Athletics, Giants, Phillies launch direct streaming plans

Fans of the Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, and Philadelphia Phillies will soon be able to stream their games directly. This exciting option will be available through MLB.tv for the upcoming season. Major League Baseball has partnered with NBC Sports Regional Networks to make this happen. Now, fans in each team's home market can watch games even if they don’t have cable or satellite subscriptions. They can buy a package that allows them to watch live games or catch up on demand, without any blackout restrictions. For the A's and Giants, the streaming package will be priced at $19.99 per month. Fans can also add MLB.tv's out-of-market games for $39.99 a month. The Phillies’ package costs $24.99 monthly and can be bundled with the out-of-market option for $44.99. Earlier this week, MLB announced a similar deal for Los Angeles Dodgers games in Southern California. This is significant since access to Dodgers games has been limited since they moved to Spectrum SportsNet in 2014. By the start of the season, nearly all of MLB's 30 teams will offer some form of in-market direct-to-consumer streaming option. MLB deputy commissioner Noah Garden highlighted the importance of addressing fan concerns about blackouts, stating that this change represents a major step forward.