Apple announced a new partnership with MLB today, broadcasting a weekly Friday night doubleheader, with pre- and post-game shows, exclusively on Apple TV+, assuming, of course, that the lockout ever ends and the season begins.  In addition to the weekly live games, Apple will broadcast a live highlight show, MLB Big Inning, every weeknight during the regular season.  They will also host a new 24/7 livestream with MLB game replays, news and analysis, highlights, classic games, and more, as well as a full complement of on-demand programming, including highlights and MLB-themed original content.

From Apple’s standpoint, this move makes a lot of sense.  MLB’s built-in audience will need to eventually subscribe to their streaming service in order to watch these games, giving them a boost that they must hope will carry over to the offseason.  It also doesn’t hurt baseball’s image to be associated with a forward-looking company like Apple, and getting a streaming option with no blackouts is certainly a step in the right direction.