Front Page: No MLB Network? Then No Game for You!

[John Bonnes]

Update: Comcast just announced they will be offering MLB Network's free preview in the Twin Cities. See their tweet for more details.

 

Friday’s Twins' game at Yankee Stadium will only be broadcast on the MLB Network locally. While MLB Network is offering a free preview through some providers, for Comcast, the dominant cable TV provider in the Twin Cities, the free preview is not available in this market.

 

The availability of MLB Network locally varies by provider. For Comcast, it is a premium channel and requires their “Digital Preferred” or higher package. If you would like to check if you receive it, I can tell you on my Minneapolis-based TV, it is channel 733 and 873 (HD).When MLB announced the playoff schedule on Monday, it included news that MLB Network would be providing a limited free trial over several TV providers, including Direct TV and Dish Network. It included Comcast for selected markets, but apparently, Minneapolis-St. Paul is not one.

 

To find out if you currently have the MLB Network available, you can look up your system at www.FindMLBNetwork.com. Since the free trials began Tuesday, you should be able to verify today if you will get it for Friday’s game or not.

 

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that if you can’t get the game, you can watch it with literally hundreds of other Twins fans, and Twins Daily will buy you a free 612 Brew beer too. Get more details and your free ticket right here.

 

Or if you have any other (legal) advice to Comcast subscribers or subscribers to providers who either don't provide or upcharge the MLB Network, feel free to share them in the comments after you register.

 

Click here to view the article

[mnsportsgeek]

There are multiple ways to get a free trial of MLB Network. I’m not totally up to date on which services still carry MLB Network but check out YouTube TV, Hulu Live, PS Vue, AT&T TV, Sling TV, etc and sign up for a free trial.

[Dlee]

I will tune in by radio, even though local radio broadcasting has been sketchy also with contracts and the am towers switch frequency at a certain time of night.

[Aerodeliria]

If you want to take your vacation in Japan this year, you can come here and watch the game on TV via NHK on Saturday morning in your hotel room. The game will be broadcast live in two languages...just ask the staff to show you how to shut off the Japanese (unless you want to learn baseball lingo in Japanese). :-)

[boomerb5]

I have to assume that, like the rest of the season, mlb.tv is worthless for the post-season as well? Their utterly idiotic local market blackout policy makes it a joke at best and more realistically qualifies as a cruel insult.

[Andrew Thares]

 

If you want to take your vacation in Japan this year, you can come here and watch the game on TV via NHK on Saturday morning in your hotel room. The game will be broadcast live in two languages...just ask the staff to show you how to shut off the Japanese (unless you want to learn baseball lingo in Japanese). :-)

From personal experience this is kind of fun. A couple of summer's ago, I had to learn how to read Korean box scores for my internship with TrackMan. After a while, I started to get the hang of it, and it became a lot of fun to learn baseball in a whole new language, as well as start to follow the KBO. Go LG Twins!

[lecroy24fan]

 

I have to assume that, like the rest of the season, mlb.tv is worthless for the post-season as well? Their utterly idiotic local market blackout policy makes it a joke at best and more realistically qualifies as a cruel insult.

 

It's a worse policy actually. mlb.tv does not offer postseason games in the U.S. unless you are using it through your local pay tv provider. And since Comcast is not one a lot of people are SOL. 

[theBOMisthebomb]

What a barbaric society we live in. You cannot watch game 1 of the LDS and you live in the same city where the team is located?!?! Is this 2019 or 1919? Listen to AM radio instead?!

[Platoon]

Same here, our local cable company doesn't even carry MLB tv. But this isn't about cable companies, it's about the greedy pigs that own MLB itself. They expect their fans to follow the team all year, celebrate wins, new players, a new baseball, and the chase for WC status. But, oh by the way, when it comes to watching the first playoff game, they take the bucks and run. It wraps up all the bad things about major sports in one neat little package! Ps: I hope my cynicism isn't too evident!

[twinssporto]

This is so ridiculous. Our city has waited a long time to get back to the playoffs and MLB rewards us with this? I always thought MLB was trying to grow their fan base and keep people engaged with the sport...Unfortunately for me, Mediacom doesn't carry MLB either. 

