MLB.TV subscribers were most likely to hold NBA League Pass and NFL plans
Likelihood that 3,734 identified 2025 MLB.TV subscribers held each service relative to ~1.45 million active panelists, Sep. 2025–Aug. 2026; 1.0× means equal likelihood
Likelihood versus active panelists
Source: YipitData U.S. e-receipt panel. The MLB.TV cohort includes 3,734 established panelists with an explicitly named subscription signal in Feb.–Oct. 2025. Data are current through Aug. 17, 2026. MLB.TV receipt masking means the cohort is not a market-size estimate.
Chart data
| Series | Likelihood versus active panelists |
|---|---|
| NBA League Pass | 13.4× |
| NFL Sunday Ticket | 10× |
| NFL+ | 9.2× |
| ESPN+ | ~6× |
| Fubo | ~6× |
Did MLB.TV subscribers hold NBA and NFL subscriptions year-round?
Their receipt signals were strongly seasonal. NFL-plan activity was ~5–8 times higher in Aug.–Jan. than in May–Jul., and NBA League Pass peaked at 87 active subscriptions in October before falling to 8–10 in July. MLB.TV billing showed the opposite cadence, with ~1,800–2,100 February reloads and near-zero activity in Nov.–Jan. These signals measure subscription billing, not viewing.
Does the pattern prove subscribers replaced MLB.TV with rival plans?
No. The analysis shows elevated co-holding and opposite seasonal timing within the same cohort, not that an individual dollar moved from MLB.TV to another service. A matched benchmark of similarly avid sports fans was not tested, so part of the high relative likelihood may reflect heavy sports-streaming use rather than an MLB.TV-specific pattern.
Assumptions & Methodologies
We analyzed YipitData’s U.S. e-receipt panel for 3,734 established panelists with an explicitly named MLB.TV subscription signal from Feb.–Oct. 2025. We measured rival-service penetration during Sep. 2025–Aug. 2026 against ~1.45 million active panelists and reviewed monthly subscription activity from Sep. 2024–Aug. 2026. Indices divide cohort penetration by panel penetration; 1.0× equals parity. Receipt masking undercounts MLB.TV, and billing cadence differs by provider; MLB.TV’s monthly series reflects billing, not viewing. Results describe observed co-holding, not market size, matched sports-fan lift, individual subscription substitution, or causation.