Updated February 2026 · 5 min read
⚾ Breaking: MLB.TV 2026 now forces you to sign up for ESPN Unlimited ($30/mo). The good news? You can cancel ESPN within 30 days and still keep MLB.TV all season. Here's exactly how.
If you're a new MLB.TV subscriber this year, you've probably noticed something different: you can't just buy MLB.TV anymore. ESPN acquired exclusive MLB streaming rights, and now every new subscriber must also sign up for ESPN Unlimited — a $30/month add-on you probably don't want.
This is a textbook subscription bundling tactic: force a product onto customers who didn't ask for it, then hope they forget to cancel before the free trial ends.
Don't fall for it. Here's how to keep your baseball and ditch the $360/year you didn't sign up for.
Before anything else, set a reminder for 25 days from your signup date. ESPN is counting on you forgetting. Don't give them the satisfaction.
Visit plus.espn.com/account and sign in with the account you used for MLB.TV.
Navigate to Subscription → ESPN Unlimited → Cancel Subscription. ESPN will try retention offers — ignore them and confirm cancellation.
After canceling ESPN Unlimited, open the MLB app or MLB.TV website. Your access should remain active for the entire 2026 season. If it doesn't, contact MLB.TV support — this is confirmed to work for the 2026 season.
If you have ESPN Unlimited through your cable, satellite, or virtual TV provider (YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, etc.), cancel the ESPN subscription from your MLB.TV signup immediately. You're paying double for the same thing.
| Scenario | Annual Cost |
|---|---|
| MLB.TV + ESPN Unlimited (if you forget) | $500+ |
| MLB.TV only (cancel ESPN in trial) | $150 |
| Your savings | $350/year |
This isn't unique to ESPN. It's a growing trend called "forced bundling" — companies package unwanted subscriptions with things you actually want, betting that:
The FTC has called this a dark pattern. In 2024, they introduced the "click-to-cancel" rule requiring companies to make cancellation as easy as signup. But enforcement is slow, and companies like ESPN keep finding creative ways around it.
If ESPN can sneak $30/month past you, imagine what else is lurking. The average American has 12 active subscriptions and wastes $133/month on ones they've forgotten about.
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