ESPN has been revamping so many aspects of its streaming service that it can honestly be pretty hard to keep up with all the changes. Last year, they debuted ESPN Unlimited as a standalone streaming subscription that unified all of their broadcast channels and ESPN+ under one umbrella, and as of today (Feb. 10), they’re now the home of MLB.TV too. Starting today, fans can buy an MLB.TV subscription directly through ESPN, a partnership that will bring thousands of out-of-market live games each season to the ESPN App and ESPN.com, though the catch is that you’ll still have to pay for MLB.TV as an add-on.
While this partnership with ESPN will help streamline subscriptions (and even provide a discount) for existing ESPN subscribers, the signup process has proved to be a bit convoluted and hard to understand for non-ESPN subscribers.
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To help avoid confusion, here’s a breakdown of what’s happening with MLB.TV and ESPN, what to do if you’re an existing MLB.TV subscriber, and how to sign up through ESPN before the 2026 MLB season begins.
MLB.TV subscribers have the opportunity to watch every out-of-market game throughout the season or watch games on demand, and stream MLB Network 24/7.
How will ESPN’s partnership affect existing MLB.TV subscribers?
If you’re currently a subscriber to MLB.TV, your subscription will be renewed directly through your MLB.TV account for the 2026 season (this may change in the future). You can continue to access the streaming content in the MLB App, or if you have the ESPN App, you can link your MLB.TV subscription to it and watch there.
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Will Existing ESPN Unlimited subscribers get MLB.TV free?
Unfortunately, this new partnership between ESPN and MLB.TV does not mean that MLB.TV is now a free part of the ESPN App, it will be available as an add-on feature. ESPN+ subscribers will have the opportunity to purchase an MLB.TV subscription at a discount, though: in 2026, the full season will cost $134.99 instead of $149.99 and subscribers can stream games either through the MLB App or the ESPN App.
Starting this February, new customers can subscribe to MLB.TV directly through ESPN platforms – you do not need to additionally purchase an ESPN Unlimited subscription, though you will receive ESPN Unlimited free for one month, and you’ll need to log in to sign up for MLB.TV. Should you choose not to continue your ESPN Unlimited subscription beyond the free trial, it will not impact your MLB.TV subscriptions.
How can new customers sign up for MLB.TV without an existing ESPN Unlimited subscription?
Brand new MLB.TV customers will now have to subscribe to MLB.TV directly through ESPN Unlimited. While you DO need to sign up for a free monthlong ESPN Unlimited subscription to start, in order to then sign up for MLB.TV, you can cancel the ESPN subscription at any point in the trial, and that will not impact or cancel your MLB.TV subscription, though you will lose access to ESPN immediately. Once you’ve signed up for MLB.TV, you will have the option of streaming MLB.TV through either the MLB or ESPN App.
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Can I sign up for MLB.TV if I get ESPN Unlimited for free through another provider?
A lot of streaming services and cable providers, including DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV and Spectrum, offer free subscriptions to ESPN Unlimited. (You can see a complete list of places to get ESPN for free here.) If you receive ESPN Unlimited through a separate provider, click here for instructions on how to access MLB.TV, too.
So I really have to sign up for ESPN Unlimited even if I don’t want it, just to sign up for MLB.TV?
Yes, you really do have to go through a double paywall to get MLB.TV now. And if you don’t want ESPN Unlimited, we suggest canceling the ESPN subscription immediately after subscribing to MLB.TV, because hell hath no fury like a person who gets accidentally charged after forgetting to cancel their free streaming trial.
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Does this ESPN partnership affect MLB.TV mid-season discounts?
MLB.TV will still offer a discounted mid-season rate as they have in years past, though you’ll still have to sign up for it by first signing up for an ESPN Unlimited 30-day trial.
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