MLB Officially Announces New Partnership To Broadcast Games On Roku

Major League Baseball is trying to make its games accessible to more fans, including their stated hope to end local blackouts for most teams.

But it doesn't seem like those efforts are going particularly well. MLB's attempt to start a blackout free streaming package may already be dead on arrival.

READ: MLB's New Blackout-Free Streaming Service May Already Be Dead

And for a relatively small, but still important package of nationally televised games on Sunday mornings, the league officially announced on Monday that it had agreed to a deal with streaming device company Roku. The package of games generally, but not always, is the first game of the day on Sunday. This coming weekend's game on May 19th starts at 1:05pm Eastern, but other games will be broadcast at 11:35am Eastern.

Given how quickly the deal starts, it's hard to imagine fans being able to find and download the Roku Channel in time. But then again, how many fans used Peacock to watch games in previous years?

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 01: MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks during a ceremony after the Texas Rangers beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game Five to win the World Series at Chase Field on November 01, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

MLB Shows They Still Have Work To Do With National TV Packages

The Roku announcement isn't quite as bad as it appears at first glance; the Roku Channel is free, and available to users that don't have Roku devices. Those who have Google TV, Samsung TV or an Amazon Fire Stick can download the app on those platforms.

But it's still nowhere near as accessible as MLB would like it to be. ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball no longer has the importance it used to, but it's still the type of arrangement the league would likely prefer. Splintering off broadcasts between different streaming services is confusing, and fans will often give up instead of searching. 

Roku is also creating more baseball specific content for its platforms thanks to this deal, which does make things a bit better from the league's perspective. But if you thought Apple TV+ or Peacock was a tough sell, imagine how frustrated fans who own exclusively LG TV's and no Roku devices will be when they're blocked out of watching their favorite team on Sunday.