As the Arizona Diamondbacks take on the Phillies at Citizen’s Bank Park for the final contest of an NLCS rematch series, observant viewers might notice a different broadcast.
Tomorrow’s early-morning game will be brought to fans by Roku, as a part of MLB’s recent MLB Sunday Leadoff partnership with Roku, and will be free for any and all D-backs fans, at least, if they’re awake for the 8:35 AM first pitch.
D-backs TV subscribers will be able to view the broadcast normally, as a part of their MLB.tv package, and on the MLB.tv app, just as one would view any other game. No additional subscriptions, blackouts or charges will apply.
However, for those who opt not to subscribe to D-backs TV, the game will still be broadcast free of charge through Roku itself, to anyone, anywhere in the country, on the Roku Channel.
If you own a Roku, Amazon, Google or Samsung major smart TV, or have a Roku, Amazon or Google smart device attached to your TV, it’s as simple as finding the Roku Channel app, which is available for free, then selecting the MLB Sunday Leadoff game.
If you don’t already own a Roku device, the game can be found online, on any computer or browser, at www.TheRokuChannel.com, or watch on mobile in the Roku app, available for free on any device.
Either sign in to your existing Roku account, or sign up, completely free of charge, and you’ll be able to view Sunday’s broadcast hassle- and blackout-free.
This will be the second time in three games that the D-backs will be broadcast nationally, following the first game being broadcast exclusively on Apple TV+. While this can be a bit of a sore spot for D-backs fans, and understandably so, there’s not much that the team can actually control in that department.
According to the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro, Diamondbacks’ President and CEO Derrick Hall has reportedly, “no say” in what games are broadcast nationally, and, subsequently, blacked out to D-backs TV subscribers.
Piecoro wrote in an article detailing the situation, that Hall had tried, unsuccessfully, to get Apple TV to waive the blackout that prevented D-backs TV subscribers from watching without an additional Apple TV+ subscription.
“We tried to have them waive the blackout in our market, but their exclusivity outweighed our plea,” said Hall, “I just want our fans to be able to find our games at the same location consistently.”
According to Piecoro’s article, Hall did note the positive of having Arizona be “in demand at a national level.” Although rightfully frustrating for fans, blackouts are the sign of a team having national prominence, and the Diamondbacks rematching with the team they took down in thrilling fashion in the 2023 NLCS certainly fits that bill.
Regardless of how you watch, the series finale is one fans likely won’t want to miss. Right-hander Slade Cecconi will start for the D-backs, with left-hander Christopher Sanchez taking the mound for Philadelphia in the deciding game of the series.
First pitch is at an early 8:35 AM Arizona time. The D-backs will receive two more such Roku games, one on July 7th vs the Padres, the other on September 1st vs the LA Dodgers.
