”
Must be a tough SOB too.
JoeBrady — Joe, if you lived closer, I’d have you come in during games and take care of my chores too.
All of us who have a comfortable chair at our computers, and spend the rest of the day there anyway and don’t own televisions.
You can obviously watch MLB.TV on a television just as easily though, if you want the 20th century experience.
What they are doing is getting folks who refuse to watch games on junk like apple tv, you tube etc another game. Who wants to go searching around some other platform for a game on a service they have paid *1* for a decent amount of money already to watch it at? Bad enough they have forced some to watch horrid espn to have 1-2 each week, now they want to farm out more?
For me, I just watch more milb games when this happens and refuse during those times to do the bidding of those dolts, who think will go off and look to some 2nd rate platform in search of a game.. It ain’t worth it and many times.. find an interesting game involving kids who really want to play the game.
The owners have moved much more in the direction of the players demand figures than the players have compromised.
No, all I see is 2 more games a week are now blacked out! I pay for MLB.tv and i accept the espn and local deal, now they are adding apple? I do not own an apple device, I do not have apple TV and I do not want it! Just do away with MLB.tv and make the fans pay $600 a month for subscriptions and devices just to watch the games! Go ahead and cancel the season, I will just fish more this year!
THIS IS THE WRONG AGREEMENT! HURRY UP ON THE CBA!
Before you know it you’ll need a full cable package from a provider + multiple monthly streaming services if you want to watch all your local team’s games. Just awful. Owners and Manfred talk about wanting to spread the game and draw in new viewership but as soon as someone waves some money in front of them they sell right out and making it even harder for people to watch.
Hopefully the owners are being considered and taken care of this time around.
your comments are always so laughably ignorant…
ack
I’ve been holding off canceling my mlb.tv premium package, curious as to what the cost would be. Curious as to how much more expensive it will be.
Now, knowing they’re giving exclusive rights to more games, to a streaming service I don’t use, I don’t think I’ll even wait to know the new price.
Screw you, Manfraud.
sufferfortribe 2 — Already cancelled my MLB.TV subscription. Every move MLB makes, makes me madder.
Get MiLB.TV its $40 per season and about 15-20 games every night.
I cancelled the Auto-Renew on MLB.TV a few days ago…. just before the deadline. We don’t know how many games will be played or cancelled yet, so I’m not giving them the full money on blind faith that we get something close to 162. Guess we’ll see what happens with the price and the start of the season, but losing two “prime matchups” every Friday is not helping their cause for me to renew.
They will pro-rate for the amount of games played, obviously. Much like 2020. They’d be sued into oblivion if they didn’t.
But yes, if these “exclusive” matchups aren’t available archived it’s going to be annoying. Still, 2 games a week only means about a 14% chance that my team will be blacked out on a given Friday and at least there’s radio.
I saw “MLB” and “Agree” and got all excited that baseball is back. This is objectively less exciting.
I wonder how many “Marquee” games the Pirates and Orioles will be broadcast on Apple.
I guess that’s where they’re getting the 1M to pay Petie the Peanut Vendor….
Ha.
The event said that you will not have to pay for an Apple TV+ subscription as the games will be free “for now.”
“For now.”
I am not paying for Apple TV … this will mean a few times a year the Yankees will not be on yes then I won’t watch… I pay enough for tv and streaming channels that I don’t watch… not paying for Apple TV no way no how
Friday night’s a great night for baseball
Tuesday mornings all the way for me.
Cool. The owners got even richer. Which they do every year even if nothing happens since the average teams value increases by a few 100 million per year regardless.
So now that they have Apples money they can let the season happen right?
Of course not. They didn’t get rich by being generous or even acting like normal people. They got rich by squeezing ever last penny out everyone they interact with. Including the fans.
First, this is more money in the poor owners pockets. If it moves things closer to a new CBA, that’s a good thing.
Secondly, the games in 2022 ( hopefully), will be free to all with the basic Apple TV app which is available on all apple devices. appleTV+ ie extra but baseball package will be on basic this season.
