For the debut of its Friday Major League Baseball package, Apple TV+ is featuring some exclusive games that will surely draw fans to sign up for the service. But making those games available only on Apple’s streaming service could also alienate some longtime baseball fans.
As BSM covered earlier this week, Max Scherzer’s debut with the New York Mets — in which he’ll face his former team, the Washington Nationals — will be exclusive to Apple TV+. That might not be popular with Mets fans looking to see their offseason prize take the mound, nor with Nats supporters eager to see one of their favorite former players who helped the team to a 2019 World Series championship.
On Tuesday, Apple announced its schedule for the first 12 weeks of its 2022 MLB package and what immediately stands out is that the Los Angeles Dodgers’ April 15 game — on Jackie Robinson Day, the 75th anniversary of his first game in the major leagues — will also only be available on Apple TV+. The telecast won’t be available for Dodgers fans on SportsNet LA, which is sure to cause some griping.
As media and fans were told by Apple, “These scheduled games are available to anyone with internet access, for free, only on Apple TV+.”
For a limited time, no subscription fee will be required to view the Friday Night Baseball doubleheader on Apple TV+, though it hasn’t been announced how long that free availability will last. Perhaps for the first 12 weeks of the season? That will give fans plenty of time to find and sign up for Apple TV+ and decide whether or not they want to subscribe.
The April 8 debut of Friday Night Baseball will also feature a matchup between the American League champion Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels, featuring AL MVP Shohei Ohtani, for the second half of its doubleheader at 9:30 p.m. ET. On April 15, the Tampa Bay Rays at the Chicago White Sox will precede the Cincinnati Reds facing the Dodgers on Jackie Robinson Day.
Other notable games featured during the first 12 weeks of Apple TV+’s coverage include:
- May 6: White Sox at Red Sox, 7 p.m. ET
- May 6: Rays at Mariners, 9:30 p.m. ET
- May 13: Padres at Braves, 7 p.m. ET
- June 10: Rays at Twins, 8 p.m. ET
- June 17: White Sox at Astros, 8 p.m. ET
- June 24: Cubs at Cardinals, 8 p.m. ET
Is MLB and Apple TV+ being optimistic by scheduling the second half of these doubleheaders for 9:30 p.m. ET? Will the first games be finished by then? Did commissioner Rob Manfred, in his quest to speed up the pace of play, tell Apple that games will last two-and-a-half hours?
Of course, fans uninterested in the first game of the Friday doubleheader likely won’t care. And those engaged in the first game won’t necessarily be switching over to the second game. Presumably, that’s one advantage to having these games on a streaming service, rather than the same TV network.
No word yet from Apple on who the broadcast teams will be for these Friday Night Baseball games.
Ian Casselberry is a sports media columnist for BSM. He has previously written and edited for Awful Announcing, The Comeback, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation. You can find him on Twitter @iancass or reach him by email at iancass@gmail.com.
