ESPN and Major League Baseball have agreed to a new media rights deal that gives ESPN out-of-market streaming rights, while NBC and Netflix will also broadcast games under a three-year agreement announced by MLB on Wednesday.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said, “I think it’s really important that we manage to continue a relationship with ESPN. They’ve been kind of the bedrock of our broadcast program for a long time.”
NBC/Peacock will take over as the home of “Sunday Night Baseball” and the Wild Card Series. Netflix will air the Home Run Derby and two additional games each season.
The combined value of these deals is nearly $800 million per year. ESPN will pay $550 million annually, NBC’s deal is worth $200 million, and Netflix’s is valued at $50 million.
For ESPN, which has aired baseball since 1990, the new arrangement means losing postseason games and the Home Run Derby but gaining exclusive rights to MLB.TV for out-of-market streaming through its app. ESPN also receives in-market streaming rights for six teams whose games are produced by MLB: San Diego, Colorado, Arizona, Cleveland, Minnesota, and Seattle. The network will have 30 exclusive games primarily on weeknights during summer months.
Manfred commented on the changes: “We’re excited to have a midweek package back out there. This is an evolution of a relationship. Long relationships go through these things, and it’s an evolution that I think is significant. I think it is consonant with ESPN’s focus on streaming going forward.”
With this move, baseball becomes the second major league after the NHL to offer its out-of-market digital package on ESPN’s platform; the NHL did so in 2021.
NBC returns to broadcasting baseball after last airing regular coverage in 2000. Its first game under this deal will be March 26 when the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Arizona Diamondbacks. NBC will air 25 Sunday night games mostly on its main channel with others on NBC Sports Network; all games will stream on Peacock.
The first “Sunday Night Baseball” game on NBC is scheduled for April 12, followed by another in May after NBA playoffs conclude. NBC will also air a prime-time game on Labor Day night and provide coverage of events such as the Major League Futures Game and part of the amateur draft.
Netflix’s involvement aligns with its strategy of acquiring rights to major sporting events. In addition to airing an NFL Christmas doubleheader this season, Netflix will show MLB’s opening game between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants on March 25, as well as special events like the Field of Dreams game in Iowa.
MLB continues existing agreements with Fox (averaging $729 million per year) and Turner Sports ($470 million per year), both running through 2028. Fox features sports programming including baseball on Saturday nights; Apple TV holds Friday night baseball rights since 2022.
Manfred indicated these deals position MLB for future negotiations aimed at taking a more national approach to media rights distribution rather than relying heavily on regional sports networks.
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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