I got a little too excited when I saw “agree to deal”……
“Exclusive” is just another word for “bad for the fans”.
This isn’t about the fans. This is about the little people being made to pay for the big people’s paycheck.
Your comfort, desire, budget and/or wallet is of no concern for MLB or the MLBPA.
so…it’s a business?
That’s a reasonable retort, (Especially since the MLBPA “feels” as much like a business to me as it does a union.) But I think it’s also worth noting that any businesses that ignores the comforts, desires and budgets of their customers – will eventually/ultimately destroy that business.
But again, this is the same as everyone else. I’m sure you try to get as much for your labor as you can. I certainly do. Every other entertainment company does. Movies never get cheaper. Broadway doesn’t get cheaper. Concerts don’t.
This is actually a good thing. The only reason why I have a 55″ TV, and a 20″ hi-def computer screen, etc., is because someone wanted to make money off of me.
More money that the owners won’t share. They could give the players everything they’re asking for and still have plenty leftover just from this Apple deal.
And how does this differ from any other company? I’m a salaried employee. If my employer does really well or really poorly, my salary doesn’t change much.
And, if the players want a piece of the new Apple revenue, all they have to do is settle for a percentage of the revenue deal, like the other majors.
the players first need to know the league revenue which is estimated but not actually known. as other top pro sports are ‘sharing’ revenue at around 50% mlb players’ share is estimated at 38%. of course players want a larger portion of league revenue.
If they wanted a straight percentage of revenue, then they would certainly be entitled to know what the revenue was. But I’d bet that the union could make a pretty good estimate to start off with
Past that, I remember back when I think the owners offered them 54% of revenue. Now the delta is so huge that I don’t know how high the owners would go. Pretty sure they aren’t going anywhere near 50%. For all the flack that Manfred gets, MLB is pooping out golden eggs every time they turn around.
TODAY’S GRAMMAR LESSON
“There” refers to a place…as in “over there.”
“Their” indicates possession.
“They’re” is a contraction for “they are.”
“Your” indicates possession.
“You’re” is a contraction for “you are.”
@48, this is the quirk easy fix weave all been waiting four. Wear we’re yew win we’re all us tried to talk at each udder befour?
Hashtagheroes
Also, don’t get me started on lose/loose. “Lose” is the opposite of “win.” “Loose” is the opposite of “tight.”
Or, how about resign and re-sign, where the hyphen mostly makes the two words kind of opposites.
@JoeBrady
Yes, that one, somebody … please make it stop! 🙂
People also don’t know the differences between “to”, “too” and “two.”
Mute point.
Moot button.
I’ve been debating getting MLB.TV this year for my office. The fewer games it broadcasts, the less incentivized I am to do so.
Keep in mind night games on the East Coast are afternoon games here on the Best Coast.
But, between blackouts and Amazon and Apple, it doesn’t seem like MLB.TV will be a great bang for my buck.
Way to turn down big bucks to pick up pennies.
set up a vpn on your personal computer and download a site called sports stream. get you most american pro sports. i have mlb tv but this is how to beat blackouts.
Nice. I’ll look into that.
I had MLB.TV in 2020 and it was cool. I had Angels and Dodgers games blacked out but could log into my cable provider for them.
One site would be best.
And for those of us in the middle lands, West Coast games go until the wee hours. But not if they’re blacked out, or now on AppleTV+, which I will not subscribe to.
Move all the games to streaming services or better yet pay per view
What would you pay per game I wonder? I’d pay $2.50-$5 a game
Yes, move everything to pay per view. Make it half of the average ticket price. LIft all black outs
If any company can convince you to buy something you never knew you needed it’s Apple. It’s a win for MLB.
For real. I fell for the “one free year” on Apple+ and now I’m three years in ha ha.
Maybe for the under 40 crowd. For a lot of us, if we hear the word “Apple” we immediately stop listening. iPod, iPad, iPhone, Mac,…… nope, nope, nope, nope.
