A big element of this year’s MLB Postseason is how all the games are supposedly available for legal streaming (if you have a cable subscription). However, that doesn’t always mean the streaming options work. And a whole lot of people ran into issues with TBS’ app Wednesday during the AL Wild Card game between the Oakland A’s and the New York Yankees:
It took almost no time for TBS to remind me of why their MLB playoff coverage is just a total nightmare. Throw TBS into a volcano. pic.twitter.com/xgdAOnMOFb
— rich (@rich_roberts) October 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/BenCarsley/status/1047640874329497606
https://twitter.com/amelianewburg/status/1047639604717932544
https://twitter.com/Woody_Wilder/status/1047641071570833408
Bang up job by MLB and TBS to force me into an illegal stream because of their insane local blackout rules for streaming. pic.twitter.com/my9xoWQwwR
— Bhavinhø (@bhavinho_) October 4, 2018
Holy shit, this game is fucking blacked out in NY from streaming on the TBS app? Are you fucking kidding?!
— Bhavinhø (@bhavinho_) October 4, 2018
The watch @TBSNetwork app is telling me the nationally televised MLB playoff game is unenviable in my area… are you kidding me…. TBS fix your garbage app before the playoffs start. Advertisers should ask for a refund! I want to watch baseball and commercials!
— Garrett Brock (@gmbrock2012) October 4, 2018
https://twitter.com/DividedShane/status/1047640191387799552
https://twitter.com/DSMeneley/status/1047645833187999749
You stink MLB!!!
Trying to watch on mlb app or tbs app. Have TWO different cable subscriptions and I’m getting it’s a blackout game.
I live in Pennsylvania, how could that be blacked out.
Totally LAME— GratefulDave (@lovelyventures) October 4, 2018
Tired: Complain about TBS broadcast
Wired: Be forced to bypass TBS because of a weird blackout notice from the app and listen to the radio instead
— Emma Baccellieri (@emmabaccellieri) October 4, 2018
We can confirm that into the third inning, there was still a “Sorry, we are trouble loading content right now” screen (as seen above) on the TBS Roku app in California. Fortunately, it was fixed by the fourth inning. And the game was also available on actual cable and satellite. But if you’re not at the location with your cable or satellite, that’s definitely problematic. And it raises questions about how well these streaming strategies are actually working.
About Andrew Bucholtz
Andrew Bucholtz has been covering sports media for Awful Announcing since 2012. He is also a staff writer for The Comeback. His previous work includes time at Yahoo! Sports Canada and Black Press.