Before we dive into how much is MLB TV Subscription costs and their best plans, we would like to tell you a little about MLB games.
What Is MLB?
Major League Baseball (MLB) is one of the oldest and most popular professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. It has a total of 30 teams, 29 of which are located in the United States and 1 in Canada.
Key Points About MLB
- Two Leagues: MLB is made up of two different leagues:
- The American League (AL): It has a “designated hitter” (DH) rule, which means the pitcher does not have to bat, but a different player bats in his place.
- The National League (NL): It traditionally has the picture bat as well, but as of 2022, it has also permanently implemented the DH rule.
- Season: Each team plays 162 games in the regular season, which usually begins in early April and runs until late September.
- Playoffs and World Series: After the regular season, the top teams compete in the playoffs, and the champions of both leagues ultimately compete for the World Series, which is MLB’s championship event.
- Gameplay: Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport where two teams take turns batting and fielding. The goal is to score runs, and the team with the most runs at the end wins.
MLB In The United States
Baseball is called “America’s National Pastime” in the United States. It is a deeply rooted sport and has a huge fan following.
- Teams: There are 29 MLB teams in the US, spread across major cities and regions in the country. Some cities even have more than one team (e.g., Yankees and Mets in New York, Dodgers and Angels in Los Angeles, Cubs and White Sox in Chicago).
- Broadcast: MLB games are broadcast on various national TV channels (e.g., Fox, ESPN, TBS, MLB Network) and Regional Sports Networks (RSNs).
- MLB.TV: MLB.TV is a popular streaming service for watching out-of-market games in the United States. However, blackout restrictions apply, which means you won’t be able to watch your local team’s games or nationally televised games live. These games are usually only available on RSNs or cable channels in your area.
MLB in Canada
There is only one MLB team in Canada: the Toronto Blue Jays, based in Toronto, Ontario.
- Fan Base: The Blue Jays enjoy a large fan following in Canada, as they are the only MLB team in the country.
- Broadcast: Blue Jays games in Canada are primarily broadcast on Sportsnet, a major sports network in Canada.
- Blackout Restriction (exclusive to Canada):
- Toronto Blue Jays’ Blackout Area: In Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays’ blackout area covers the entire country. This means that if you are in Canada, you will not be able to watch Blue Jays games live on MLB.TV, as they will be considered “in-market” games for you and will be broadcast on Sportsnet.
- For Other US Teams: However, there are usually no blackout restrictions when watching out-of-market games of other US teams on MLB.TV in Canada, unless that game is also being broadcast nationally in Canada (for example, a big game airing on ESPN).
- Bordering Regions: Some bordering Canadian provinces may also be considered to be in the blackout region for US teams ( such as the Seattle Mariners or Minnesota Twins), depending on the geographic proximity of that team.
In short, MLB is the top level of baseball that is played in both the US and Canada. The main differences for the Canadian fans are only having one home team and the complex blackout rules that apply in different regions, especially when using streaming services such as MLB.TV.
How Much Is MLB TV Subscription: Best Plans
We are here to tell you about MLB.TV subscription packages, especially for the United States and Canada. Here is the information about the main packages:
MLB.TV Subscription Packages in the United States (US):
MLB.TV in the United States is primarily for watching out-of-market games, which means you won’t be able to watch your local team’s games live (blackout restrictions apply).
- MLB.TV Yearly (All Teams)
- Price: About $149.99 per year.
- What you get: Can stream all out-of-market regular season games live or on-demand. Also includes access to the 24/7 MLB Network, including live out-of-market games, highlights, and original shows like “MLB Tonight” and “MLB Central.” You’ll also get to watch the minor league (MiLB) games and MLB Big Innings.
- Pros: Best value for a full season.
- MLB.TV Monthly (All Teams)
- Price: Around $29.99 per month.
- What you get: Access to all out-of-market games and MLB Network, just like the MLB.TV Yearly packages, but every month.
- Benefits: Pay-as-you-go option, which you can cancel at any time.
- MLB.TV Single Team
- Price: About $104.99 per year.
- What you get: You can watch out-of-market games from one of your favorite teams live or on-demand. Also includes access to MLB Network in the US.
- Benefits: This is a cheaper option if you only want to watch out-of-market games from a specific team.
- Other Packages (US-Only)
- MLB Network + AT Bat Yearly: About $69.99 per year. This includes a 24/7 stream of MLB Network and live audio (no blackouts) for all 30 teams, plus MiLB games and MLB Big Innings.
- At Bat Yearly: About $29.99 per year. Includes live audio of all games (no blackouts), live MiLB games, and MLB Big Innings.
MLB.TV Subscription Packages in Canada
MLB.TV in Canada has no blackout restrictions except for Blue Jays games. However, it does not include 24/7 access to MLB Network like in the US.
- MLB.TV Yearly (All Teams)
- Price: About $149.99 USD per year. This will convert according to the current exchange rate when paying in Canadian dollars (about $200-220 CAD).
- What you get: Can watch all out-of-market and most nationally televised regular-season games live or on-demand, except for Toronto Blue Jays games. Als includes live Minor League (MiLB) games, MLB Big Inning, and other original content.
- MLB.TV Monthly (All Teams)
- Price: About $29.99 USD per month. This will also convert to Canadian dollar (about $40 CAD).
- What you get: Everything you get as the MLB.TV Yearly packages, but on a monthly basis.
- MLB.TV via Fubo TV (in Canada)
- In Canada, you can also get MLB.TV as an add-on through Fubo TV.
- Price: About C$19.99/month (billed annually, about C$239.90 per year) or C$39.99/month.
- What you get: 70+ live TV channels and unlimited cloud DVR included in Fubo’s base plan, along with all out-of-market MLB games. Blackouts apply to Blue Jays games.
General Features (for both countries)
- Free Game of the Day: A “Free Game of the Day” is available throughout the regular season.
- Free Trial: New subscribers can often get a seven-day free trial.
- Device Support: You can watch MLB.TV on smart TVs, streaming devices (such as Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV), mobile phones, and tablets.
- DVR Control: Can pause and rewind live games.
- Multi-Game Viewing: Option to watch multiple games simultaneously.
It’s important to note that prices and packages may change by MLB, so it’s always best to check their official website (MLB.com/TV) for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
