MLBFor the first time, Major League Baseball is allowing customers to purchase gift subscriptions for family and friends to its MLB At Bat streaming audio service.

Users can gift a $20 subscription that gives access to in-game streaming radio broadcasts for the entire 2014 baseball season, including pre- and postseason games, with no blackouts.

Previously, users wishing to gift MLB At Bat premium subscriptions would need to purchase mall or generic credit card gift cards for users to buy the service themselves. The subscription is good for multiple platforms including the iPhone, iPad, the Web, as well as a number of Android devices.

At Bat also gives users access to MLB's video archive of 2013 baseball games, video highlights of new games as they happen, and a streaming selection of classic games.

Subscriptions to MLB.com At Bat, the 10th highest grossing mobile app in App Store history, are now available as holiday gifts for the first time. Instead of waiting in bricks-and-mortar store lines or giving a generic gift card, anyone can gift At Bat for the 2014 MLB season, through a direct purchase of the $19.99 full-season subscription from MLB.com.

With access to the complete set of premium features in 2014, including live audio of every game and the MLB.TV Free Game of the Day, At Bat 14 will be the perfect holiday gift for any baseball fan.

At Bat currently offers full coverage of the Hot Stove and the upcoming Baseball Winter Meetings in December. MLB Advanced Media’s mobile developers also are working on new features to be unveiled in the 2014 edition of At Bat. Complete details will be available at launch next year.

MLB At Bat is available as a free download for iPhone and iPad, while premium subscriptions for 2014 will be available via in app purchase next year. [Direct Link]

Top Rated Comments

Westside guy Avatar
131 months ago
I buy the iOS app subscription every year - it's a great way to listen to every game.

The TV package, though... not such a deal. MLB's draconian blackout policies make the subscription useless to the vast majority of fans. If you live out of your favorite team's huge exclusion zone, then it *might* make sense - otherwise, no.

Silly thing is - MLB could just provide in-zone fans streaming access to their local team's TV feed, ads and all, and most people wouldn't complain. I'd gladly pay the $120/year for that just for the flexibility - getting to have a playoff game up in the corner of my monitor at work, for example.

BTW, MLB execs - because of cost, I deliberately chose a cable TV tier that does NOT include my local team's cable channel. So, in my case at least, this would be money from me that you don't currently receive at all.

----------

wasn't it $15 last year?
$19.95.

----------

The subscription is good for multiple platforms including the iPhone, iPad, the Web, as well as a number of Android devices.
Purchasing the audio subscription via the iOS app gives you free audio access on the MLB.com website as well.

The reverse is not true - subscribing via the MLB.com website does NOT let you access the audio feed on the iOS app (unless they've changed the rules since last season).
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
azentropy Avatar
131 months ago
The people who already paid huge money for exclusive in-market broadcast rights would not be amused.

Then they should provide a way to view those in-market games on mobile platforms for those who have or are willing to pay for it.

I get DirecTV and pay for all the local sports packages. Even if I pay for the MLB.tv package DTV, web or mobile app - if I happen to be out of my house but in the "market area" I can't watch my local game/team on my iPhone/iPad.

Sorry, but that is ridiculous. At least they could have MLB.tv app verify that you also have a DirecTV account and limit your local access to the rebroadcast of that local station. Several other applications already do that (HBO Go, Showtime etc.)

/rant
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mahler12x Avatar
131 months ago
The TV package, though... not such a deal. MLB's draconian blackout policies make the subscription useless to the vast majority of fans. If you live out of your favorite team's huge exclusion zone, then it *might* make sense - otherwise, no.
Totally agree. Location Spoofer is the only reason I jailbreak. I'm just hoping they'll have an iOS7 jailbreak by the time the season starts. Just jailbreak, install location spoofer, set your location to Mexico or something, and say goodbye to blackouts! Did this for my grandpa who doesn't have cable and he and I got to text back and forth the whole season about the A's great season as he got to watch every game only 12 miles from the Oakland Coliseum! I'm in eastern Nevada now myself and that's STILL A's territory according to MLB's boundary lines. Stupid.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KSpider Avatar
131 months ago
If they have MLB.tv as a gift option, then I have something to put on my list.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iOS 17