More a matter of how much money you have to spare than what generation you are. Apple products are a solid choice if you have more money than you have any other use for.
This has been expected for some time, probably held up waiting to see what regular season inventory ESPN will have, which depends on whether there are expanded playoffs or not.
MLB’s contract with ESPN calls for 30 regular season games and the first round of expanded playoffs, if there are expanded playoffs.
That’s down from 90 regular season games in the last contract.
If there are no expanded playoffs ESPN pays $100 million less per year on the seven year deal, and they add 8 more regular season games.
MLB then has more regular season inventory to sell to a streaming company.
The main bidders for the streaming rights were NBC through Peacock and Apple+
This doesn’t preclude NBC from negotiating another deal
Excellent input!
I’m glad Peacock lost, or hopeful it continues to lose, since they’re still locking out Linux users.
MLBTR is one of the very few other sites to do the same. Had to install a user agent faker to sign up here. (Alas that doesn’t work on Peacock.)
There will be another deal with Peacock, possibly to pick up the Monday and Wednesday games being dropped by ESPN. Worth about $30M
So that means 30 regular season games of Yankees/Red Sox.
“for a limited time” = while there is a Lockout, get Friday night baseball without a subscription
It was probably “for the month of April” but now they had to alter that since there might not be baseball in April…..
Well at least this c sucker proved he can make a deal.
this is discrimination against google!
Don’t worry. There’s always the Thursday Night package to sell.
They won’t sell every game. Just ones played on days of the week that end in a “y.”
lol!
You’ve forgotten that there’s still time to land a deal for 5-second commercials after every pitch.
One huge advantage MLB has over many sports is content. The have 30 teams playing 162 games a year, not including post season. That’s a lot of games and content to sell. Content and streaming platforms need content. MLB has it. This will increase MLB’s revenues for years to come. Reminder: MLB generates the second most revenue of any sports league in the world. Only the NFL is larger.
So congrats to MLB for signing yet another huge TV contract, all while making the game seemingly more inaccessible to new fans as the games are spread among many platforms. Money though keeps coming in, even as owners shut the sport down arguing over a few million more in the CBT and player pools.
Are the owners so blind AND tone-death that they’ll lock the players out over a few million while they announce deals worth hundreds of millions?
Sigh.
As a huge boxing fan, I’ve seen what happens when a sport goes from network to premium cable and PPV. Streaming is pretty similar to those.
The fewer people who see the marquee names and games, the worse off for the sport in the long run.
Boxing is now returning to ESPN and Fox Sports but outside of die hards not many sports fans can name 5 active boxers. That wasn’t the case in the 80s and 90s.
You’re correct on that. I was a huge boxing fan. Baseball, boxing and hockey were my three favorite sports. The labor fighting culminating with the cancellation of an entire hockey season eventually took my interest in hockey that has never returned to what it once was. More of a casual fan now. My diminished interest in boxing, however, wasn’t driven by choice. The sport faded away as everything went toward PPV. Boxing on HBO with Barry Tompkins hooked me. It was accessible. Then it wasn’t. I can only name a few boxers today.
@halo, great example of a sport (boxing) that shot itself in the foot so many times, it’s practically dead. Don King and all the shenanigans of pro boxing made enough room for something to come in and take advantage of their greed and the ruining of the sport. Now MMA owns the fight game.
Baseball should take note of what happened…’cuz they’re on track to killing the golden goose.
Oddly, MMA is what is making boxing straighten up. Now that there’s competition we’re getting more of the fights we want and fewer on PPV.
Boxing is still bigger than MMA globally and a big boxing match makes way more money than a UFC card. And boxing pays better.
There’s definitely room for both sports, but as you said had boxing just stayed on course they’d have all the pie instead of splitting it.
all while making the game seemingly more inaccessible to new fans
======================================
My impression was that some of this was done to make the game more accessible to new fans. Kids today are surgically attached to their devices. It’s only the old people that are surgically attached to their 55″ screens.
