If you are flipping on a Rays game this season and the screen looks a bit different, you are not alone. Major League Baseball is now producing and distributing the Tampa Bay Rays' local telecasts, and home-market fans will see everything under a new Rays.TV banner. In-market viewers can stream games on the MLB app or stick with cable and satellite, but the viewing map has been redrawn. Below, we break down the season pass price, how the familiar broadcast setup fits in, and where the new channel lands on major providers.
What changed this year
MLB stepped in after several teams, including the Rays, ended deals with a struggling regional operator and needed a fallback plan for local distribution. As reported by the AP, clubs walked away from contracts with Main Street Sports Group's FanDuel Sports Network after missed rights payments, which pushed the league to produce local telecasts for multiple clubs this season. The goal is to steady where fans find games and keep broadcasts available on both traditional TV and streaming platforms.
Rays.TV: price, blackouts and bundles
Rays.TV season subscriptions are set at $99.99 per year, with a Rays.TV + MLB.TV bundle priced at $199.99 and monthly options also on the table. In-market subscribers can stream local Rays telecasts without local blackouts, subject to national exclusivities, according to MLB.com. The MLB package page also lays out trial options, supported devices and other details for fans who want both in-market streaming and out-of-market coverage.
Where to find Rays games on TV
The new channel - branded Rays.TV - will show up on a wide range of Florida providers this season. DirecTV/DTV Stream lists the channel as 652, Comcast/Xfinity as 1262, Spectrum (IP/digital) as 400, AT&T U-verse as 1719 and Cox on 78 and 96, with several localized Spectrum set-top numbers also assigned, as laid out by WPBF. Grouping Rays.TV near other regional sports channels on the guide should make it a bit less of a scavenger hunt on game night.
Out-of-market and travel tips
If you live outside the Rays' home television territory you should subscribe to MLB.TV, since Rays.TV is designed for in-market fans only, per Tampa Bay 28. Fans who are traveling or who want to double-check which carrier and channel will have a specific game can punch a ZIP code into the team's watch page and carrier tools, as noted by Bay News 9. A small number of nationally exclusive broadcasts will still air only on networks such as FOX or ESPN and may not appear on the local Rays.TV feed.
The bottom line for Bay Area fans
The switch gives Bay Area viewers more ways to watch Rays baseball, although it does mean updating DVRs and favorites lists. Rays CEO Ken Babby framed the move as a plus for supporters, saying MLB's platform "will finally be able to stream games on the MLB App without local blackouts," in the team's announcement on MLB.com. Fans should keep an eye on the club's official watch page for any carrier tweaks or schedule changes as the season rolls along.
