Cord cutters dilema - How do I watch Twins Games?

[rickybeathard]

With the season fast approaching, what is the best way to watch Twins Baseball as a cord cutter? For the past several years, I've been using YoutubeTV to hit Fox Sports North, but now that channel has been dropped. So I'm just wondering what other people are doing? I don't really want to pay for a Hulu TV subscription on top of the Youtube, and I have no interest in going back to cable. Is there any way to access Fox Sports North just as a singular channel? Unfortunately I think MLB network is a no-go because I live in a neighboring state to MN and fall under the blackout. 

[Tom Froemming]

 

With the season fast approaching, what is the best way to watch Twins Baseball as a cord cutter? For the past several years, I've been using YoutubeTV to hit Fox Sports North, but now that channel has been dropped. So I'm just wondering what other people are doing? I don't really want to pay for a Hulu TV subscription on top of the Youtube, and I have no interest in going back to cable. Is there any way to access Fox Sports North just as a singular channel? Unfortunately I think MLB network is a no-go because I live in a neighboring state to MN and fall under the blackout. 

 

Thank you for starting this thread. One thing I'll note is that channel availability on these streaming services can depend on where you're located. When I punch in my zip code, YouTube TV lists FSN as a channel that is available. 

[rickybeathard]

 

Thank you for starting this thread. One thing I'll note is that channel availability on these streaming services can depend on where you're located. When I punch in my zip code, YouTube TV lists FSN as a channel that is available. 

 

That's a good point. The Twins have a lot of fans down in Iowa and we're really suffering from the Fox regional packages being dropped. Which is further complicated by the fact that we're significantly affected by MLB's blackout policy, which renders MLB.tv useless (unless I decided to do MLB.tv + a VPN). The entire state of Iowa, for example, is within the blackout areas of the Twins, White Sox, Brewers, Cubs, Cardinals, and Royals.

If anyone has any good legal suggestions, I'm all ears. YoutubeTV was perfect until this latest fiasco with the Fox regional packages. It shouldn't be this difficult to watch your favorite baseball team. 

[Parker Hageman]

YouTube TV still has FSN. 

 

I recommend going that route. Haven't had any issues with them (outside of the time they were about to drop the FS service). Really good DVR component (can record a million things at once). 

 

I think I'm paying $81/month with HBO & Shotime added in. 

[rickybeathard]

 

YouTube TV still has FSN. 

 

I recommend going that route. Haven't had any issues with them (outside of the time they were about to drop the FS service). Really good DVR component (can record a million things at once). 

 

I think I'm paying $81/month with HBO & Shotime added in. 

Unfortunately as @Tom Froemming mentioned, it can vary depending on zipcode. As of this spring, Fox Sports North is no longer available for many zipcodes in Iowa. 

[Vanimal46]

MLB does a hell of a job preventing people from watching their content. Sorry Iowa fans, they don’t want your eyes on their product. My suggestion wouldn’t necessarily be legal if you catch my drift. That may be your only hope in Iowa unfortunately.

[AmesFan]

I live in Ames and watch Fox Sports North on Hulu Live. I know you said that you don't want both You Tube and Hulu Live, but being able to watch the games seals the deal for me.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

Moderator note - posts that describe how to get around legal methods of viewing content will not be allowed.

[rickybeathard]

 

I live in Ames and watch Fox Sports North on Hulu Live. I know you said that you don't want both You Tube and Hulu Live, but being able to watch the games seals the deal for me.

 

Thanks. I may have to bite the bullet and just do a couple months of Hulu Live. It's just frustrating because I honestly do not need another streaming/TV service. 

[AmesFan]

 

Thanks. I may have to bite the bullet and just do a couple months of Hulu Live. It's just frustrating because I honestly do not need another streaming/TV service. 

I'm hoping you have to keep your subscription for about four months...All the way into November

[Richard Swerdlick]

Hulu LIve has most of the YouTube TV channels and without the DVR is $10 a month cheaper. If you do get MLB TV and don't want to use a VPN you can still get the games a couple hours or so after they have ended. 