IRT boxing, it doesn’t feel like they have the heavyweight stars that they use to have (or maybe I’m too old). I lived thru Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Holmes, Tyson, etc. Even the 2nd tier guys like Bonavena, Quarry, Norton, etc., were really good.
It could be. We need to see the exact details of this deal.
Boxing is far more international now than it was in those days. The term “World Champion” is actually true. As a result the heavyweight crown has been in Europe for quite some time: Lennox Lewis, the Klitschko brothers, Anthony Joshua, and now Tyson Fury.
Those dudes are beasts and much larger than the guys in the 70s. But Americans are interested when we win. Look at men’s tennis during the Agassi, Sampras, Chang days vs. now.
Exactly. Most streaming services lose viewers during the summer months. and who better to provide fresh, live content during those months to maintain subscriptions than MLB. Itr’s a natural fit.
Terrible news and just means more games of our team we can’t see
If Ted Turner were dead, he’d be spinning in his grave.
Ted got out while the gettin’ was good.
Kind of a weird dude, I could see him springing for the rotisserie mausoleum.
“STAY STRONG OWNERS!!!!! DON”T GIVE THE PLAYERS A DIME OF THIS MONEY!!!!! YOU EARNED IT!!!!!! NO ONE PAYS TO SEE BASEBALL PLAYERS!!!!!! IT’S ONLY TO WORSHIP YOUR GENIUS!!!!!!! ACKNOWLEDGE ME JUST ONCE!!!!!!! I LIVE TO SERVE THEE!!!!!!”
They came to an agreement to stream games that may not even happen…
“Apple is the ideal partner to bring ‘Friday Night Baseball’ to fans around the world,” MLB chief revenue officer Noah Garden said…
Will the players receive a significant percentage of that revenue increase?
“Well, no. Duh,” said Garden…
How can I eff up the game even more for $1,000, Alex…..
This league commissioner couldn’t hear the voice of reason, to stay away from making a deal with Apple, due to all the crusted fecal matter in his ears from putting his head up league owners hind ends.
Poetry!
More money for the owners, more cost for the fans.
In the next 24 hours, MLB and the MLBPA will ratify a new CBA and lift the lockout after almost 100 days, so the upcoming 2022 season will start on time on March 31.
lolololololololololol
I doubt this deal will eliminate your local TV games. RSNs, for example, have business deals with cable networks and teams. They can’t sell away all the games. Another example, the ESPN Sunday night game only impacts the teams on the Sunday night game. The local broadcasters are blocked but no other teams, who broadcast games but earlier. The Fox games also don’t prevent other teams from broadcasting locally.
I’m sure there will be similar restrictions but I doubt MLB will block out all Friday night games for Apple. They’re not that stupid. Are they? Uh, oh.
They might {probably} will throw you a nugget every now and then but NO WAY they completely loosen the noose
* These TV contracts hold too much weight in the game already , the idea/thought they’d still try and squeeze in 162 if they struck a deal before midnight today kinda reveals a little of that ugliness as well.
One of my biggest fears today is they rush these players back too soon and we get subsequent injs. We all know it will happen and ofc can all be tracked back to money made by people not putting their bodies at risk
“Another example, the ESPN Sunday night game only impacts the teams on the Sunday night game. The local broadcasters are blocked but no other teams, who broadcast games but earlier.”
What are you talking about? I had MLBTV as recently as 2019 and the ESPN Sunday night games were blacked out for me…………and I ived in a market that had no team within 500 miles and no local broadcast.
Apple are a pile of morons… no one is going to go out and get Apple service for those games… MLB better have cashed in on their moronic butts.
More content keeps subscribers. I won’t get Apple TV for this, but I’m less likely to cancel it if there’s a continuous supply of new content I’m interested in. If there’s nothing new that interests me, I’ll leave.
I remember when i was a kid, my neighbor complaining that the Allstar Game is now only available on cable. I remember my dad complaint that his new car doesn’t have a tape deck. Things change people, that’s the nature of technology, new tech supplants old tech. You can scream into the wind if you want, but it’s an idle exercise.
