Apple’s Major League Baseball (MLB) broadcast lineup has removed the option for non-subscribers to access free games. The tech giant announced that its “Friday Night Baseball” doubleheaders, set to resume on April 7th, will now be available exclusively to Apple TV+ subscribers.
Throughout the 2022 baseball season, Friday night games could be streamed on Apple TV+ without a subscription. However, Apple did mention that this offer would only last for a limited time. The company’s initial venture into live sports coverage began after negotiating a seven-year, $595 million deal with MLB.
While the games are now exclusive to subscribers, Apple’s agreement notably excludes local team blackouts, which is uncommon in non-network-TV sports broadcasting. Although Apple advertises its Friday-night games as “doubleheaders”, it is important to note that the two matches often occur simultaneously. The first game on April 7th is an exception, featuring the Texas Rangers vs. Chicago Cubs at 2 PM ET and the San Diego Padres vs. Atlanta Braves at 7 PM ET. Apple’s schedule is available for browsing up until June 30th.
The 2023 in-game broadcast lineup for Apple consists of Wayne Randazzo (play-by-play), Dontrelle Willis (analyst), Heidi Watney (sideline reporter), Alex Faust (play-by-play), Ryan Spilborghs (analyst), and Tricia Whitaker (sideline reporter). Pre- and postgame coverage will also return, with host Lauren Gardner joined by Siera Santos, Xavier Scruggs, Matt Joyce, Russell Dorsey, and former MLB umpires Brian Gorman and Dale Scott.
Although baseball marked Apple’s first foray into live sports, the company now also offers Major League Soccer Season Pass, priced at an additional $13 per month or $79 for the season ($15/mo. or $99/season for non-Apple TV+ subscribers). Furthermore, Apple recently teamed up with T-Mobile to provide full-season access to its wireless subscribers at no cost.
With Apple TV+ only in its third year, the company has rapidly expanded its streaming platform offerings, extending far beyond the popular Ted Lasso series.