ExpressVPN not working with MLB.tv? Try these EASY fixes! (September 2023)

If you’ve been watching MLB.tv with ExpressVPN and its suddenly stopped working, the streaming service has managed to block the IP address ExpressVPN has given you.

This can be frustrating, especially if it was working and now it’s not.

Usually, ExpressVPN works well with MLB.tv, but if it’s not working, then ExpressVPN’s measures to ensure it will work reliably with MLB.tv are no longer working. Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can fix this issue.

This article will explain how to fix ExpressVPN not working with MLB.tv.

See also:

• MLB.tv not working with VPN? Try these EASY fixes! (September 2023)
• How to watch MLB.tv outside the US: The EASY way! (September 2023)

ExpressVPN not working with MLB.tv: Fixes

Here’s a list of fixes you can try to resolve ExpressVPN not working with MLB.tv.

If one doesn’t work, move on to the next one until you can use MLB.tv with a VPN again.

Why has ExpressVPN stopped working with MLB.tv?

MLB.tv only has the rights to broadcast its content in the US. As VPNs become more and more popular, MLB.tv is aware that they can potentially allow someone to watch its content outside the US.

This could potentially result in MLB.tv being fined for copyright and licensing infringements.

So, to stop this from happening, MLB.tv tries to prevent IP addresses provided by VPNs from accessing its platform.

The reason ExpressVPN has stopped working with MLB.tv is because it is no longer able to stay one step ahead of these blocks.

Usually, ExpressVPN is one of the best VPNs for MLB.tv; however, if it has stopped working with the streaming service, the measures it has in place to ensure it works reliably with MLB.tv are no longer working.

Why does MLB.tv block ExpressVPN?

MLB.tv blocks ExpressVPN to protect itself from potential copyright and licensing issues.

MLB.tv doesn’t have the rights to broadcast its content worldwide. MLB.tv is only available in the US.

Because ExpressVPN is a good way to watch MLB.tv outside of these locations, someone using it to watch MLB.tv could be a reason for the streaming service being found guilty of breaching the agreements it has with its content partners. This is often met with huge financial repercussions.

To stop this from happening, MLB.tv tries blocks ExpressVPN. 

How does MLB.tv block ExpressVPN?

MLB.tv cannot block ExpressVPN entirely, but it can block the IP addresses it provides.

It does this using three main techniques:

1. The most common technique is to do with the IP addresses that your VPN can provide. VPN providers have more customers than IP addresses; this means that customers are forced to share the same IP addresses. Usually, only a household with a few devices uses the same IP address. When MLB.tv sees hundreds or even thousands of connections coming through on the same IP address, it knows that it is a VPN, and it blocks it. 
2. MLB.tv monitors for IP, DNS and WebRTC leaks that can tip the service off if you are using a VPN.
3. MLB.tv teams up with GeoIP databases like Maxmind to identify IP addresses. If the IP address your VPN provides is on one of these databases, MLB.tv will be able to find out where in the world you are connecting to the internet from, and it will block you.

Does MLB.tv still work with a VPN?

Yes, MLB.tv will still work with a VPN, but you need to use a VPN that has IP addresses that are still compatible with the service. That means you need a VPN that hasn’t had all of its IP addresses blocked by MLB.tv and that can stay ahead of MLB.tv’s blocks. 

To fix the problem, you need a VPN that plays a game of cat and mouse with MLB.tv. You need a VPN like Private Internet Access ($2.03/month)

If MLB.tv identifies an IP address provided by Private Internet Access ($2.03/month), it will close that IP and open a new one. 

This will allow you to reliably watch MLB.tv from anywhere in the world, and it will help to prevent the errors you’ve run into from happening again.

The best VPNs for MLB.tv when ExpressVPN isn’t working

1. Private Internet Access 🥇

The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!

Number of servers: 25,000+ | Speed: >75% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 70 in 74 countries | Devices supported: 10 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

Private Internet Access is one of the leading no-log VPN services with over 1-million paying customers.

This VPN is one of the best in the industry at beating streaming sites’ VPN bans. It provides reliable connections with US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO Max, Disney+ Amazon Prime Video, etc. It also allows 10 simultaneous devices to be connected to its servers at the same time, so you can share the account with your close friends.

If – for whatever reason – you’re not happy with Private Internet Access, there’s a 24/7 live chat support available to assist you with your problem. PIA also offers the industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee.

From my tests (from New Zealand) I was able to get download speeds of 70 Mbps while connected to a UK server using the Private Internet Access VPN (my non-VPN speed is 100 Mbps).

