Apple to Air Major League Baseball Games on Friday Nights

<p><strong>CUPERTINO<&sol;strong> &&num;8212&semi; Apple has signed a deal with Major League Baseball &lpar;MLB&rpar; to air its first professional sporting events on Apple TV&plus;&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Friday Night Baseball” will be a weekly doubleheader with live pre- and postgame shows that will be available to fans in eight countries exclusively on Apple TV&plus; as soon as the regular season begins&period; When the season will actually start is up in the air since MLB owners have locked out players in a contract dispute&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In addition to &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Friday Night Baseball&comma;” fans in the US will be able to enjoy &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;MLB Big Inning&comma;” a live show featuring highlights and look-ins airing every weeknight during the regular season&period; Baseball fans in the US and Canada will also have access to a new 24&sol;7 livestream with MLB game replays&comma; news and analysis&comma; highlights&comma; classic games&comma; and more&comma; as well as a full complement of on-demand programming&comma; including highlights and MLB-themed original content&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Fans will be able to watch marquee games on Friday nights&comma; free from local broadcast restrictions&comma; across devices where Apple TV&plus; can be found&comma; including on the Apple TV app on iPhone&comma; iPad&comma; Mac&comma; Apple TV 4K and HD&comma; and on tv&period;apple&period;com&comma; along with select smart TVs&comma; gaming consoles&comma; and cable set-top boxes&period; &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Friday Night Baseball” will be available on Apple TV&plus; — and&comma; for a limited time&comma; without the need for a subscription&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Just like all baseball fans&comma; we can’t wait for the season to open&comma;” said Peter Stern&comma; Apple’s vice president of Services&period; &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Baseball has a special place in the heart of so many Apple customers — not just in the United States&comma; but in many countries around the world&period; We’re proud to make Apple TV&plus; the home for great baseball moments throughout the season&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Apple is the ideal partner to bring &OpenCurlyQuote;Friday Night Baseball’ to fans around the world&comma;” said Noah Garden&comma; MLB’s chief revenue officer&period; &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Following milestones like the launch of At Bat on day one of the App Store in 2008 to the integration of Apple technology in ballparks across the country&comma; this robust new game package is the perfect next collaboration in our long history of offering quality and innovative content to our fans&period; With national availability and international reach&comma; MLB on Apple TV&plus; offers an exciting new platform to fans that allows a wider audience to connect with the game&period;”<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Friday Night Baseball” will be available on Apple TV&plus; in the United States&comma; Canada&comma; Australia&comma; Brazil&comma; Japan&comma; Mexico&comma; Puerto Rico&comma; South Korea&comma; and the United Kingdom&comma; and will expand to additional countries at a later date&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;