Why does Apple TV like to annoy Blue Jays fans on Friday nights?

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Pumped for a big weekend of Toronto sports viewing?

The Battle of Ontario on Sunday will be the highlight, of course, as the Maple Leafs get their long-anticipated playoffs under way. And then there are the pleasantly surprising 11-8 Blue Jays, who start a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners on Friday night at the Rogers Centre to kick off some good long weekend action on the tube.

Not so fast.

The closer it gets to the scheduled 7:07 p.m. first pitch for the opener against the M’s however, the more Jays fans will clue into the reality that it could be another frustrating Friday for viewers who eschew streaming services.

That’s right: For the second time this season, the Jays broadcast will be part of the Apple TV Friday Night Baseball schedule, a reality that annoys fans, the Jays and Rogers Sportsnet alike.

The Jays aren’t alone in appearing on the Apple schedule, a reality mandated by a separate national deal negotiated by Major League Baseball that gives the streaming service exclusivity.

Nothing against the broadcasts themselves (though they aren’t for everybody) as the production is clearly geared toward attracting a younger audience. As well prepared as the Apple TV crew is – they’ll have plenty on the Blue Jays stories of importance, of course – baseball viewers are creatures of habit and much prefer the Sportsnet voices they are familiar with for the 162-game schedule.

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The upside for Apple TV, of course, is the prospect of landing thousands of new subscriptions from disgruntled fans who don’t want to miss out on the action. A source familiar with the business aspect of the deal says that for Apple TV,  Toronto – with the coast-to-coast audience – is one of the strongest markets in terms of adding new subscribers.

The timing of the two Jays Apple TV broadcasts thus far has been horrible for Sportsnet in terms of building audience momentum.

The first date came on just the second game of the season, a Friday night prime time slot that would have afforded the opportunity for a massive ratings score and the opportunity to build optimism following the miserable 2024 season.

The latest appearance comes following a Jays off day – and an afternoon game on Wednesday. With matinee contests on both Saturday and Sunday, it means Sportsnet will go six day between prime-time telecasts. The fact that Friday’s contest against the Mariners is on a holiday weekend and is a night before the NHL playoffs begin – and two nights before the Sens and Leafs get underway – is another big ratings opportunity squandered.

Going forward, sports fans can expect more of this rather than less, of course, including some business initiatives from Rogers itself. That $11 billion extension it signed with the NHL for another 12 seasons of broadcasts will have plenty streaming components, most industry observers expect.