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STREAMING service Roku is targeting a revolution in how you watch sports.
The tech company has shown Sunday morning MLB games on The Roku Channel for the first time this season.
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Roku became the home for Sunday Leadoff games after taking the rights from rival Peacock earlier this year.
The multi-year agreement with the MLB sees games available for free during an exclusive window each weekend.
Roku’s president of media, Charlie Collier, has revealed the streaming giant is ambitious with its plans to screen more baseball going forward.
The company recently launched a new Roku Sports Channel, dedicated to showcasing free sports to its reported 83 million users.
“MLB coverage on Roku is only going to grow,” Collier told Front Office Sports.
Collier claimed the service could become a “very modern way of solving the baseball fragmentation problem.”
Watching games across the MLB has become a difficult process in recent years.
Local broadcasts remain subject to blackout rules, while some games require subscriptions to separate streaming services such as Apple+.
“The whole notion of having not just the game from Major League Baseball, but the opportunity to curate a fan’s experience and have a destination that makes it easier for them, and have a fast service, it really is a very modern way of solving the baseball fragmentation problem,” Collier explained during an interview with FOS in New York.
Roku is hoping to “create shoulder programming and prioritize sports content on its partner platforms,” per the Front Office report.
Collier also hopes to “make it easier for fans to find games as rights continue to splinter.”
Roku launched its dedicated Sports Channel last month.
It is widely available to stream for free, with no subscription or sign-up required.
As well as their work with the MLB, Roku has expanded into the world of the NFL this offseason.
The company acquired the rights to stream Good Morning Football: Overtime, an extension of the NFL Network’s popular GMFB, per MSN.
They also stream Formula E after securing a rights package for the motorsport in the summer of 2023.
Watch the NFL live this season
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With this season’s schedule now revealed, eager NFL fans are looking to secure tickets to their favorite games.
You can start buying tickets for some games on several sites now:
Before purchasing tickets on resale websites check pricing as they are third-party sellers and, importantly, the cost can vary depending on demand. You may pay more than an official ticket, though you can also get good last-minute deals too.
But if you can’t be there in person, don’t worry, there’s still time to set up your stream before the season starts.
You can also keep up to date with the latest NFL coverage right here at The U.S. Sun.
“A curated always-on channel that leads our viewer through the wide variety of premium sports content available for free on The Roku Channel, Roku Sports Channel is an exciting addition to our expanding sports offering,” Joe Franzetta, Head of Sports at Roku Media said last month.
“We continue to see audiences enjoy the familiar, lean-back experience FAST offers, especially with sports.
“Sports is one of our most popular channel genres on The Roku Channel.
“[It] makes us so excited to make it even easier for audiences to jump into Roku’s standout programming.”
Viewers can access sports content through Roku devices on Smart TVs, TheRokuChannel.com, and via the Roku app on iOS and Android devices.