[Richie the Rally Goat]

AT&T now is $80/month for the plus package to get the RSNs.

[dex8425]

 

With the season fast approaching, what is the best way to watch Twins Baseball as a cord cutter? For the past several years, I've been using YoutubeTV to hit Fox Sports North, but now that channel has been dropped. So I'm just wondering what other people are doing? I don't really want to pay for a Hulu TV subscription on top of the Youtube, and I have no interest in going back to cable. Is there any way to access Fox Sports North just as a singular channel? Unfortunately I think MLB network is a no-go because I live in a neighboring state to MN and fall under the blackout. 

 

I'm in MN and can watch FSN on youtube tv, but YTTV jacked the price up again. So, we're going to go with Hulu Live TV. $10 bucks cheaper but slightly inferior to YTTV. 

 

Baseball should find a way to get rid of blackouts for the shortened Covid season. I'd gladly pay for MLB tv only if I could watch the Twins on there. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I live in Ames and watch Fox Sports North on Hulu Live. I know you said that you don't want both You Tube and Hulu Live, but being able to watch the games seals the deal for me.

Thanks for the tip!

 

Quick question: if you log in to the Fox Sports Go website (or app) with your Hulu Live credentials in Iowa, can you watch Twins games and Fox Sports North content? And do you also see Fox Sports Midwest content there too?

 

https://www.foxsportsgo.com/register

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Baseball should find a way to get rid of blackouts for the shortened Covid season. I'd gladly pay for MLB tv only if I could watch the Twins on there. 

If you're in the Twins MLB.TV blackout area, you should be able to get the FSN games on Hulu Live TV. $55 per month, no contract -- with a one week free trial, you can probably catch the whole 2020 regular season for $110. A 6 month baseball season would cost $330. (If MLB.TV ever gets rid of blackouts, it will probably cost at least that much or more.)

 

Unfortunately, there's really no way right now for MLB.tv subscription revenue to even come close to what the networks pay MLB for those exclusive local broadcast rights. And with everybody stuck at home and other entertainment options on hold, those rights are even more valuable for the TV networks right now.

[IndianaTwin]

 

I'm in MN and can watch FSN on youtube tv, but YTTV jacked the price up again. So, we're going to go with Hulu Live TV. $10 bucks cheaper but slightly inferior to YTTV. 

 

Baseball should find a way to get rid of blackouts for the shortened Covid season. I'd gladly pay for MLB tv only if I could watch the Twins on there. 

 

Blackouts will generally be a bigger issue this year for many fans because of the regional schedules. In northern Indiana, I'm blacked out of Cubs, Sox, Reds and Tigers. That's 26 games out of 60, or 43 percent of the season. I'm blacked out of the final two weeks and would only be able to get 5 out of the last 26 games.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

Blackouts will generally be a bigger issue this year for many fans because of the regional schedules. In northern Indiana, I'm blacked out of Cubs, Sox, Reds and Tigers. That's 26 games out of 60, or 43 percent of the season. I'm blacked out of the final two weeks and would only be able to get 5 out of the last 26 games.

Hulu Live TV could help. Looks like it would have all of those blackout games, except for the Tigers.

[howeda7]

If you have not yet ditched cable/satellite, you may be able to get them down into the range of YouTube/Hulu. I need to do this soon.

[diehardtwinsfan]

I usually use ESPN Game day or something like that and hang out in the game threads... It's not quite the same, but it works.

[IndianaTwin]

 

Hulu Live TV could help. Looks like it would have all of those blackout games, except for the Tigers.

 

But no MLB Network, it appears. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

But no MLB Network, it appears.

Correct, although most MLB Network games are available on MLB.TV too. MLB Network exclusives that would be blacked out on MLB.TV are pretty rare — usually just a single postseason game, and then the rare game (on a weekday afternoon?) that isn’t carried by your local RSN but MLB Network picks up the away team’s feed.

