Everything You Need to Know About the New Twins TV Setup in 2025

3 hours ago, Original_JB said:

OK. So if I live in Golden Valley, and have MLB.TV (I get with T-Mobile), I'm good to go?   I figure this is the 'cut to the chase' question most people will have, so there it is.

17 minutes ago, PatPfund said:

@Original_JB as a regular MLB.tv subscriber, I'd bet money you will need to add a +Twins package to watch local games live on MLB.tv. Away games are likely free with your package, and you can watch home games once they are archived (about a couple hours after broadcast ends).

 

The regular MLBTV package (the free T-Mobile one) will still have local blackouts, both home and away games.

You will need the new Twins.TV package to stream the local Twins broadcasts if you are located in MN, SD, ND, IA (not sure if all?), and western WI.

You won't actually need the regular MLBTV package unless you want to watch non-Twins games, or you want to stream the Twins while you are traveling beyond MN, SD, ND, IA, and WI. But of course, if it's free from T-Mobile, you might as well get it!

You can combine both the MLBTV and Twins.TV packages on the same MLB.com account.

53 minutes ago, strumdatjag said:

For those of us who have the regional sports channels via cable or satellite: Will the Away Games broadcasts of opposing teams be blacked out?

If that is currently the case, I suspect it will not change. YES Network, for example, doesn't own the rights to broadcast Twins games in the Twins media market, even if they are playing the Yankees.

3 hours ago, UpstateNewYorker said:

One in-the-weeds question: I have been watching the Twins on MLB.tv (which I get free as a T-Mobile customer). On my LG TV the MLB app is available. On my discount Visio smart TV the MLB app is not available -- it is not pre-installed and is not in the list of apps that can be downloaded.  So I watch the games on the LG TV or on a PC.  But is there any solution to the MLB app not being available on the Visio TV?

In addition to casting, another easy solution is adding a streaming stick to your TV. That will let you install the MLB app, just like you would on a supported smart TV.

I've used the Amazon Fire Stick 4K, if you can find it on sale. I've heard good things about the Onn 4K Streaming Box for ~$20 from Walmart.

1 hour ago, T.O. said:

Another question for those that got MLB-TV from T-Mobile. Does that only work on your phone or does it also work from PC and smart TV?

Any device -- it's just like a regular MLBTV subscription.

The only difference is that the T-Mobile promotion terms technically say you shouldn't use it over a non-T-Mobile wireless carrier, although I don't know if they have enforced that recently. But home/wifi use is fine.

3 hours ago, LambchoP said:

I'm glad we get MLB.tv for free from t Mobile. I think I read they have a signed contract to keep offering it through 2028. I just wish we could watch twins spring training games with MLB.tv, but as far as I can remember, St isn't included?

48 minutes ago, PatPfund said:

@LambchoP my experience is not only that you get available spring training games on MLB.tv, but they tend to offer them even to non-subscribers to lure people into subscribing for the season.

The issue is that the T-Mobile redemption period doesn't start until the opening week of the season.

Although last season's MLBTV subscriptions (including the T-Mobile ones) are usually active until March 1st, so you can sometimes catch a few early spring games. And there is usually a "free game of the day" available to anyone with a MLB.com account regardless of subscription status. And last year, they had a "free preview" from March 22-26 where every game was marked as a free game. And of course, blackouts aren't typically enforced during spring training.

You could also just subscribe to MLBTV for a month (~$30?) to get those other spring games. If you are local and if Twins.TV is available by then, maybe you can do that for $20 for the month of March, or perhaps March will be included in the $100 season price.

3 hours ago, nicksaviking said:

I'm happy this is an option, however I think the team is going to find they get fewer subscribers than they expect up here. Pricing it above Netflix/Hulu/Amazon is going to turn off a lot of casual fans.

I too am not optimistic about subscriber numbers, but I don't think the $20 monthly price will be much of a factor. By now, most consumers see sports as a different product -- they know that Netflix/Hulu/Amazon don't really have sports (many even deliberately choose them to avoid paying for sports).

I just don't know how many subscribers are reachable in this market right now, regardless of pricing. It's not a big market to begin with. Many have already cut the cord and become accustomed to life without the Twins on their TV. Many just aren't excited about the current product on the field, and/or the disinvestment by ownership. And many casuals likely can't be reached by anything but bundling (which is why Twins.TV placement on cable/satellite is still important).

Last summer, the commissioner said the Padres had 40,000 subscribers to their streaming package, and that was the highest of the MLB-broadcast teams at that time (San Diego, Arizona, and Colorado).

Even assuming those are all full-season subscribers:

40,000 * $100 = $4 million

The team likely earned a bit from their cable and satellite partners too, but -- that's not much money in the pro sports world!

By comparison, the Twins earned $53 million from Bally in 2023, and reportedly around 80% of that (~$42 mil) in 2024.

Edit to add: good analysis from a few months back: https://twinsdaily.com/news-rumors/minnesota-twins/will-twinstv-save-the-twins-a-look-at-the-financial-future-r17197/

8 hours ago, Cody Christie said:

Out-of-market fans needed the MLB.TV+Padres.TV bundle, priced at $39.99 per month or $199.99 for the full season

This from the article is incorrect. Out-of-market fans just needed MLBTV like before, no Padres.TV (or Twins.TV) necessary.