Let’s say it: Major League Baseball ruined Opening Day. It sounds dramatic, but it’s the truth. On a day when MLB.tv needed to perform seamlessly, it failed spectacularly. Fans eager to watch player introductions, pregame coverage, or even the first pitch were left facing error screens. The frustration was not limited to out-of-market viewers; SNY’s new direct-to-consumer partnership with the MLB app meant plenty of Mets fans found themselves shut out as well.
No one was happy, including the author of this article. For context, if you’re unfamiliar with my background at Awful Announcing, know this: I’m a die-hard New York Mets fan. Living in a southern state, MLB.tv has been my connection to the team for years, allowing me to follow my beloved Mets from afar. But Thursday was different. On a day intended for anticipation, excitement, and celebration of a new season, I, like countless others, found my loyalty to MLB.tv under scrutiny.
I couldn’t watch anything. Not a single frame of baseball. At first, I thought it was just me—perhaps I had forgotten to renew my subscription. Then I checked social media and realized I wasn’t alone. With about 40 minutes until the Mets-Astros game started, I saw that fans across the country were expressing their frustration. The bulk of afternoon matchups were about to begin, and no one could access the game.
Frustration didn’t begin to describe it; it was pure chaos. People were furious, and rightly so. This wasn’t a minor glitch or a one-off mistake. Opening Day ranks as one of the most anticipated days on the sports calendar. Fans who had waited months to watch their teams were denied, left to search for unreliable streams or stare at error messages. MLB.tv was supposed to be the solution for out-of-market fans, yet it failed on its biggest day.
I reached out to @MLBFanSupport on X, and their response was predictably vague: “Hi there, we are aware of this issue and expect a resolution shortly. Sorry for the delay.” Meanwhile, customer service was a dead end. After 40 minutes of feverishly refreshing the app, I resorted to finding an illegal stream, unlike Adam Schefter. I had to settle for the Astros’ home broadcast, laden with intrusive ads. The chat was a battlefield, with heinous comments flying by.
But then again, beggars can’t be choosers—especially when I was eager to see Juan Soto’s first hit as a Met. Finally, after missing the first pitch, MLB.tv became usable an hour later. However, the damage was done. Those 26 minutes of panic and searching for alternatives drained the experience of its excitement.
The joy that comes with Opening Day? Gone. The buzz? Hardly felt. Thursday wasn’t merely a technical failure; it was a collapse of trust in MLB’s ability to deliver when it mattered most. MLB.tv is more than just a service; it’s a lifeline for out-of-market fans. On the biggest day of the year, that lifeline snapped. The loss of trust hurts more than missing a few innings or the entire game. MLB had built MLB.tv to be reliable, but it failed on the day it absolutely had to work.
Fans didn’t just feel disappointment; they felt abandoned. Now, it’s not just about the next game—even though Mets fans aren’t pleased with the next two games—it’s about the next Opening Day. How do you rebuild trust once shattered? When next season rolls around and that “watch live” button is clicked, hesitation will be inevitable. This incident may fade from memory in the coming days, but by 2026’s Opening Day, doubts will linger like a shadow.
MLB had one chance to prove it could be trusted, and it failed. Fans are now questioning whether MLB.tv can deliver when it truly matters. The repercussions extend beyond mere technical glitches; it’s a significant blow to the confidence fans have in the service, and regaining that trust won’t be easy.
