Fans can watch two games on Friday nights during the regular baseball season, available only on Apple TV+.
Apple and Major League Baseball (MLB) on Tuesday, March 8 announced that they will be airing “Friday Night Baseball”, a weekly doubleheader with live pre- and postgame shows that will be made available to viewers in eight countries exclusively on Apple TV+ as soon as the regular season starts.
Aside from “Friday Night Baseball”, fans of the sport in America will be able to enjoy “MLB Big Inning” – a live show featuring look-ins and highlights which air every weeknight during the regular season.
Baseball fans in Canada and the US will also get access to a new 24/7 livestream with MLB game replays, highlights, news and analysis, classic games and more, along with a full complement of on-demand programming, including MLB-themed original content and highlights.
Apple’s vice president of Services Peter Stern said, “Just like all baseball fans, we can’t wait for the season to open. Baseball has a special place in the heart of so many Apple customers — not just in the United States, but in many countries around the world. We’re proud to make Apple TV+ the home for great baseball moments throughout the season.”
MLB’s chief revenue officer Noah Garden said, “Apple is the ideal partner to bring ‘Friday Night Baseball’ to fans around the world. Following milestones like the launch of At Bat on day one of the App Store in 2008 to the integration of Apple technology in ballparks across the country, this robust new game package is the perfect next collaboration in our long history of offering quality and innovative content to our fans. With national availability and international reach, MLB on Apple TV+ offers an exciting new platform to fans that allows a wider audience to connect with the game.”
“Friday Night Baseball” will be available on Apple TV+ in these areas: United States, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom, and will be made available to more countries at a later date.
Apple and MLB will also provide in-depth league and team coverage for fans to easily follow the league or their favorite teams in Apple News, and enable them to watch highlights right in the News app.
Based on recent reports, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached an agreement that will bring baseball back in April. According to baseball columnist for ESPN Jeffrey Passan, the opening day for the 2022 season is rumored to occur on Thursday, April 7. If that happens, “Friday Night Baseball” on Apple TV+ could debut as soon as the following day on Friday, April 8.