iOS 17.2 Will Add These 12 New Features to Your iPhone

Friday December 1, 2023 12:19 pm PST by
iOS 17.2 has been in beta testing for over a month, and it should be released to all users in a few more weeks. The software update includes many new features and changes for iPhones, including the dozen that we have highlighted below. iOS 17.2 is expected to be released to the public in mid-December. To learn about even more features coming in the update, check out our full list. Journal ...
iOS 17

28 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in December's iOS 17.2 Update

Friday December 1, 2023 2:57 am PST by
Apple made the first beta of iOS 17.2 available to developers in October. Since then we've seen three more betas, and with each iteration Apple continues to add more new features and changes, many of which users have been anticipating for quite a while. Below, we've listed 28 new things that are coming to your iPhone when the finalized version is publicly released this December. 1. Help...
anker new xmas

Anker's Cyber Week Sale Enters Final Days With Up to 60% Off Sitewide

Friday December 1, 2023 12:05 pm PST by
Anker's Black Friday/Cyber Week event is entering its final days this weekend, and it's still offering up to 60 percent off sitewide. There are also a few "mystery boxes" that can include hundreds of dollars in savings, if you're willing to risk not knowing what you're buying ahead of time. All of these sales will end on December 3. Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker. When you...
iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.1.2 With Security Fixes

Thursday November 30, 2023 10:12 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2, small updates to the iOS 17 and iPadOS 17 operating systems that Apple introduced in September. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 come a few weeks after the release of iOS 17.1.1, another bug fix update. iOS 17.1.2 and iPadOS 17.1.2 can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update....
iPhone 16 Mock Header Updated 1

iPhone 16 to Include Action Button Across Entire Lineup

Thursday November 30, 2023 4:08 pm PST by
The release of the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max saw the introduction of an entirely new user-configurable button known as the Action button, and now, MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming Apple is planning to include the Action button on the entire iPhone 16 range. Designs and plans for the Action button date back to at least 2021, as the button was intended for release alongside hapt...
paramount plus logo

Apple and Paramount Considering Discounted TV+ Streaming Bundle

Friday December 1, 2023 4:40 am PST by
Apple and Paramount have discussed bundling their TV streaming services at a discount, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal. The companies have talked about offering a combination of Paramount+ and Apple TV+ that would cost less than subscribing to both services separately, according to people familiar with the discussions. The discussions are in their early stages, and it is ...
top stories 2dec2023

Top Stories: iOS 17.1.2 Released, NameDrop Misinformation, and More

Saturday December 2, 2023 6:00 am PST by
Apple employees are back to work following a Thanksgiving break, and that means this week saw a number of new operating system updates for both public release and beta testing. This week also saw some misinformation about Apple's new NameDrop feature making the rounds, while Apple and Goldman Sachs appear to be on the verge of a break-up in their Apple Card and savings account partnership,...
General Apps Messages

Green Bubbles on iPhone to Gain These 7 New Features Next Year

Thursday November 30, 2023 9:00 am PST by
Earlier this month, Apple announced that it will finally support RCS in the Messages app on the iPhone starting later next year. This change will result in several improvements to the messaging experience between iPhones and Android devices. RCS will become the new default standard for messaging between iPhones and Android devices, but these conversations will still have green bubbles like...
m2 macbook air green

Get Apple's M2 MacBook Air and M3 MacBook Pro for Record Low Prices

Friday December 1, 2023 6:59 am PST by
Best Buy is discounting a collection of MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models to all-time low prices today. We're tracking these deals below in addition to great discounts on the Apple Pencil 2 and Apple Watch Ultra 1. MacBook Air Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the...