Streaming those Friday night Major League Baseball games on Apple TV+ will cost you once the new season tees off next month.
Apple just announced the second season of Friday Night Baseball, the weekly doubleheader of MLB coverage that it began offering last year, and besides the expected lineup of matchups, Apple noted that streaming the games will now require an Apple TV+ subscription.
Previously, Apple had offered its Friday night baseball games to anyone with a device capable of streaming Apple TV+ content, including iPhones, iPads, Apple TV devices, and supported TVs and game consoles.
The news that Apple TV’s Friday night MLB games aren’t free anymore doesn’t come as a big shock. When it announced its live baseball coverage last year, Apple noted that it would only offer the games for a “limited time” without an Apple TV+ subscription.
This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of how to stream Major League Baseball games.
Apple raised the price for an Apple TV+ subscription last October. The new price is $6.99 a month, up $2 from the original $4.99-a-month rate.
The 2023 season of Apple’s Friday Night Baseball games is slated to begin April 7, when the Texas Rangers visit the Chicago Cubs at 2 p.m. Eastern time.
Besides the actual games, Apple TV+ also offers pre- and postgame coverage, along with the MLB Big Inning “whip-around” show, Countdown to the First Pitch, MLB Daily Recap, and MLB This Week.
The new season of Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV+ will run for 25 weeks, and it will be available in more than 60 countries and regions, with no local blackouts.
Those with Apple News access will also be able to follow their favorite teams in the “My Sports” section, as well as stream “personalized” MLB highlights directly within the News app. Meanwhile, Apple Music will serve up official team playlists for each Friday night matchup.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he has covered everything from smart speakers and soundbars to smart lights and security cameras. Ben's articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master's degree in English literature.