2. NordVPN 🥈

A very quick and trustworthy VPN

Number of servers: 5,000+ | Speeds: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 62 countries | Devices supported: 6 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

NordVPN is the most widely-used VPN in the world. And it’s easy to see why. It’s a polished app that delivers fast connections (more on this later) to a massive network of VPN servers.

It’s the most reliable at unblocking popular streaming services too – US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. This is because NordVPN hired a full-time technical team (that’s responsible for monitoring its servers’ connections with popular TV streaming services) and has been aggressively investing in its network of IP addresses in key locations.

Another interesting thing to note is that NordVPN is an industry leader in its development of Nordlynx technology. Nordlynx is built using the WireGuard, a new VPN tunneling protocol designed to outperform current standards (OpenVPN and IPSec). The benefits, according to NordVPN, are dramatically faster transfer speeds while connected to a VPN. My tests – New Zealand to London – confirm that Nordlynx is currently the fastest VPN on the market. However, the difference isn’t dramatic, a few Mbps is all.

3. Ivacy 🥉

A very quick and trustworthy VPN

Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

If you’re looking for an excellent VPN, with an even better price tag, Ivacy ($1.16/month) is a great option.

This VPN has all the features you need to stream BBC iPlayer, in HD, from any country in the world. I’ve been testing the app recently on Mac, PC, Android, iOS and FireStick and the results have been impressive – unlocking BBC iPlayer, US Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, etc. with ease.

The Ivacy app is a little different in regards to its UX (user experience). Instead of just selecting a UK server, you need to select the specific BBC iPlayer server. Don’t worry, this isn’t a bad thing – by connecting to a dedicated BBC iPlayer server, it simply means that you’re connecting to an IP address that Ivacy knows works with BBC iPlayer.

For an extra $1.99/month (£1.74) you can add-on a dedicated IP. This will buy you sole access to an IP address in a country of your choice, meaning you won’t have to share your IP (and speeds) with any other use. I don’t recommend this though, using the regular Ivacy servers is enough 95 per cent of the time.

4. CyberGhost

A very quick and trustworthy VPN

Number of servers: 1,000+ | Speed: >65% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 275 in 100 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes

CyberGhost is one of the more established VPNs on the market. It has a well-established, and well-tested global network of servers that perform well.

From my tests over the past several months, CyberGhost has no trouble at unblocking major streaming services – US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max etc. This VPN performed well at maintaining download speeds, well above 65 per cent of my regular (non VPN) ISP speed.

That said, there’s nothing really unique about the service. Which forces you to look at its price-point. And there’s nothing special here. Its short-term $12.99/month price tag puts is well above the industry average of $10.10/month. Similarly, its long-term $2.75/month for 3 years deal isn’t much of a “deal” either.

Oddly, CyberGhost’s most unique feature is its a 1-day, no obligations, free trial. This is an appealing offer to customers who are new to VPNs. However, it’s important to remember that most reputable VPNs will offer customers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so try not to be too seduced by the offer.

Is watching MLB.tv with a VPN legal?

Yes, watching MLB.tv with a VPN is legal, so long as you’re in a country where VPNs aren’t illegal. There are only a handful of countries (spot the authoritarianism link) where using a VPN is illegal; these are: China, Russia, Iran, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, North Korea, Iraq, Belarus, Turkmenistan, Egypt, Eritrea, Seychelles, Suriname, Namibia, Slovenia, Nicaragua and Tajikistan.

If you’re outside these countries, then using a VPN to stream MLB.tv is legal however, it’s important to know that doing so may breach MLB.tv’s terms of use.

If you subscribe to MLB.tv you’re automatically accepting it’s terms of use. Here it states “Restrictions apply to Services that allow you to watch streaming video of live games depending on the date of the game, your location and local, regional, national and international broadcast exclusivities.”

This means, MLB.tv can stop your subscription and ban you from the streaming service if you try to access its content with a VPN turned on.

With that said there are many legitimate and legal use cases for VPNs, like online privacy and anonymity. It’s fair to suggest that banning customers for using a VPN would be a heavy-handed and financially costly policy for MLB.tv (and other streaming services) to enforce.

In theory, if you’re trying to watch a streaming service (that you pay for) in a region where it does not traditionally operate, you risk having your account banned. However, as VPNs use military-grade encryption, it’s impossible for streaming services to trace where you’re physically accessing its content from.  And there’s one final thing to note on the subject: MLB.tv has never banned anyone for using a VPN to access its service.

For more information you can check out our article answering Is streaming with a VPN legal?