If you’ve been watching MLB.tv with Surfshark and it’s no longer working, all of Surfshark’s IP addresses have been identified and blocked by the streaming service.
This can be annoying, especially if one day it was working and the next it wasn’t. However, there’s no need to panic, there are some very easy fixes you can try to resolve this issue.
This article will explain how to fix Surfshark not working with MLB.tv so you can watch baseball again, anywhere in the world.
See also:
- How to watch MLB.tv outside the US: The EASY way! (September 2023)
- MLB.tv not working with VPN? Try these EASY fixes! (September 2023)
Surfshark not working with MLB.tv: Fixes
Below, is a list of fixes you can try to resolve Surfshark not working with MLB.tv. Try each fix in order, if one doesn’t work, move on to the next until you can watch MLB.tv with a VPN again.
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Delete Cookies
Cookies are small files used by websites and apps to make your online experience better and more streamlined. The issue with these files is sometimes they contain information about your physical location.
MLB.tv can potentially access this information and figure out where you’re physically located. If this information shows you’re outside MLB.tv’s broadcast zone, it will block your connection.
A good place to start when trying to fix Surfshark not working with MLB.tv is deleting your Cookies.
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Change to a different server
Surfshark has stopped working with MLB.tv because the IP address the VPN has provided has been blocked by MLB.tv.
Fortunately, MLB.tv isn’t able to block Surfshark entirely, only its IP addresses.
Changing to a different Surfshark server will give you a new IP address. And if this IP hasn’t been blocked by MLB.tv, Surfshark will work again.
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Upgrade to a VPN that’s compatible with MLB.tv
If Surfshark is still not working with MLB.tv, then all of the IP addresses the VPN can provide have been identified and blocked by MLB.tv.
MLB.tv has been able to do this because Surfsharks techniques that stop its IP addresses from getting blocked are no longer working.
To effectively get around the problems you’re having with Surfshark not working with MLB.tv, you need to upgrade to a VPN that still has techniques that are able to get around MLB.tv’s blocks.
The best way to get around this issue is to upgrade to a VPN like ExpressVPN ($6.67/month). This VPN has measures in place to stay ahead of MLB.tv’s VPN blocking techniques.
This will ensure you don’t run into the problems you’re coming across with Surfshark again.
Why does MLB.tv block Surfshark?
The reason MLB.tv blocks Surfshark is all to do with broadcast rights.
MLB.tv has strict agreements that dictate where in the world it can broadcast its content. It doesn’t have international broadcast rights. If MLB.tv breached these broadcast agreements and allowed customers to access its content from anywhere, it could face severe financial punishments.
Because Surfshark is a well-known way of watching MLB.tv outside its broadcast zone, it could result in MLB.tv breaching its content agreements and subsequently being fined.
To prevent this from happening, MLB.tv tries to block Surfshark users from accessing its service.
How does MLB.tv block Surfshark?
MLB.tv blocks Surfshark by monitoring IP addresses connecting to its service.
Surfshark is a popular VPN and because of that, it has more customers than IP addresses. Because of this model, Surfshark struggles to keep up with the demand and its users are forced to share IP addresses.
MLB.tv knows this and it blocks Surfshark by monitoring for an abnormal amount of connections coming from the same IP.
Usually, only a household of devices (8-10) use the same IP address. So when MLB.tv sees a large number of customers connecting to its service via the same IP address. It knows its an IP provided by Surfshark and it blocks it.
Does MLB.tv still work with VPNs?
Yes, MLB.tv still works with VPNs but you need a VPN that still works with the streaming service.
The best VPNs that still work with MLB.tv are ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month). Both these VPNs have servers all over the world, they have a lot of IP addresses so there’s less chance you’ll be forced to share with another customer and they both play a game of cat and mouse with MLB.tv.
When MLB.tv blocks an IP address provided by these VPNs, ExpressVPN ($6.67/month) or Private Internet Access ($2.03/month) will close that IP address and open a new one. Allowing you to stay one step ahead of MLB.tv’s blocks so you can watch MLB.tv without issue anywhere in the world.