 

Because of the stupidity of MLB making this decision, the baseball gods will not be happy. Twins will sweep this series and knock out the team with the biggest television audience. Bye, bye, New York Yankees!  See ya next year!

Edited October 2, 2019 by twinssporto

[John Bonnes]

For those looking, Howard Sinker (STrib web editor) spells out that you can get a free 7-day trial from YouTube.TV. 

 

https://twitter.com/afansview/status/1179187189135138818

 

Might be a good option. 

[rdehring]

 

For those looking, Howard Sinker (STrib web editor) spells out that you can get a free 7-day trial from YouTube.TV. 

 

https://twitter.com/afansview/status/1179187189135138818

 

Might be a good option. 

Thanks for that info, John.  Unfortunately, I spent much of a recent Thursday trying to figure out how to get YouTube when the Twins were playing that game that wasn't available anywhere else.  Yup, you guessed it...I never got it.

 

I cannot tell you how p...…..ed I am at major league baseball.  Expect guys like St. Peter are getting an earful this week, and he should.  Hopefully there are a couple corporate execs out there who call and cancel their big ticket plans for next year.

 

Will catch the game at Champps for dinner, then listen to the late innings on the radio I guess.  Hell of a way to treat your fans.

[IAMNFan]

Just checked Hulu that I normally get FSNorth.  They do not have MLB network either.

[Seth Stohs]

The AL playoffs have been on MLB Network and FS1 for years now... this is just the first time that it has been an issue for Twins fans. 

 

I'm contemplating switching from cable to YouTube TV. It probably makes more sense for me anyway, and saves me money each month. 

[Puckett34]

Playstation Vue, Hulu Live (after game 1) or YouTube TV alternating 7 day free trials may be in order for me.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

From personal experience this is kind of fun. A couple of summer's ago, I had to learn how to read Korean box scores for my internship with TrackMan. After a while, I started to get the hang of it, and it became a lot of fun to learn baseball in a whole new language, as well as start to follow the KBO. Go LG Twins!

Kamsahamnida. 

[terrydactyls]

I'll be watching on MLB Network with DirecTV.

[USAFChief]

Kamsahamnida.

chunmanayo.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

 

chunmanayo.

Charlie Company, 3/23rd Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, north and south of the Imjin River near Freedom Bridge, 1968 & 1969 Sgt E-5 and Imjin Scout (20 or more missions into the DMZ)..

[Mike Sixel]

Good thing we subsidize those poor owners. Imagine if they let people watch their subsidized product!

[Brock Beauchamp]

Moderator note (again): we do not allow discussion of illegal streaming options on Twins Daily. I will be issuing warning points if it happens again.

 

It's totally fine to discuss where to nab a free trial, it's not okay to tell others how to circumvent blackout rules using illegal streaming services.

[Mr. Brooks]

Good thing we subsidize those poor owners. Imagine if they let people watch their subsidized product!

You can watch it. It's on MLB Network, which people can get for FREE with a trial of YouTube TV.

 

Not only is the game available, it's free. Somehow that still isn't good enough though.

 

I honestly don't understand what the problem is here. It seems like people are just looking for any reason to criticize.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

You can watch it. It's on MLB Network, which people can get for FREE with a trial of YouTube TV.

Not only is the game available, it's free. Somehow that still isn't good enough though.

I honestly don't understand what the problem is here. It seems like people are just looking for any reason to criticize.

I'm willing to jump through hoops to watch the postseason but splitting the games over 3-4 channels is not good policy.

 

The point of a spectator sport is to acquire spectators. MLB is making that unreasonably hard on people this year.

 

For example, I pay for Hulu. I get TBS and FS1. I don't get MLBN so now I have to go find a way to get that channel for the next few weeks. Despite paying $50/mo explicitly to watch baseball and ONLY baseball, I cannot watch every baseball game and have to find a workaround.

 

That's pretty crappy.

[Mike Sixel]

You can watch it. It's on MLB Network, which people can get for FREE with a trial of YouTube TV.

