YouTube TV, which now has more than 10 million subscribers, recently introduced a sports-focused package at $65 per month that includes most major broadcast and cable networks. It does not include Prime Video, Apple TV, Netflix, or most regional sports networks. Amazon Prime Video has built the most comprehensive channel store among streaming platforms but still lacks ESPN and Netflix. Cable providers like Spectrum have responded by bundling streaming services alongside traditional channels, producing a modest uptick in subscribers after years of decline.
What watching baseball actually requires in 2026
For the opening series between the Yankees and Giants, the broadcast breakdown looked like this. Wednesday’s game on Netflix requires a subscription starting at $7.99 per month. Friday’s game airs on Apple TV and MLB.TV. Saturday’s game is on Fox.
The broader Thursday opening day slate includes games on NBC and Peacock. Apple TV carries select Friday games through its Friday Night Baseball package. The rest of the schedule runs through MLB.TV. For fans outside the New York area who want to follow the Yankees all season, additional access points including MLB.TV are required on top of everything else.
The NBA reached an 11-year, $76 billion rights deal that moved local games off regional networks and onto three national platforms. Knicks fans now need four subscriptions to watch every game. MLB is aiming to have a full local streaming service in place by the end of the decade that would eliminate blackouts. Until then, the math keeps getting harder.