Major League Baseball announced on Monday that it has struck a deal with Roku to exclusively stream early starting games on Sundays this season, beginning this weekend with the Cardinals-Boston Red Sox contest in ºüÀêÊÓƵ.
The starting time has been changed from 1:15 p.m. to 12:05 p.m., and the game will not be shown on Cardinals local telecaster Bally Sports Midwest as originally had been scheduled.
Roku's deal replaces the package of early Sunday games that Peacock exclusively streamed the last two seasons. Some so-called "Sunday Leadoff" games will begin as early as 10:35 a.m. (ºüÀêÊÓƵ time), giving Roku a standalone window of varying lengths before other MLB contests start.Â
Unlike with Peacock, in which a fee was required to access the productions, these games will be free.
That company says it is in U.S. households that have about 120 million people and that its service can be "streamed for free, with no subscription or sign-up required. Viewers can watch it on Roku devices or TVs, , and through the Roku app on iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TVs, Samsung TVs and Google TVs and other Android TV OS devices."
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The package runs through Sept. 15 and those who have a paid subscription to also can watch all 18 Roku games for free. There will be no blackout areas.
These telecasts will utilize broadcasters from the teams that are playing. On Sunday, BSM's Chip Caray has the play-by-play and Alexa Datt will be the field reporter. Boston announcer Will Middlebrooks will be the analyst.Â
Another Cardinals game is impacted. Their contest on June 16, against the Cubs in Chicago, also has been moved up to 12:05 p.m.Â