So the owners will sell off a few games to every streaming service and black them out unless you buy them all. Nothing satisfies the greed of these pigs.
I nearly shat myself when I saw MLB and Agree to deal… screw off with this nonsense.
What?
You’re not excited that your subscription to MLBTV just got a little crappier?
Apple TV is not the future. That MLB guy is simply wrong. Streaming IS the future, as well as the now.
What MLB should do(they wont), is provide a FREE streaming service to all fans across the globe, where MLB makes tons of revenue from advertising only.
It’s the best way to give future fans a taste of the good stuff.
This current Apple TV move sucks – it only pushes me further from the game.
Ummmmmmm Apple TV is a streaming service.
Stay off my lawn! Lol.
MLB had a few games for free on Facebook last season. I was watching and the was a box on screen that showed the number of viewers. If it was accurate it never went over 1,000. And that was free. Don’t remember all the teams, Mets were one, but if that’s what streaming is going to pull in, Apple & NBC will, hopefully, lose money.
Rob manfred eats puppies and kittens
Apple would be smart to reinvent the broadcast booth.
Off topic and not to alarm anyone, but Bob Nightengale is reporting that progress is being made in today’s talks. We saw this movie last week!
Either way, I can’t watch them. I don’t care as long as they aren’t taking away any ESPN nor FOX national broadcasts that I actually can watch.
Now when will my local RSN finally make a deal with Yahoo! TV so I can finally watch my local team again aside from those rare national broadcasts?!
So we can make a deal with Apple but we can’t make a deal with the players union? Logic
Apple is more reasonable.
Apple is paying.
Just a Thought.
I think this weakens the MLB’s position in the CBA. This only helps MLB if there are Games actually played. If I’m the Players, I tell MLB that we are going to put together another Proposal but that it won’t be ready until July 1, 2022.
By that time MLB will be refunding money to the Networks and these other Deals will be in trouble too.
To stream what?
Greedy ba$&ards.
Taking games away from home team RSNs, which fans already pay extra for.
Yep, someone with a $180 monthly bill for cable will tune in on Friday night to find Red Sox/Rays instead of Yankees/Angels.
The NFL doesn’t do that.
Only baseball, being run into the ground by the moron Manfred, pisses off local fans to make a quick buck.
You have got to be kidding.
The Angels should be the “Game of the Week” every Friday with Trout,Ohtani, Fletcher,Rendon and Walsh…
But The East Coast bias will take over and it will be Yankees,Mets RedSox every Friday
As a Yankee fan, I’m more than happy to have them NEVER appear on ESPN Sunday Night baseball. I don’t care if they’re on the Apple Friday Night game either. It’s all yours. It’s not bias, btw. It’s dollars, and that’s why the Yankees, Red Sox and few other major market winning teams keep showing up. They’re paying the bills for the small-market teams. It must be nice to be Nutting. Money flows in, no responsibility or concern to give back.
shhhhhhhh…don’t tell ’em that, Rob.
I love hearing about ESPN’s “Yankee bias” & how “unfair” it is.
Yea like ESPN+ is just raking in the dough with the NHL. Morons.
Money,money,money,mmmoooooneeyyy.
“The best things in life are free, but you can give them to the birds and bees. I want money, that’s what I want.” — Barret Strong
I blame this entirely on the Players Union. It has to be their fault.
Anybody hear the Randy Levine interview? Interesting, but he’s a good company man.
I didn’t. & he sure is.
Care to relay some of the “highlights”? Such as they are.
Ducky – Levine spoke openly and, frankly, made a lot sense. He said both sides are looking bad in this dispute, but would always return to “there is not endless money” from the owners side. He spoke well on “compromise” – interesting. He was integral in solving the last work stoppage in MLB. He’s a company man, but I sensed he was genuinely doing his best to move this matter along.
Long story short, Levine was doing Manfred’s job. He spoke on the Michael Kay show … youtu.be/0oyvV7TWc80 .
Merci, @30 Parks.