The best VPNs to watch MLB.tv
1. ExpressVPN 🥇
Why You Should Use ExpressVPN? It’s the fastest and MOST reliable VPN of 2023
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
Special Offer for you!
Get 3 extra months free when you sign up for a 12-month ExpressVPN plan. That’s 15 months in total for the price of 12.
Number of servers: 3,000+ | Speed: >80% | Bandwidth: Unlimited | IP locations: 160 in 94 countries | Devices supported: 5 | Live chat: Yes | 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
- $6.66/month for 15 months
- $9.99/month for 6 months
- $12.95/month for 1 month
ExpressVPN ($6.66/month) is still the best VPN. And importantly, it ALWAYS has servers that are open with major streaming sites such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max, Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
ExpressVPN is usually very good at playing Cat and Mouse with online streaming sites. Meaning, whenever one of its servers is blacklisted it creates a new one – giving its users a constant stream of servers that aren’t blocked. Needless to say, this is a valuable attribute if you’re looking for a VPN to unblock streaming sites.
Its app is easy-to-use and free to download on pretty much any device you can think of. Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, FireStick, Android TV, Roku, PS4, Xbox, Linux, even Apple TV (with a workaround). It’s got it all covered.
The app is another main reason this VPN is so good at unblocking TV streaming sites (that claim they block VPNs) is that its software takes a pragmatic approach to user management. While other VPNs tempt customers by promising them access to hundreds/thousands of servers in multiple countries, ExpressVPN does things differently.
With ExpressVPN you only have a handful of server locations to choose from. Once you select your location the app takes care of the rest. Assigning you to the fastest available server that’s not oversubscribed. This simple technique is so important, as it keeps ExpressVPN’s servers operating at lightning-fast speeds and prevents its IPs from getting blacklisted for “abnormal” usage in the first place.
Check out our full ExpressVPN review.
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(30-day money-back guarantee)
2. Private Internet Access 🥈
The BEST low-cost VPN for streaming!
Pros
- ✅ Fast and reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 10-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
Cons
- ❌ Only 48 server locations
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
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
- $2.03/month for 3 years
- $7.50/month for 6 months
- $11.99/month for 1 month
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).
Special Offer – Save 83%
(30-day money-back guarantee)
3. NordVPN 🥉
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ No logs
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 6-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ No refunds for purchases from iTunes/App store
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for a 3-year plan with Private Internet Access and save 83% + 3 months free. That works out at $2.03/month.
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
- $3.49/month for 2 years
- $6.99/month for 1 year
- $11.95/month for 1 month
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.
SPECIAL OFFER – SAVE 70%!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
4. Ivacy
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ Fast servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ Dedicated streaming servers
- ✅ 5-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ 24/7 Live Chat
Cons
- ❌ Only 5 devices
- ❌ Sometimes runs slow
- ❌ Occasionally block by streaming sites for several days
Special Offer for you!
Sign up for Ivacy and enjoy a 7-day trial with no strings attached
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
- $1.16/month for 5 years
- $3.50/month for 1 year
- $9.99/month for 1 month
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.
Special Offer – 7-day FREE trial!
(30-day money-back guarantee)
5. CyberGhost
A very quick and trustworthy VPN
Pros
- ✅ 1-day free trial
- ✅ Reliable servers
- ✅ Thousands of IP addresses
- ✅ 7-simultaneous connections
- ✅ 30-day money-back guarantee
- ✅ Easy-to-use app
Cons
- ❌ Expensive
- ❌ Average speed scores
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
Take advantage of CyberGhost’s 1-day FREE TRIAL!
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
- $2.75/month for 3 years
- $3.69/month for 2 years
- $5.99/month for 1 year
- $12.99/month for 1 month
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.
SPECIAL OFFER – 1-DAY FREE TRIAL
(30-day money-back guarantee)
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?
