MLB games drive millions of Apple TV signups, per new data

It might come as a surprise for some, but Apple TV’s package of MLB games seems to be driving substantial subscriber growth.

According to new data from research firm Antenna, Apple TV’s Friday Night Baseball package has driven significantly more signups than some of the platform’s hit shows like The Morning Show and Stick. Per Antenna, the Los Angeles Dodgers-New York Yankees game on Apple TV in May generated 722,000 new signups, while The Morning Show is credited with 524,000 new subscribers.

In fact, several baseball games attracted over half a million signups for Apple TV. Yankees-Phillies in July drove 698,000 signups, and Phillies-Mets in June drove 631,000. In aggregate, Apple TV attracted millions of new users due to its Friday MLB package. Baseball games accounted for six of the 10 most significant subscription drivers for Apple TV between April 2025 and September 2025.

Thus far, Apple’s live sports strategy has been met with significant skepticism. The streamer’s MLS deal has been widely panned, even from team executives, and is about to undergo significant changes ahead of next season. And some in the industry believe Apple’s most recent deal for Formula One is an overpay.

In many ways, the Friday Night Baseball deal has been an afterthought. Many assumed that one exclusive regular-season MLB game per week wouldn’t do much to move the needle. But it seems the deal has driven more subscriptions than one might anticipate.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, baseball fans who subscribed to Apple TV to watch a game weren’t as sticky as other subscribers. Per Lucas Shaw of Bloomberg, “Baseball fans are less likely to stick around given the relative paucity of sports on Apple. But the benefits of the sign-ups weren’t completely erased by the cancellations.”

The data represents the importance of live sports inventory for streaming platforms. Time and time again, marquee sporting events have proven to drive subscriptions for streamers. It’s why Peacock was willing to pay a nine-figure sum to buy an exclusive NFL Wild Card game two years ago, and why Paramount values the UEFA Champions League for Paramount+.

At times this year, it was speculated that Apple TV would be exiting its Friday Night Baseball deal, as MLB reworked its broadcast agreements following ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball opt-out. But considering Apple is only paying $55 million per year (plus a $30 million mandatory ad spend) for the MLB package, it appears the streamer is getting a reasonably good return on investment.