He’s definitely a smart guy. & he has made the Steinbrenner clan more money than I can even fathom. He has a tendency to spike the ball after he handles are arb hearings, however. Which has never sat well with me & most (all?) Yankee fans.
I have had my fill of both Kay & Levine to be straight up on it. So: I am 100% committed to copying your homework on this one.
So wait, are local cable networks still going to carry those games, or do you have to get Apple TV to watch your local team if they are one of the two Friday night games??
You’ll have to get apple tv. It’s part of the excellent long term business plan to bilk more money from fewer people. I’m sure it will turn out well
Probably aimed at getting new international fans. People who haven’t been exposed to the current CBA debacle, and might therefore be duped into thinking MLB is a type of sporting competition.
LOL. Move all the high priced entertainers to streaming and PPV. Fill the void with actual sporting events. Sounds like a plan
The Jays are never part of a national broadcast anyway *laughs in Canadian*
This is terrible news.
I really don’t care… as soon as I already have everything hacked!!
Radio is still free
Local, OTA radio is still free. That’s one team. If you want to listen to MLB audio, you have to pay.
Dont get me wrong. I love listening to baseball on the radio. I have since I was a kid. Just love it as background as I do things around the properties.
$20 a year, for every game from spring training through the WS.
Not free, but pretty darn close.
Most recent update on negotiations as of about 8:30 pm ET: “MLB’s proposed luxury tax thresholds now start at $230 million and run to $242 million, sources tell The Athletic’s Evan Drellich and Andy McCullough. But there remain strings attached to CBT and other issues players are concerned with in MLB’s offer. Full proposal not immediately known.”
——
There’s been much less leaking this week, which may indicate both sides are serious. They’re still talking, so that’s good.
Another reason why I’m quitting Major League Baseball. To me, this is strike FOUR. I’m out.
Seems a little boneheaded to announce a brand new massive revenue stream while in the middle of pleading poverty in a protracted labor dispute.
I agree. It might mean that the owners feel a deal is close.
But, still, from an ownership standpoint, why not wait to announce this?
It’s called rubbing our noses in it.
Sure feels like it. Not only are they indifferent to giving the lie to claims they can’t afford higher salaries, but they’re sending the message they don’t care if it’s harder and more expensive for fans to access the sport.
And to top it off they partner with a luxury brand. Next up: all Tuesday games will by PPV, but you get a discount on your subscription of you watch on the built-in iPad in your Lexus. (Official Sports Car of the Apple-MLB Network).
I think what happened is that Apple is having their big unveiling shindig and Tim Cook announced it as part of that. But he must have let MLB know he was going to do this.
Stupid
Quit making fans jump through multiple hoops to watch a game.
This solves the discrepancy in negotiations. Sign the deal!
Amazing. They’ve both spent months whining to the press that they are being screwed by the other side but they managed to do a deal that screws the fans. Congrats baseball.
The players union had nothing to do with this deal. It’s all the owners.
How much money did MLB sell Bamtech or whatever the best streaming technology was called. Crazy to think about how such an entity started within MLB. Then they sold it to who was it… Disney I think. Bet they are kicking themselves for not squeezing more out of that deal in this age of streaming. Also find it off how they held all the power in streaming but still couldn’t just come up with an inclusive streaming option for their own fans! Would’ve been smarter to white label the service to people like apple now.
@5TUNT1N, IIRC (which I may not), it was around $1.5B total, although they maintained something like a 15-20% stake in it. It’s now Disney owned, and was rebranded Disney Streaming Services.
MLB has a long history of being an innovator, although the NFL often then takes what MLB has created and does it even better. Frankly, MLB still has the best streaming product tech wise, but its blackout restrictions are damaging to the growth of the sport, IMO. I mean, even the entire fantasy sports market originated from baseball, although not directly from MLB.
What MLB has shown itself adept at is increasing revenue and cutting costs, so it remains the second highest revenue generating sport in the world, but to me it’s selling it’s longterm future health for short-term financial gains.