[Dave The Dastardly]

NFL - games free on nationally televised networks  - number of fans steadily increasing

 

MLB - no games on nationally televised networks - paid TV only - number of fans steadily decreasing

 

 

Hmmm...

 

MLB offered solution? Speed up the games nobody can watch.

 

Genius!

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

NFL - games free on nationally televised networks  - number of fans steadily increasing

 

MLB - no games on nationally televised networks - paid TV only - number of fans steadily decreasing

Your "number of fans" data is suspect.

 

In terms of attendance, MLB attendance has been falling, but I think that's primarily because the new ballpark boom has dramatically slowed in the past 10 years. The attendance levels from 1990-2010, with a new park replacing an antiquated every year on average, probably wasn't sustainable. FWIW, apparently NFL attendance has been falling recently too: https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/01/03/nfl-attendance-hits-a-15-year-low/ but admittedly it's more of a TV game.

 

And in terms of TV viewership, local MLB TV ratings are actually doing quite well, and given the differences in the sports/schedules, that's probably a better relative gauge of baseball's popularity than national TV ratings. Baseball will probably never do that well as a national TV sport again, due to the nature of the game (long season/series rather than single weekend events) and the expanded options of the modern media landscape. It doesn't mean the sport or its management is somehow flawed because of it.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

I usually use ESPN Game day or something like that and hang out in the game threads... It's not quite the same, but it works.

I don’t get WCCO in my area, so I subscribe to the audio feed via MLB.com. $20 per season is quite affordable and a great compliment to the game day app. You also get the replay clips and usually get the replay of the video feed the next day.

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

I don’t get WCCO in my area, so I subscribe to the audio feed via MLB.com. $20 per season is quite affordable and a great compliment to the game day app. You also get the replay clips and usually get the replay of the video feed the next day.

The radio-only option is nice. There is a $3 monthly option too, handy for this short season.

 

It also includes video highlights and condensed games through the phone app, but worth noting those videos are also free to anyone to watch on the website:

 

https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games

 

Those videos are also free through TV apps (Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV, etc.) if you sign in with a free MLB.com account.

[dex8425]

It's actually cheaper for me to go to the games at Target Field/month than it is to watch the games on TV. That seems wrong...

 

50 bucks a month with the Twinspass. Course, that's home games only, but still. 

[Otto von Ballpark]

 

It's actually cheaper for me to go to the games at Target Field/month than it is to watch the games on TV. That seems wrong...

 

50 bucks a month with the Twinspass. Course, that's home games only, but still. 

If you're only considering the cheapest admission into home games, I suspect it was always more affordable to get into the Metrodome than to pay a monthly cable or satellite bill (generally the only way to watch every Twins games in-market on TV back then).

[Richie the Rally Goat]

If you're only considering the cheapest admission into home games, I suspect it was always more affordable to get into the Metrodome than to pay a monthly cable or satellite bill (generally the only way to watch every Twins games in-market on TV back then).

my wife was a student then, we’d sit in the LF gen admin for a total of $7 for two people. Wed was also dollar dog.... and we didn’t have kids.... those were the days

[dex8425]

 

my wife was a student then, we’d sit in the LF gen admin for a total of $7 for two people. Wed was also dollar dog.... and we didn’t have kids.... those were the days

Some of those 90's Twins teams the team was practically paying fans to go to the games. Not so last year or this year. 

[theBOMisthebomb]

I don't "get" this whole thread. From the prices being quoted, it seems my Spectrum bill of $87 where I get 100s of channels (including multiple FSNs) and unlimited mobile access to Twins baseball along with replays is a steal. What am I missing about the draw to cord cutting? I also get the Spectrum TV app which is similar to other streaming services with access to movies and TV series on top of live TV. Although, I think it is pretty clear that the Spectrum TV app is not on the level of the popular streaming services.