As MLB.TV Enters 20th Anniversary Of Live Streaming, New Content And Features Added For 2022

MLB.TV, Major League Baseball’s live streaming service is entering its 20th year of airing baseball games. With the 2022 season, there is new functionality and additional content even as new exclusive agreements with Apple, and soon Peacock lowers total games available.

Major League Baseball is still the gold standard for streaming live sports. It seems hard to believe that a game between the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees on August 26, 2002, was the first professional sporting event in North America to have its video live-streamed over the internet.

Since then the league’s streaming service has seen several upgrades, and this year is no different. With Spring Training games currently being played, a considerable number of Cactus and Grapefruit League match-ups are being live-streamed for free on MLB.TV.

For functionality, the biggest update is a feature that allows users to find key moments in a given inning. Also, while not on all devices, users now can have a personalized scoreboard. As has been the case in the past, updates to the service will be done throughout the season.

MLB.TV subscribers will again have access to select local pre-game and post-game coverage for the entire regular season.

For content, the MLB Big Inning, a nightly whiparound show with live game look-ins that debuted in 2021 exclusively on MLB.TV returns this season. As an update, it will now see weekend coverage to be available seven days a week. The show is produced by MLB Network, and according to the league will new hosts of MLB Big Inning will be announced soon.

Exclusive original programming continues to grow on the streaming service with new original series like Vendors and Out Of The Park Films. Series returning from last year include MLB Carded and Baseball Zen.

As for cost, MLB.TV will cost $129.99 for a full season. Any returning subscribers will see a 20% discount on any purchase at MLBShop.com.

That cost retention is wise given a reduction in total games that subscribers will be able to access. Announced recently, an exclusivity deal with Apple for two games each Friday means those games will not be blacked out on MLB.TV. And a pending deal with NBC to stream weekday games on Peacock will also see blackouts. The two combined could see approximately 2% of total game inventory exclusively on Apple TV+ or Peacock when finally announced.

One upside to the blackout issue: all radio broadcasts are blackout free via MLB.TV.