Overview
- MLB approved NBC’s plan to carry the White Sox–Astros and Cubs–Padres Wild Card series only on Peacock, making those playoff games unavailable on regular broadcast TV in some markets.
- Fans in affected local markets may need a paid Peacock subscription or access to certain MVPD streaming bundles such as Comcast Xfinity, YouTube TV, or Fubo to view the games.
- NBC and MLB point to Peacock as the practical home for the remaining Wild Card games under their new rights deal, while Fox, FS1 and TBS will still carry the rest of the postseason with streaming windows on FOX One and HBO Max.
- Critics say MLB missed a chance to preserve local over‑the‑air access like the NFL does by arranging local broadcast simulcasts, and they warn the move erects a new paywall for passionate local fans.
- This is the first MLB postseason under the new NBC rights cycle to include streaming‑exclusive games after prior experiments with nontraditional partners, a change that could shape future league decisions on reach versus subscription value.