Mariners launch ROOT Sports Stream app for watching games
PEORIA, Ariz. – For Mariners fans who cut the cable cord years ago and have been frustrated by limited access to watching Mariners games, there is a reason to celebrate.
For fans who have tethered themselves to only a cable, DirecTV or Fubo subscription to watch the Mariners, there is freedom.
And for fans who simply want to watch a Mariners game on their mobile device the Northwest, it’s a time to rejoice.
On Friday the Mariners – in conjunction with Root Sports, their regional sports network – announced they are launching the Root Sports Stream app. It immediately offers a direct-to-customer streaming package for fans in the Mariners’ TV footprint to watch their games, regardless of location, and without blackout restrictions or a cable subscription.
That footprint includes Washington, Oregon, Montana, Alaska and portions of Idaho.
“Our goal is to connect fans to Mariners baseball in as many ways as possible,” Mariners president of business operations Kevin Martinez said in a team statement. “The new Root Sports Stream app is an excellent complement to the existing, valuable partnerships Root Sports has with TV providers to bring Mariners baseball to all fans in the Pacific Northwest.”
How does it work?
Customers can download the Root Sports Stream app on their mobile devices or streaming devices for their television or smart TVs. For $19.99 a month, a subscriber will get streaming access to Root Sports’ daily programming. The app will have on-demand highlights, replays of games and other shows.
Fans who have Root Sports through a participating cable, satellite or streaming provider can access the content through the app at no extra cost.
“We know fans are eagerly anticipating Mariners’ opening day and we are thrilled to offer them another way to access Root Sports,” Sabrina Taylor, vice president of affiliate & RSN operations at Root Sports, said in a statement. “Root Sports Stream includes new features and a refreshed interface that will appeal to both existing TV Everywhere users as well as new direct-to-consumer subscribers.”
Martinez downplayed his role in the process, but this has been his goal for several years. The Mariners, who are the majority owners of Root Sports, have been reliant on fans subscribing to cable platforms such as Comcast Xfinity and DirecTV to have access to Root Sports.
But with more fans cutting the cord and Comcast moving Root to a higher tier of subscription pricing, the impetus to find a direct-to-consumer solution became more pressing.
Martinez and Taylor had to make that happen while dealing with existing contracts with more than a dozen cable providers. The Mariners also had to develop an app that would be sustainable for direct-to-customer subscribers. Root previously had an app for TV Everywhere that worked with some cable subscribers.
“It’s no secret that the sports media landscape, specifically the RSN landscape, is evolving,” Taylor said. “And over the past few years, we’ve seen RSNs and now teams launch their own direct-to-consumer offering. The technology was evolving during this time, and so we wanted to make sure that we could deliver an experience for fans that was exceptional.”
The app will give fans a chance to stream Sunday’s Cactus League game vs. the Brewers.
“We made it by opening day,” Martinez said. “It’s a great feeling. It’s something everybody’s been working really, really hard on. We didn’t know if we’re going to get there, and we did. And I’m just super, super grateful.”
The fans’ clamor for an affordable streaming option had grown louder each year. Major League Baseball had been reluctant to pursue that option, understanding that many teams’ revenues were tied to their regional sports network rights deals.
But the changing nature of viewership and a steady decline nationally in cable subscriptions changed that thinking. When Diamond Sports, which owns multiple regional sports networks, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy a year ago, an opening for direct-to-customer streaming emerged.
Since then, some teams have announced direct-to-customer streaming options. With each announcement, Mariners fans’ demand for a similar option seemed to increased. Martinez, who is active on social media, understood the situation and pushed to make it happen this season.
The Mariners became the 27th MLB franchise to offer a direct-to-consumer streaming option to their local fan base, removing local blackouts as the league moves away from the reliance on regional sports networks.
“There’s a large portion of our fans that watch Mariners baseball through linear TV, and they’re perfectly fine with it,” Martinez said. “We’re always looking for ways to reach new fans, grow the fan base. We have to do that. And there’s a segment of fans that have been asking for games to be streamed.
“So having this Root Sports Stream app is another way to do that and better serve all of our fans and reach them in the way they want to be reached.”
Does the new streaming option provide any more clarity with the future of Root Sports or provide stability to the revenues generated?
“It changes every day with this media landscape,” Martinez said. “There’s a new piece of news. We learn something every day, and we’ve got to keep innovating and finding new ways to keep moving forward. We’ll learn a lot this year through this. What you and I talk about at the end of the year, we’ll have a little more clarity in terms of the impact that it really had.”
How to get Root Sports StreamRoot Sports Stream is available via web browser at RootSportsStream.com, as well as on mobile/tablet devices and connected TV platforms including iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and coming soon to Roku.
Fans can sign up at Mariners.com/stream, and additional information is available there. The Stream app is available for $19.99 per month with no long-term commitment.
Other teams’ DTC streaming
AL West
- Seattle Mariners: $19.99
- Sacramento A’s: $19.99
- Texas Rangers: $100
- Houston Astros: None
- Los Angeles Angels: $19.99/$122.99
AL East
- Tampa Bay Rays: $19.99/$122.99
- New York Yankees: $19.99/$199.99
- Toronto Blue Jays: $24.99/$199.99
- Boston Red Sox: $29.99/$239.99
- Baltimore Orioles: None
AL Central
- Cleveland Guardians: $19.99/$99.99
- Kansas City Royals: $19.99/$122.99
- Chicago White Sox: $19.99
- Minnesota Twins: $19.99/$99.99
- Detroit Tigers: $19.99/$122.99
NL West
- Colorado Rockies: $19.99/$99
- Arizona Diamondbacks: $19.99/$99
- San Francisco Giants $19.99
- San Diego Padres: $19.99/$99
- Los Angeles Dodgers: $29.99/$199
NL East
- Atlanta Braves: $19.99
- New York Mets: $24.99
- Miami Marlins: $19.99
- Philadelphia Phillies: $24.99
- Washington Nationals: None
NL Central
- Chicago Cubs: $19.99
- Cincinnati Reds: $19.99/$122.99
- Pittsburgh Pirates: $17.99
- St. Louis Cardinals: $19.99/$122.99
- Milwaukee Brewers: $19.99/$122.99