League rights
MLB's in-market streaming push makes local baseball less binary
MLB made in-market streaming subscriptions available for more clubs, turning some local-TV decisions into app-versus-bundle math.
· 3 min read
Fan action
If your MLB team has a direct local option, re-run the watch-cost math instead of assuming a live-TV bundle is still mandatory.
MLB expanded its in-market streaming options for 2026, making local subscriptions available for more clubs through the MLB app. That matters because local baseball used to be a more binary question: get the RSN through a live-TV bundle or miss a lot of games.
The new shape is more flexible, but also more confusing. Some clubs have league-run local subscriptions, some run through RSN partnerships, and prices can vary by market. Fans can also run into national windows that are not included with a local club subscription.
Spot read: local baseball is moving from one hard bundle question to a menu of smaller choices. That is better for fans, but only if the page explains which choice actually covers tonight's game.
Source: MLB.com