ESPN’s MLB TV Offer Is Now Live – You Have Questions, We Have Answers
By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – Buy Me a Coffee!
ESPN today began selling the MLB TV out-of-market plan on its ESPN Unlimited app and ESPN web site. (The sports network is the new home of MLB TV.) Today’s launch has many fans confused over how to subscribe, what’s required, and where to watch. So, let’s play our favorite game: You have questions; we have answers.
Do You Need a ESPN Unlimited Sub to Get MLB TV?
Yes, if you’re a new subscriber. You must sign up for a one month free trial of the ESPN Unlimited app to get MLB TV. (This was reported Saturday here at TVAnswerMan.com.)
Does This Affect Existing Subscribers?
If you’re a current MLB TV subscriber – one who subscribed for the 2025 season and did not cancel after the season – you do not have to get the ESPN free trial. Unless you cancel your Auto-Renewal option, your 2026 subscription will renew at the $149.99 rate around March 1.
What Is the Cost Of MLB TV at ESPN?
The cost for non-ESPN Unlimited subscribers is $149.99 for the season or $29.99 per month. If you’re a current paying ESPN Unlimited subscriber, the cost is $134.99 for the season.
Do You Have to Keep the ESPN Sub to Watch MLB TV?
No, you can cancel the free trial after signing up, but you have to do that manually at the ESPN site or app. Otherwise, you will be billed for the first month when the 30 day trial is over. The free trial requirement has prompted many fans online to accuse ESPN and MLB of trying to trick people into paying for an ESPN subscription; many free trial signees forget to cancel before the promotional period is over.
Where Can You Watch the MLB TV Games?
If you cancel ESPN after getting MLB TV, you will still be able to watch the baseball plan at the MLB web site or the ESPN app. If you keep ESPN, you can watch either via the ESPN app or the league’s app.
Do In-Market MLB Plans Require the ESPN Free Trial?
No, the ESPN subscription is not required for consumers who sign up for in-market plans for individual teams, such as the Washington Nationals, San Diego Padres, Arizona Diamondbacks, Minnesota Twins and 10 others.
What About Single-Team Out-of-Market Plans?
No, single-team plans out-of-market do not require the ESPN Unlimited signup. Plus, ESPN is not selling in-market or out of market single-team packages; they can be ordered at the MLB site.
Why Is This Happening?
The ESPN tie-in comes after the league signed an extensive TV rights deal with the sports network last November which includes the MLB TV carriage. Plans to include in-market games for several teams on the ESPN app in 2026 appear to be delayed until next year.
Do Pay TV Subscribers With ESPN Unlimited Included Have to Get the Free Trial?
No, DIRECTV, U-verse, Verizon, Cox, Spectrum TV, Hulu Live, and Fubo subscribers who have free access to ESPN Unlimited as part of their plans do not have to get the free trial.
Are Blackouts Still Enforced?
Yes, MLB TV’s out-of-market plan, which also includes a live feed of the MLB Network, requires blackouts of games of teams designated as being in your local market.
Do T-Mobile Subscribers Who Get MLB TV For Free Have to Get ESPN?
T-Mobile, the wireless service that has offered free MLB TV for the last several years, will do so again this year. But the T-Mobile subscribers will not have to get the ESPN free trial.
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Do you think Mariners games will be on Comcast in the NW (Portland), for free??
I don’t want to subscribe to MarinersTV if I don’t have to.
(I’m an MLBTV subscriber, mainly for Phillies games.)
If they are on, it won’t be free. The team’s games would be part of one of Comcast’s packages.
I tried to subscribe to MLB.TV all teams annually yesterday and an ESPN sales rep said that having ESPN unlimited with FUBO did not allow subscription and I had to get ESPN unlimited from ESPN.
I had MLB.TV last season through Amazon Prime but they no longer offer it after March 1st, this is ridiculous.
Doug McCabe
Did you activate the ESPN sub through Fubo?
From the ESPN/MLB TV web site: “ If you already have access to ESPN through your TV or mobile provider, you can learn more about how to activate ESPN here at no extra cost.”
ESPN PLUS is managed by I tunes so yesterday I was on the phone with an ESPN support agent for about 45 minutes trying to add ESPN unlimited but it was so complicated that we gave up.
Please send me detailed instruction on how to do that.
Thank you.
Steps to Activate:
Navigate to fubo.tv/welcome
Click Sign In.
Enter your Fubo Email and Password.
Select My Account and then Subscription.
Scroll down to the ESPN Unlimited section and click Activate Now.
You will be directed to the ESPN activation flow on ESPN.com; click Agree & Activate.
You will be prompted to enter an email address and password.
Visit the ESPN app to start streaming.
Thank you very much
This works until I reach espn.com but I do not see Agree and Activate anywhere.
That’s the instructions provided by ESPN and Fubo. I don’t have Fubo so I can’t replicate the steps. You’ll have to contact their customer service.