Much better said, thanks for ironing out some of those details I wasn’t going to google much but appreciate your effort! Couldn’t agree more with your points especially the short term financial gains that was what my jumbled mess of a post was intended to convey. Unfortunately my 2 year old made a mess and I had to clean it up!
I remember fantasy before money was involved and I think basketball was what originally got my friends and I into it. But baseball was right there! Football seemed to be like the after thought which is hilarious now because of how popular it is within that sport and how it has changed so much since it began!
sounds more like a steaming deal. like the subtle smell just outside of my garage on the way to the greenhouse on a hot muggy summers day, that reminds me it’s close to a time to empty the septic tank . one can lump apple, google, facebook,amazon, cnn, etc into the septic tank smell as nothing good comes out of any of it.. the smell of greed which has no limits
We’ve all been had boys!
Why are people still paying to watch games ?
If the Braves are on Apple on Friday night and I can’t watch them, then that’s a good opportunity for a date night. I’m certainly not going to pay extra.
Here’s an idea yallz:
just cancel all your baseball related streaming. stick it the man(fred)
I’ll gladly take back the days of watching my Tigers and Red Wings on local tv. U, U, U.. UPN.
MLB is determined to complicate their brand.
I guess the owners just a little more money to give the players (just part of it of course).
Time to end the lockout!!
Not the agreement I was waiting for from MLB and Manfraud.
This will encourage the social media generation to ignore TikTok and start watching baseball. It is not a prediction but a spoiler.
BRING THE WORLD SERIES BACK TO NBC
No way, bring the NFL ON FOX theme back to the World Series!
I just watch MLB gameday. Just look at the stats like you’re in OOTP
Watching Pete Alonso’s ugly mug can get painful after a while
Does anyone really watch the games every day? I don’t
Son: what channel is the game on?
Dad: Try TBS.
Son: Nope
Dad: Try Apple.
Son: Nope
Dad: Try MLB channel
Son: Nope. Forget it. I will just play video games.
Nice job MLB…idiots
Works great. MLB.com was easy for a 90 year old to use. Cable is on the way out yesterday…Just the way it is.
I do not know how much further I can be pushed. I can get behind missing some games to negotiate terms, I am ok with selling some rights and blacking out a few games. This is too much, I enjoy watching baseball! I spend a few c notes a year to enjoy baseball.. I guess it is time to find something else to fill my time with. 430 mil MLB made on MLB.tv last year, with these 2 new deals, they lost $135 of it. I am done, 40 years a fan, a understanding fan , and I am done.
It has to be seen in more places. That’s the way it goes and every few years contracts change. Businesses block each other off and try to get new customers on streaming…ESPN has not been good for baseball either. MLB.com 2 Clicks of the remote and you can see the game. If you use T Mobile. MLB is included….
sign of the times. Fewer fans going to the stadium, so how long before MLB made you pay for your seat in front of the TV, eh.
Forego your junk food take out once a month and pay for your services.
.
I’m excited about the MLB Big Inning show.
Same, to me that’s the biggest news. Most Friday night games will probably be the large markets, but a new baseball news show is exciting. Apple doesn’t half @ss anything, so I’m guessing it will be well done.
Moronic time to announce this. “Yay! We’re getting a lot more money!…But we’re so poor that we can’t afford to give you players any of it.”
I suspect MLB had no control over this. Their newly paying partner—Apple—had a big marketing and PR event yesterday and I’m sure they told MLB it was being announced.
Apple is a big platform. Maybe Disney and Amazon are next. Why not. Disney had a Braves connection. Amazon is in Seattle.
Yeah, I don’t get this.
Why tf would I pay for MLBtv if so many games are going to be blacked out?
Consider this a friendly reminder to go cancel your auto-renew 🙂
Damnit MLBTR, nice prank with this top of the page update.
Anyone else just see “…AGREE…………DEAL” and prematurely celebrate until 500ms later you brain starts to process Apple and NBC?
No, when it started with Apple I stopped reading.
