Updated: Will T-Mobile Still Offer Free MLB TV Under New ESPN Deal?

By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Buy Me a Coffee!

TV Answer Man, I am concerned about the new baseball TV deals with ESPN getting MLB TV and so on. Will T-Mobile still be able to offer MLB TV for free if ESPN has the rights? – Scott, Evanston, Illinois.

Scott, Major League Baseball is expected today to reveal several new TV deals for games starting next season. (See update at the bottom of this article.)

The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand reports that ESPN will get the rights to MLB TV’s out-of-market games and the in-market rights to six teams: Padres, Guardians, Twins, Diamondbacks, Rockies and Mariners.

In addition, Netflix will get the season’s ’Opening Day’ game in prime time, the Home Run Derby broadcast, and the ‘Field of Dreams’ game. And Peacock and NBC will get the first round of the playoffs and Sunday Night Baseball. (Marchand’s report has been echoed by a few other publications; the official MLB announcement is expected this afternoon.)

But it’s the new ESPN arrangement for MLB TV that has prompted the most questions from readers regarding how the package will change (if it will) and whether MLB partnerships with companies such as T-Mobile will continue. The wireless service has offered MLB TV for free to select customers for the last few years.

The good news is that Marchand says the T-Mobile freebie is expected to continue next year. That’s not a definite but it looks good, according to his reporting.

As for the annual MLB TV fee, The Athletic reporter writes that ESPN is expected to continue charging $149 for the package as opposed to making it part of the $29.99 a month ESPN Unlimited plan. He adds there is talk of ESPN creating a one-month free trial so fans could check it out before deciding to subscribe.

Scott, I hope that helps. Happy viewing and stay safe!

Updated: MLB this afternoon confirmed the deals with Netflix, ESPN and NBC/Peacock. The deals are for three years starting with the 2026 season. Here’s an article from Netflix on its deal; Here’s an article from NBC Sports on its portion of the deal; and here’s one from ESPN. One big addition to the ESPN agreement: MLB TV will be available on the MLB platforms as well as the ESPN Unlimited app.

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