MLB and players reach CBA ahead of inaugural Apple TV+ season
MLB will air live on Apple TV+ this year for the first time ever.
What you need to know
Apple announced a new Major League Baseball deal for Apple TV+ earlier this week.
The league and players finally reached a new CBA on Thursday, ending a 99-day lockout.
It means there will actually be games to show on Apple TV+ when the season starts.
Just days after Apple announced a new deal to bring Major League Baseball to Apple TV+, the MLB and its players have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor deal ensuring the season can actually go ahead.
As reported by Jeff Passan on Thursday:
BREAKING: Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor deal, sources tell ESPN. While it still needs to be ratified by both parties, that is expected to be a formality, and when it is:
Baseball is back.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 10, 2022
The new CBA agreement, reached Thursday, ends a 99-day lockout imposed by owners because of disagreements regarding player pay including minimum salaries and other aspects of the season’s structure including a controversial international draft.
Passan reports that players can report to spring training camps from today (Friday), with the opening day of the season expected to be April 7. The lockout, the second-longest in the league’s history, had already seen a swathe of games canceled through March.
Apple announced its new Friday Night Baseball features on Apple TV+ at its Peek Performance event earlier this week. The deal, worth a reported $87M annually over seven years, will show fans in eight countries two live games every Friday with pre- and postgame shows available to fans. It will also feature a new MLB Big Inning live show with highlights, and a 24/7 linear programming stream with game replays, news, classic games, and more.
Apple’s VP of Services Peter Stern said “Just like all baseball fans, we can’t wait for the season to open” and said the company was proud to make Apple TV+ the home for great baseball moments throughout the season.
Friday Night Baseball will air in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Puerto Rico, South Korea, and the UK.
Apple TV+ is available on all of Apple’s best iPhones, iPads, Macs, and the Best TVs for Apple TV 2022.