Can someone explain the reason for the “blackout” rule? Was it due to teams thinking those people 3 hours away should want to buy a ticket and attend live? Or, at least force them to think about it.
How do I cancel my mlb tv subscription again?
Apple needs to tie in some foodie specials for delivery on Friday Night Baseball. Discounts and Coupons for Pizza and Wings.
Win Cor — You’re being short sighted. It’s not about pizza and chicken wings. Apple will announce that once you sign in to see a game, you will be required to add a dongle of some sort [only $32.95] to actually see the game. Next year the dongle will be obsolete, so you will need to order another (2.0) and so on.
“Their newest batch of contracts with those providers, plus the recent additions of Apple and NBC, give MLB a 26% increase in television and streaming revenue”
While at the very same time, reducing the number of ‘fans’ that have access to their games unless they subscribe to a multitude of streaming services. The short-sightedness is appalling.
Am I the only one that hates streaming sports? I love it for movies and tv shows, but for sports, I prefer live TV.
I’ll get an update on my phone via an app or text from a friend telling me what happened before I even see it in the stream.
I’d much prefer that Dish Network work out their issues and show the major local sport channels again. (I don’t have Dish personally but know many that do)
Also, if MLB is going to continue to promote Draft Kings and gambling of the sort, streaming isn’t really the way to go.
But alas, I’m 40 years old and probably seem more like a boomer now, huh?
There’s a lot of crying about games on Apple TV. You people sound like the old man yelling “stay off my grass.” Cable is the past, the future of programming is streaming, and it’s been evident for years now. When these existing TV contracts expire teams will be turning to streaming services.
most of us already stream, I have payed for mlb.tv for 5 years now, what we are pissed about is they black out the games that are on other places or if we live too close to the city the team is in. so now they added two more groups of contracts where these games will be blacked out, so we would still need cable for the local team, espn for games there, and now apple tv for those games and peacock for those games. its not that we care about streaming it is having to pay for more and more services to get all the games we want.
So how many streaming services are you willing to pay for in one season? This is just the start. Eventually, the owners would have us pay for viewing individual games. This is pure greed.
When they don’t stay off my grass I get out my shotgun. Who do I have to threaten to get free baseball?
VPN+MLBTV sub still the best way to go! Aside from these off shoots obviously! But this is the same as espn and YouTube or Facebook or Amazon. It’s just a different brand/channel using MLB as a tool to gain viewership for the end of quarter financials report to shareholders.
I know I just got charged 72$ for a athletic renewal off a free 6 month trial! I’m sure whether it be the sub itself or hidden revenue from trials like I myself was the victim. They often get their revenue out of these deals through the subscriber base boosts and additional revenue from them. Kind of one of those hidden costs similar to when you get a free iPad from att Verizon or T-Mobile. But your required to pay for service. It’s worth it to them and the shareholders to give away a tablet, in order to count it as an added subscriber even though there is no real additional value added to the bill.
I went to the MLB app and and for $20 a year I can listen to any broadcast of any game by any team broadcasters. No blackouts.
Yup. Been doing just that for at least 15-years. Even set it to auto renew on my credit card.
This could be the first work stoppage in history where and American Union is advocating a work stopper to protect the rights of foreign workers, even though those foreign have greater rights than the American workers.
This is beyond absurd. If this were a movie, no one would believe it.
I can see it now.
The U.S. Auto Workers are going out on strike fighting for foreign workers to have greater benefits than American workers. Can anyone imagine a studio greenlighting that flick?
They can call it, Norman Rae starring Sol Field as the inspiration hero standing up for the rights of international workers.
The union is not on strike, and the “foreign workers” are members of the union.
When did it become expected by fans that every game would be televised, much less under a single source? I’ve never had cable, so to me getting to watch a game has always meant going to a bar or just watching the handful of games on broadcast TV. And of course before cable, most games weren’t even on TV at all. What was the first season where a team had video cameras running every single game, every single inning? Around 1980 or so?
Did NBC focus group the “Peacock” name at all?
I will NEVER watch those games because I will never subscribe to those services.