A MLB.TV network error image on March 27, 2025. A MLB.TV network error image on March 27, 2025. (Awful Announcing on X.)
MLBBy Sean Keeley on

Sometimes, you can tell what an organization or company thinks of its customers based on how it tries to make good on problems.

For instance, if you’re unhappy with your Costco purchase, most items can be returned at any time, with or without a receipt, even if you return them years after purchasing. No wonder the company is often mentioned as one of the most-trusted by its consumers.

In business, if you can earnestly prove that you care about your customers’ misfortunes and provide them with a worthwhile make-good, that will usually go a long way towards making them feel heard and appreciated.

All of this is to say, here’s what Major League Baseball is doing for subscribers impacted by the MLB.tv Opening Day outages.

In a letter to MLB.tv subscribers affected by the service crashing, which made it hard or even impossible for them to watch their favorite team on Opening Day, the league began with a passive-aggressive reminder that MLB.TV is good, actually. They then downplay the issue by describing it as a “temporary inability to access our live streams.” They finally get to an apology half-way through the second paragraph before leading into their make-good: $10 off any purchase of $25 or more at MLB Shop. Not even 10% off, which could add up if you buy $200 worth of something. Just $10.

Hardly the kind of enticing offer for someone paying $149.99 for a service that failed on Day One.

Lmao. “We’re sorry we screwed up the most visible day of the season. Please forgive us by spending at least $15 more.”

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— Brett Taylor (@brett-taylor.bsky.social) March 29, 2025 at 1:18 PM

For the record, the Cleveland Guardians are offering fans free tickets to apologize for “the inconvenience to your first game viewing experience,” which seems like a much more thoughtful approach.

“This wasn’t a minor glitch or a one-off mistake,” wrote Awful Announcing’s Sam Neumann on Friday. “Opening Day was one of the most anticipated days on the sports calendar. Fans who had been waiting months to watch their teams were denied that moment, as they were left to either search for unreliable streams or stare at error screens. MLB.tv was supposed to be the solution for out-of-market fans, but on its biggest day, it couldn’t deliver.”

About Sean Keeley

Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.

View all posts by Sean Keeley