 

Not only is the game available, it's free. Somehow that still isn't good enough though.

 

I honestly don't understand what the problem is here. It seems like people are just looking for any reason to criticize.

For seven days. That doesn't cover the playoffs. Unless only the two wild card games are on that network, you couldn't watch a wild card team that wins play without buying YouTube TV. Which I'm told breaks down during sports quite often.

 

I'm not "looking for any reason to criticize", I've been consistent on this. The playoffs should be on broadcast tv locally. The locals pay for that stadium. I don't expect you to agree, I'm cool with that.

 

Also, what Brock says. It isn't one channel....

Edited October 2, 2019 by Mike Sixel

[Platoon]

I'm willing to jump through hoops to watch the postseason but splitting the games over 3-4 channels is not good policy.

 

The point of a spectator sport is to acquire spectators. MLB is making that unreasonably hard on people this year.

 

For example, I pay for Hulu. I get TBS and FS1. I don't get MLBN so now I have to go find a way to get that channel for the next few weeks. Despite paying $50/mo explicitly to watch baseball and ONLY baseball, I cannot watch every baseball game and have to find a workaround.

 

That's pretty crappy.

Amen Brother! Plus, not everyone is as comfortable navigating the intricacies of the interweb as others. Plus I need another ap, site, ID, and PW like I need a nother hole in my head.

[woolywoolhouse]

To watch all (or as much as possible) of the MLB post-season, you need four different channels/stations/subscriptions:

 

- TBS

- MLB Network

- FS1

- Fox (broadcast.)

 

And that is ridiculous nowadays with so many contract disputes happening.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

What a barbaric society we live in. You cannot watch game 1 of the LDS and you live in the same city where the team is located?!?! Is this 2019 or 1919? Listen to AM radio instead?!

People in Minneapolis can quite easily watch the game on MLB Network:

 

1. YouTube TV (free trial)

2. Vue (free trial)

3. Sling free preview, if you are already a customer

4. DirecTV free preview, if you are already a customer

5. Dish Network free preview, if you are already a customer

6. Comcast with a $10 addon package if necessary

[Squirrel]

Paying for cable is part of my assessments, so, I pay for cable and haven't 'cut the cord' yet, because I'm not going to pay for a service and not use it. And being out of market, I pay for the 'extra innings' package (including MLBN) because I get no local coverage of the Twins. I've often bemoaned the fact that I don't get the post-game stuff because, waaaaa, out of market, no local coverage. This is the one and only time it pays off for me. (Sorry, I'm not gloating, I'm just, sigh, finally, able to have a benefit for this.) But that said, I still wish I were 'local' because I would have people to share the fun with instead of, well, no one here, because their teams are done, and they've moved onto football ... and grrrr, the Bears.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

To watch all (or as much as possible) of the MLB post-season, you need four different channels/stations/subscriptions:

 

- TBS

- MLB Network

- FS1

- Fox (broadcast.)

 

And that is ridiculous nowadays with so many contract disputes happening.

You missed ESPN too, although that's just for the AL Wild Card game tonight.

 

The only contract dispute affecting these networks is the Fox dispute with Dish/Sling. And that's not just a MLB problem -- it's also affecting every other pro and college sports league too.

 

But if you're not a Dish/Sling customer, you're not affected at all. (And if you're a Twins fan who is a Dish/Sling customer, you've had ample warning since they dropped FSN a while ago. And if you're a Sling customer, since there is no contract, it's trivial to drop Sling and sign up for YouTube TV instead.)

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

For seven days. That doesn't cover the playoffs. Unless only the two wild card games are on that network, you couldn't watch a wild card team that wins play without buying YouTube TV. Which I'm told breaks down during sports quite often.

I have not heard of YouTube TV "breaking down during sports" at all. But at least the free trial should be a good way to assess that.

 

Even if you pay for the month, $50 for the whole MLB playoffs, with DVR (timeshift the games! skip commercials! essential for the playoffs IMO), with no contract, seems like a pretty fair deal. That's 46-63 games total.