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The RSN collapse changed baseball forever. Bally Sports and FanDuel Sports Networks shutting down across the country actually made cord-cutting easier — blackouts have relaxed, national coverage expanded, and you can now watch more MLB games for less money than at any point in history.
For most of MLB history, watching your local team meant subscribing to a regional sports network (RSN) through cable or satellite. Diamond Sports Group operated over 20 RSNs under the Bally Sports and FanDuel Sports brands — and their 2023 bankruptcy triggered a collapse that affected fans in nearly every MLB market.
The irony: this actually helped cord-cutters. As RSN rights fragmented, MLB was forced to expand its national and digital broadcast packages. Apple TV+ stepped up with Friday Night Baseball. ESPN Sunday Night Baseball gained prominence. And critically, MLB.TV's out-of-market blackout rules have been progressively relaxed for teams whose local RSNs no longer exist — meaning fans in collapsed markets can now watch their team legally on MLB.TV without blackout restrictions.
For fans in cities like Cleveland, Kansas City, Detroit, and Pittsburgh — where RSNs have collapsed — the 2026 MLB viewing landscape is actually better than it was two years ago.
MLB.TV is the league-owned streaming service and the most direct way to watch baseball without cable:
Apple holds an exclusive deal for two featured games every Friday throughout the regular season. Some Friday games are free — check the Apple TV app each week before assuming you need a subscription.
ESPN's weekly primetime game is the most-watched MLB broadcast each week, featuring the league's highest-profile matchups. ESPN is included in PlayMaxTV — no separate subscription needed.
Fox's national Saturday afternoon package runs April through September. Fox and FS1 also share ALCS, NLCS, and World Series games with ESPN and TBS. Both Fox and FS1 are included in PlayMaxTV.
Turner/WBD holds a significant chunk of the MLB postseason — Wild Card series, Division Series, and League Championship Series games. All three channels are included in PlayMaxTV.
YouTube TV ($72.99/month), Hulu Live TV ($82.99/month), and fuboTV ($79.99/month) all carry ESPN, Fox, and TBS — but at 4–5× the cost of PlayMaxTV. See the full comparison table below.
PlayMaxTV at $20/month includes every national MLB broadcast channel — ESPN, Fox, FS1, TBS, TNT, and MLB Network — the same channels available on YouTube TV and Hulu Live at $73–$83/month. The math is simple: IPTV saves you $640–$760 per season.
Beyond cost, PlayMaxTV also covers related sports content. If you're also watching the NFL, see our NFL without cable guide. For NBA, see our NBA without cable guide. One subscription covers all major sports leagues simultaneously.
| Service | Monthly Price | ESPN | Fox/FS1 | TBS/TNT | MLB Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PlayMaxTV | $20 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| YouTube TV | $72.99 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Add-on |
| Hulu + Live TV | $82.99 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Add-on |
| fuboTV | $79.99 | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Sling TV (Orange+Blue) | $55 | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ Partial | ❌ |
| Team | Division | Primary National TV | RSN Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yankees | AL East | ESPN, Fox, TBS | YES Network (active) |
| Red Sox | AL East | ESPN, Fox, TBS | NESN (active) |
| Blue Jays | AL East | ESPN, Sportsnet | Sportsnet (Canada) |
| Rays | AL East | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed |
| Orioles | AL East | ESPN, Fox | MASN (active) |
| Guardians | AL Central | ESPN, Fox, MLB Net | Collapsed — Cleveland guide |
| White Sox | AL Central | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed |
| Twins | AL Central | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed — Minneapolis guide |
| Tigers | AL Central | ESPN, Fox, MLB Net | Collapsed — Detroit guide |
| Royals | AL Central | ESPN, Fox, MLB Net | Collapsed — KC guide |
| Astros | AL West | ESPN, Fox, TBS | Space City Home (active) |
| Rangers | AL West | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed — Dallas guide |
| Mariners | AL West | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed — Seattle guide |
| Athletics | AL West | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed |
| Angels | AL West | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed — LA guide |
| Dodgers | NL West | ESPN, Fox, TBS | SportsNet LA (active) |
| Giants | NL West | ESPN, Fox | NBC Sports Bay Area (active) — SF guide |
| Padres | NL West | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed |
| Rockies | NL West | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed — Denver guide |
| Diamondbacks | NL West | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed — Phoenix guide |
| Cubs | NL Central | ESPN, Fox, TBS | Marquee Network (active) — Chicago guide |
| Cardinals | NL Central | ESPN, Fox, TBS | Collapsed |
| Brewers | NL Central | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed — Minneapolis guide |
| Reds | NL Central | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed |
| Pirates | NL Central | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed — Pittsburgh guide |
| Phillies | NL East | ESPN, Fox, TBS | NBCS Philadelphia (active) — Philly guide |
| Mets | NL East | ESPN, Fox, TBS | SNY (active) — NYC guide |
| Braves | NL East | ESPN, Fox, TBS | Collapsed — Atlanta guide |
| Nationals | NL East | ESPN, Fox | MASN (active) — DC guide |
| Marlins | NL East | ESPN, Fox | Collapsed — Miami guide |
For device recommendations, see our guides on the best IPTV for Fire TV Stick, best IPTV for Roku, and best IPTV for Apple TV.
Yes. If your team's RSN has shut down, MLB.TV blackout restrictions have been relaxed or eliminated for your market. Check the MLB blackout lookup tool with your ZIP code. Alternatively, PlayMaxTV carries all national broadcasts, and you can claim a free trial to test what's available in your market before subscribing.
For most fans, yes. PlayMaxTV costs $20/month vs YouTube TV's $72.99 — the same ESPN, Fox, TBS, TNT, and MLB Network channels are included in both. Over a 6-month MLB season, IPTV saves you over $300. See all PlayMaxTV plans.
Yes. Fox broadcasts World Series games on free over-the-air TV (antenna) and via IPTV. ESPN and TBS carry Division Series and LCS games. PlayMaxTV covers all postseason networks. Start your free trial to confirm your setup before the playoffs start.
Yes. PlayMaxTV includes MLB Network, which carries extra inning games, national broadcasts, Hot Stove coverage, and playoff overflow. Browse the full channel list to confirm current availability.
For in-market fans: PlayMaxTV at $20/month covers all national games. Add a free OTA antenna for local Fox affiliate games. For out-of-market fans: PlayMaxTV + MLB.TV at ~$50/month gives near-complete coverage for less than half the cost of cable. See all PlayMaxTV pricing tiers.
Apple makes some Friday Night Baseball games free — check the Apple TV app each Friday before the game to see if that week's matchup is in the free window. If not, Apple TV+ is $9.99/month with a free trial. See our free trial guide for the full picture on trial options across streaming services.
ESPN, Fox, FS1, TBS, TNT, and MLB Network — all in one app, all included in PlayMaxTV. Wild Card to World Series, full postseason coverage. Start free today.
Start Free 24-Hour Trial →No credit card required. Cancel anytime. Works on all devices.