Want all MLB postseason games over laptop

June 2, 2018 1:21 PM

Cheapest way to get access to all...

Hi. I want to be able to watch, preferably live, all this year's postseason, but have no TV or cable. Is MLB.com the best way? Can you subscribe for just a month or two? Anyone know how much that would be, or if there's a better legal way to go? Want to stream them live. On one or two of my devices would be fine. I have Windows 10 lappys and an android phone. I hate how there are packages that show you only certain channels like Fox Sports, etc., so you're forced to buy other services too if you wanna see everything -- anyway, I quit TV. That's why maybe MLB would make me happy. Thanks.

posted by noelpratt2nd to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (16 answers total)

In past years MLB TV has offered a postseason package that runs just for that stretch. Last year, the package was only $24 for the whole postseason, but all games were subject to a 90min streaming delay unless you could authenticate via a paid TV account, which is some nonsense. Not sure if they'll do that again this year or go back to the older subject-to-local-blackouts model they used in previous years, because I don't think they've announced pricing yet.

If you have a PS, Vue might work; if you don't, Hulu might also be an option. Here's a rundown of last year's options; you'll probably want to check back in closer to playoff season to see what the 2018 options are going to be. You may end up cobbling together some combination of Sling and Fubo.
posted by halation at 1:39 PM on June 2, 2018

What's a PS? Cobbling -- that's what began to look expensive.
posted by noelpratt2nd at 2:25 PM on June 2, 2018

PS = PlayStation, but since you didn't mention it with your other devices it's not worth getting one just for the purpose if you haven't got one.
posted by halation at 2:31 PM on June 2, 2018

I've readit online that there are ways to watch mlbstreams for free on a computer, but these are illegal, immoral, irresponsible, theft and a copyright violation, and you should never, ever use them, even if there's no way to pay for live games legally without buying a cable subscription.
posted by cnc at 3:00 PM on June 2, 2018

Gotcha, and just think: I'm sure I'd be virus-free too. So now I learn that if I buy a streaming USB device and plug it into a port on my DVD-only TV, I could then combine some hulu, netflix, etc.? Wonder how much it would all cost. Really? I don't need any TV service to do this?? I d/k what to do with the "cheap antenna" idea...again, I have no TV service. I'd gladly pay $24 to MLB TV if I can get all -- even with a 90-min delay before I can start watching a game, which is what I figure is meant by the poster above.
posted by noelpratt2nd at 3:06 PM on June 2, 2018

I thought blackouts referred only to teams local to your area. If I'm in Virginia and the Nats or Orioles aren't in the postseason, couldn't I watch quality baseball from around the damn nation and league?
posted by noelpratt2nd at 3:17 PM on June 2, 2018

I'd gladly pay $24 to MLB TV if I can get all -- even with a 90-min delay before I can start watching a game

Yes, that's what I meant. You can also watch archived regular-season games with that package, if that's of interest. Again, terms might be different for 2018, but that's how it was in 2017.
posted by halation at 3:41 PM on June 2, 2018

Who's hogtied by whom, MLB or cable companies... In bed and favoring the same fetish, most likely.
posted by noelpratt2nd at 3:55 PM on June 2, 2018

The blackout is for games that are broadcast in your area, those are on delay. Thing is, the playoffs are broadcast nationally, even if only on cable, so every single playoff game is blacked out. The only way to get them live without a cable package is to be located outside the U.S. And, I would note, the streaming quality, reliability, and controls suck. FWIW, T-Mobile often has a great deal, available only for 1 day at the beginning of the season, for MLB.tv.
posted by wnissen at 4:25 PM on June 2, 2018

So a blackout in Houston would affect me in Va.?!? Unreal. BUT: I have T-mobile, yay...we'll see. All I saw last year was the World Series.
posted by noelpratt2nd at 4:33 PM on June 2, 2018

T-Mobile: beginning of reg. season or the post-?
posted by noelpratt2nd at 4:34 PM on June 2, 2018

T Mobile customers have got mlb.tv for free the last several seasons. I'm a T-Mobile customer by never remember about the free offer right before opening day and the instead by it myself in March.

Hulu Live for $40 a month should get you all the playoffs. It's month to month so you can subscribe just for October.
posted by COD at 6:06 PM on June 2, 2018

Yeah the T-mobile free subscription happened back in April, that’s no longer an option.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 7:51 PM on June 2, 2018

Guess I'll wait till Sept. or so and make sure Hulu can offer all.
posted by noelpratt2nd at 8:09 PM on June 2, 2018

In the past when I've tried to do this I've gotten burned by the unadvertised need to have a cable TV account that I can authenticate with. I have had this happen more than once. I read through all the copy describing the package to make sure it doesn't say anything about needing a TV account, that it will give me access to the postseason games, etc. Then I pay my money and find out when I try to log in that I need to authenticate with cable subscription credentials. Both times I've been able to get my money back, but it's still a drag.

You might be able to get around this by using a VPN service that makes it look like you're in Europe.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 9:12 PM on June 2, 2018

I've got YouTubeTV for $40 a month, which gets me the games on the various nationwide networks (Fox and ESPN quite often for MLB games, including all playoff series) and also my regional sports channel, which lets me watch the local team (something MLB.TV doesn't allow).
posted by DandyRandy at 3:26 PM on June 4, 2018