Question about postseason TV

[Brock Beauchamp]

Moderator note: Do not advertise how to circumvent paid services, whether it be MLB blackout rules, site paywalls, or whatever.

 

This thread was started to ask how to watch a game legally, not illegally.

[deebs1976]

This sport needs to get its act together with how games are broadcast/streamed. As a Minnesotan who wants to watch the Minnesota Twins play in the postseason, I can't watch on the official MLB app because it's blacked out. I don't subscribe to a cable package because I don't need it. I can sign up for Sling, Hulu with Live TV, or some similar service to stream games, but I still don't even know what channel the game is going to be on, FS1 or MLB Network, so I don't know which service/package to get. Fans shouldn't have to work this hard to figure out how to watch a game. The postseason is a great chance for teams to hook casual fans and turn them into devoted fans -- that's how I got into the Twins in 1987 as a kid. But how is a casual fan supposed to turn on the game when the postseason is spread across 5 different channels, some of which are not carried by certain cable/dish/streaming providers? 

 

Honestly the league is just asking for people to watch the games illegally by showing so little regard for the fan experience. 

[SpicyGarvSauce]

Looks like the game will be broadcast on FS1. Game time still TBA.

[Mr. Brooks]

This sport needs to get its act together with how games are broadcast/streamed. As a Minnesotan who wants to watch the Minnesota Twins play in the postseason, I can't watch on the official MLB app because it's blacked out. I don't subscribe to a cable package because I don't need it. I can sign up for Sling, Hulu with Live TV, or some similar service to stream games, but I still don't even know what channel the game is going to be on, FS1 or MLB Network, so I don't know which service/package to get. Fans shouldn't have to work this hard to figure out how to watch a game. The postseason is a great chance for teams to hook casual fans and turn them into devoted fans -- that's how I got into the Twins in 1987 as a kid. But how is a casual fan supposed to turn on the game when the postseason is spread across 5 different channels, some of which are not carried by certain cable/dish/streaming providers?

 

Honestly the league is just asking for people to watch the games illegally by showing so little regard for the fan experience.

I also don't have FS1. While I'm sad that I might not be able to watch it, not having cable or dish is my choice. It seems silly to get upset at MLB because I chose to cut the cord.

 

Why would anyone pay for broadcast rights, if MLB is also broadcasting it free somewhere for everyone? MLB isn't a non profit.

[notoriousgod71]

 

Looks like the game will be broadcast on FS1. Game time still TBA.

 

Are they waiting for the play-in games to determine game times? I assume we'll play in prime time due to the Yankees but I'd like to know if I need to take the day off work on Friday.

[wavedog]

 

I think YoutubeTv carries both and has a 7 day free trial.

I can vouch for this - I switched to YoutubeTV about 3 months ago and they currently have both FS1 and the MLB Channel.  

[Bomba2026]

If local TV can carry the Vikings, I'm sure they would carry a team that is winning in MN.....

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

This sport needs to get its act together with how games are broadcast/streamed. As a Minnesotan who wants to watch the Minnesota Twins play in the postseason, I can't watch on the official MLB app because it's blacked out. I don't subscribe to a cable package because I don't need it. I can sign up for Sling, Hulu with Live TV, or some similar service to stream games, but I still don't even know what channel the game is going to be on, FS1 or MLB Network, so I don't know which service/package to get. Fans shouldn't have to work this hard to figure out how to watch a game. The postseason is a great chance for teams to hook casual fans and turn them into devoted fans -- that's how I got into the Twins in 1987 as a kid. But how is a casual fan supposed to turn on the game when the postseason is spread across 5 different channels, some of which are not carried by certain cable/dish/streaming providers? 

 

Honestly the league is just asking for people to watch the games illegally by showing so little regard for the fan experience. 

 

People don't get hooked as fans from channel surfing in 2019. If someone gets the idea that they want to watch a MLB postseason game in 2019, it takes seconds to sign up for a free trial of YouTube TV and they're watching on whatever device they have. (And the World Series, most likely to interest casual fans, is still free over the air.)

 

It's actually easier now to watch a MLB postseason game than any other time since 2006 or so, due to the abundance of no-contract streaming providers as alternatives to cable/satellite. In many ways, it might be easier than times before 2006 too -- I love free over the air TV, but it's not exactly convenient for a lot of people, either due to a lack of signal or lack of a equipment. Streaming isn't perfect, but it's much more versatile.

 

If you're complaining that MLB Network isn't available on every streaming provider, keep in mind that a lot of streaming providers are trying to provide cheap/skinny bundles to their customers. That's not MLB's fault, and it's not a bad thing for consumers either.

[dex8425]

Millennial here. We've had Youtube Tv for three years, ever since it first came out and was $25/month. Now it's twice that but still the best option if you want to watch the Twins and gopher basketball, which is basically the only TV I watch. Wife likes it too. 

[rickybeathard]

 

Millennial here. We've had Youtube Tv for three years, ever since it first came out and was $25/month. Now it's twice that but still the best option if you want to watch the Twins and gopher basketball, which is basically the only TV I watch. Wife likes it too. 

 

Also a Millennial. Stop being confused boomers and just get youtubeTV. I wish I didn't have to pay our corporate overlords at google, but if you like sports youtubeTV is the best option for streaming. 

[SpicyGarvSauce]

 

Also a Millennial. Stop being confused boomers and just get youtubeTV. I wish I didn't have to pay our corporate overlords at google, but if you like sports youtubeTV is the best option for streaming. 

PS Vue is also good - they have all the channels, and an additional sports package you can purchase.

[deebs1976]

Also a Millennial. Stop being confused boomers and just get youtubeTV. I wish I didn't have to pay our corporate overlords at google, but if you like sports youtubeTV is the best option for streaming.

I’m not some idiot boomer. I said in my original reply I use streaming. The issue is not lack of familiarity with technology. It’s hunting around for the right channels to watch any particular game. Fox just pulled all their sports networks off Sling a few days ago. My in-laws have DirectTV and they don’t get FS1 or MLBN, despite having 200 channels. The Comcast/MLB Network thing was covered a ton today, obviously. Hulu has FS1 but not MLBN. Yes, YouTube TV has both channels, which I figured out yesterday after checking out several streaming options. My point, which none of the various replies has addressed, is that MLB is not doing fans any favors by spreading the games across five different networks, which are all very unlikely to be included in the same cable/streaming package. But I guess you just have to be a very smart millennial who knows YouTube TV has all the channels needed.

[ashbury]

Also a Millennial. Stop being confused boomers...

 

I’m not some idiot boomer. ...

Moderator's Note: Several of the moderators qualify under the Boomer label, hint hint, but in any case I'd like to remind everyone that the terms we use to describe one another should be respectful, per the site's Comment Policy.

[rickybeathard]

 

Moderator's Note: Several of the moderators qualify under the Boomer label, hint hint, but in any case I'd like to remind everyone that the terms we use to describe one another should be respectful, per the site's Comment Policy.

 

I apologize, I didn't expect my comment to blow up like that. I only meant it tongue-in-cheek. YoutubeTV works the best for sports, that's just my opinion. Shrug.