Major League Baseball announced that the two Wild Card series featuring the Chicago White Sox vs. Houston Astros and the Chicago Cubs vs. San Diego Padres will be streamed exclusively on NBCUniversal’s Peacock platform. This marks the first time postseason baseball games will not be available on a traditional broadcast or cable network.
How fans can watch
Viewers who subscribe to YouTube TV can still access the games through the NBCSN channel within the YouTube TV app, though this still requires a separate Peacock subscription for full coverage. Peacock pricing ranges from $8.99 to $19.99 per month, or $89.99 to $199.99 per year.
Comparison with other leagues
The decision follows a broader trend of major sports leagues experimenting with streaming‑only broadcasts. The NFL, for example, has placed select games on Amazon Prime Video, where the Packers‑Bears Wild Card matchup drew an average of 31.61 million viewers, setting a streaming record for the league. However, NFL streaming games have generally attracted fewer viewers than comparable network broadcasts.
Fan reaction and industry context
Baseball fans, a demographic historically slower to adopt streaming services, have expressed frustration at the added expense and reduced accessibility. Earlier this season, MLB partnered with Netflix to stream Opening Night and the Home Run Derby, which also drew criticism when fans discovered the service was not free. The Home Run Derby viewership hit a 20‑year low during its Netflix debut.
Industry observers note that MLB could have split the Wild Card rights among its existing broadcast partners—Fox, FS1, and TBS—rather than consolidating the series on Peacock. NBC no longer operates a national cable sports network and relies on its broadcast channel for news programming, making Peacock the most practical outlet for the remaining games.
What remains on traditional TV
The rest of the postseason will continue to be available on traditional television through Fox, FS1, and TBS. Additionally, fans can watch the Fox and FS1 games on the FOX One streaming app and the TBS games on HBO Max.
Looking ahead
MLB’s move reflects the evolving media landscape, where leagues balance revenue from streaming deals with the desire to keep games accessible to long‑time fans. While the streaming model may generate new income streams, the league will need to address concerns about cost and convenience to avoid alienating its core audience.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
