Hey there! I’m Jared Newman, and this is Cord Cutter Weekly, my newsletter on how to save money on TV and make the most of streaming.

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This week on PCWorld: Baseball’s haves and have-nots

Jared Newman   |   February 21, 2025
Photo by Joshua Peacock via Unsplash

As winter drags on and Spring Training gets underway, I’m itching to start thinking about baseball again. Too bad watching the games can still be an ordeal.

In 2025, Major League Baseball has yet to rally its teams behind a cohesive strategy for streaming local ballgames. While some teams are partnering with the league on distribution, others are going their own way, working with regional sports networks, or clinging to expensive pay TV bundles. Factor in all the nationally-televised games scattered across cable networks and streaming services, and there’s a lot for baseball fans to think about.

As I’ve done with the NBA and NHL, I’ll survey the scene of local baseball streaming options so you know what to expect when the weather warms up.

Read the full column on PCWorld →

Weekly rewind

Netflix’s Apple TV heartbreaker: For brief, glorious moment last week, Netflix was fully integrated with the Apple TV’s universal streaming guide. That allowed users to add Netflix shows to their Apple TV watchlists and see shows-in-progress through the “Continue Watching” row, all without having to open Netflix’s app first.

It didn’t last though, as Netflix quickly declared that the integration was a mistake. Or as 9to5Mac put it, “Netflix confirms it didn’t mean to support that Apple TV feature everyone has wanted for years.” Netflix has always been picky about where and how it ties into universal streaming guides, which may be good for Netflix but is bad for streaming as a whole.

FanDuel’s Prime Video add-on: FanDuel Sports Network is now available as a $20 per month add-on for Prime Video subscribers. Just like the standalone FanDuel Sports Network subscription, it provides live access to regional sports networks (those previously known as Bally Sports) in certain markets without a big pay TV package. The only difference is that you watch through Amazon’s app and get billed through Amazon instead of using the FanDuel Sports Network app and billing system. Still, Main Street Sports (which operates the channels) is hoping the popularity of Amazon’s app will bring in more subscribers.

Hey, someone gets it: Since 2023, the Utah Jazz have made all non-nationally-televised games available for free with an antenna, while also offering streaming access for $20 per month or $5 per game. How’s that going? According to CNBC’s Alexander Sherman, the Jazz has taken a 50% hit to its regional sports carriage revenues.

But here’s the refreshing part: Jazz owner Ryan Smith told Sherman he’d never go back to the old model. Because the new approach makes games easier to access, the Jazz are reaching younger viewers and providing a better experience overall, and in the long run it’s good for business. “The more people watch, the more people come to games, the more we sell in concessions, the more money we bring in with sponsorships,” he said. If only more team owners would see the light.

More catch-up

Save more money

Hey folks, I’m experimenting with using affiliate links in this section of the newsletter, earning me a commission if you wind up subscribing to something in certain cases. I feel a little weird about it, which I wrote about here, and welcome your feedback.

T-Mobile’s free MLS Season Pass offering is now available, both for T-Mobile and Metro customers. Redeem it through T-Mobile’s website or the T-Life app, and you’ll get an activation link. I suggest cancelling immediately after activation so you don’t get auto-billed a year from now.

(I emboldened the S above so no one mistakes this for T-Mobile’s MLB.TV freebie, which usually comes up in late March. This offering’s for Major League Soccer.)

Other notable deals:

Remember that for extended trials (like Peacock’s three-month offer), you can set a limited-use card with Privacy.com to avoid being auto-billed at the end. I wrote about that here.

This week in Advisorator: Are you as annoyed as I am by those “Sign in with Google” pop ups on sites like Doordash and Reddit? Here’s how to turn them off.

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Thanks for reading!

I’m always looking for column ideas when things are a little slow on the news front. Tell me what to write about—or just ask me a cord cutting question—by replying to this email.

Until next week,
Jared

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