Apple TV have announced that Friday Night Baseball (FNB) will resume for the 2023 season, with fans from more countries than ever able to tune in for weekly double-headers of MLB action.
The MLS has seen a huge boost to their reach, with a recent Forbes report claiming almost 40% of the league's fixtures for the 2023 season are available to subscribers around the world. Following the success of Friday Night Baseball during the 2022 season, Apple have announced that the weekly series will continue throughout the 2023 campaign.
Apple and Major League Baseball announced Wednesday that FNB will be available to all Apple TV+ subscribers on Fridays throughout the regular season. The weekly double-header will begin on April 7, with the Texas Rangers facing the Chicago Cubs for the inaugural FNB daytime game before the San Diego Padres take on the Atlanta Braves.
The service will be available for fans in 60 countries and regions, with Apple TV+ subscribers able to enjoy two marquee matchups over 25 weeks with no local broadcast restrictions. Fans in the United States can subscribe to Apple TV+ for $6.99 per month, with rates varying elsewhere depending on your location.
With Sunday and Monday Night Football becomes mainstays on the NFL's prime-time offering, the return of Friday Night Baseball appears to suggest the MLB are keen to corner an area of the broadcast schedule.
Apple TV have also expanded their broadcasting team, with Wayne Randazzo and Alex Faust joining as a play-by-play announcers, while Dontrelle Willis and Ryan Spilborghs will join as analysts. Heidi Watney and Tricia Whitaker join as sideline reporters, with game assignments for announcers to be shared on a weekly basis.
Live coverage both pre-game and post-game will again be hosted by Lauren Gardner, along with Siera Santos. Former MLB stars Xavier Scruggs and Matt Joyce will serve as analysts alongside baseball journalist Russell Dorsey.
To help with explaining the new MLB rule changes for the new season, former MLB umpires Brian Gorman and Dale Scott will join the team to break down certain events. "We can’t wait for ‘Friday Night Baseball’ to start up again, and we’re excited for fans to experience everything new we’re bringing this season," said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Services.
"Apple TV+ truly has something for everyone, from two live baseball games every Friday night, to an incredible slate of award-winning original films and series. There’s never been a better time to sign up."
The FNB schedule has been announced for the first half of the season, through June 30 by Apple TV and MLB:
Friday, April 7
Texas Rangers at Chicago Cubs - 2pm ET
San Diego Padres at Atlanta Braves - 7pm ET
Friday, April 14
San Francisco Giants at Detroit Tigers - 6:30pm ET
Los Angeles Angels at Boston Red Sox - 7pm ET
Friday, April 21
Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees - 7pm ET
Houston Astros at Atlanta Braves - 7pm ET
Friday, April 28
Philadelphia Phillies at Houston Astros - 8pm ET
St. Louis Cardinals at Los Angeles Dodgers - 10pm ET
Friday, May 5
Chicago White Sox at Cincinnati Reds - 6:30pm ET
Minnesota Twins at Cleveland Guardians - 7pm ET
Friday, May 12
Kansas City Royals at Milwaukee Brewers - 8pm ET
Chicago Cubs at Minnesota Twins - 8pm ET
Friday, May 19
Baltimore Orioles at Toronto Blue Jays - 7pm ET
Seattle Mariners at Atlanta Braves - 7pm ET
Friday, May 26
San Diego Padres at New York Yankees - 7pm ET
Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers - 6:30pm ET
Friday, June 2
Milwaukee Brewers at Cincinnati Reds - 5pm ET
Cleveland Guardians at Minnesota Twins - 8pm ET
Friday, June 9
Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles - 7pm ET
Seattle Mariners at Los Angeles Angels - 9:30pm ET
Friday, June 16
Pittsburgh Pirates at Milwaukee Brewers - 8pm ET
Chicago White Sox at Seattle Mariners - 10pm ET
Friday, June 23
Pittsburgh Pirates at Miami Marlins - 6:30pm ET
New York Mets at Philadelphia Phillies - 7pm ET
Friday, June 30
Milwaukee Brewers at Pittsburgh Pirates - 7pm ET
Arizona Diamondbacks at Los Angeles Angels - 9:30pm ET
