It’s the middle of November, and Major League Baseball has yet to officially reveal what everyone was talking about this season. Where can I find my games next year? When news broke in February that ESPN and MLB were mutually opting out of their media rights agreement, speculation began instantly.
What’s the future of Sunday Night Baseball? What other networks would be in play for MLB media deals? Will the new ESPN direct-to-consumer service have baseball play-by-play at all? How much more will all of this cost the consumer?
We’re less than two weeks away from Thanksgiving, and nothing has been officially released. Yet, there is growing speculation not about what’s happening next year, but what could be happening in 2029. Is baseball big enough to demand big bucks for the World Series to be broadcast on multiple networks?
This was an idea floated by sports media insiders Andrew Marchand and John Ourand. Two well-respected people who have their ear to the pulse of much of what’s happening with national broadcasting deals and sports.
For the last quarter century, FOX Sports has been the home of the Fall Classic. Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, and Bob Brenly have morphed into Joe Davis and John Smoltz. Baseball’s crown jewel has held a destination that fans have always depended on for delivery. It’s like the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving or the expected hype of a Duke matchup against North Carolina.
The World Series and FOX Sports have gone hand in hand with one another for more than half of my adult life.
A Curveball
Marchand, speaking on the Marchand Sports Media Podcast. Floated the idea that Major League Baseball could end that warm, comfortable relationship baseball fans have with FOX Sports being the home of the World Series.
“If you’re baseball and you look at 2029. You look at the World Series, I kind of foresee them breaking up that World Series,” Marchand said. “I could see Fox staying in the game for sure. But (I’m not sure about) the idea that Fox will be the only carrier of the World Series. I think they’re going to want the most money.”
Sports media rights are the hottest asset on television currently. Very few programs (if any) draw a significant chunk of the audience that sports drive. It’s the last survivor of appointment viewing in an on-demand world. A can’t-miss contest where every moment is engaged upon, clipped, and wagered for personal gain.
The NBA began its new 11-year media agreements this season worth approximately $76 billion. The NHL just added an additional $11 billion with its new Canadian rights deal with Rogers Communications. The NFL has floated the idea of beginning its rights agreements with networks next year. While MLB is set to announce its temporary deals aiming for every media agreement to end after the 2028 season.
As for the championships themselves, the Super Bowl switches networks every season. The Stanley Cup Final does as well, as will the WNBA Finals beginning next season. It’s not a new concept for sports leagues to move their most valuable moment. Fans have seemed to gravitate to the broadcasts seamlessly in every instance.
Does It Make Sense?
Next year, while not officially announced yet, Major League Baseball will likely have national rights deals with FOX Sports, NBC Sports, TNT Sports, Netflix, Apple, Roku, and likely some agreement with ESPN. That’s two more additional national rights agreements than the sport had just this past season with the additions of Netflix and NBC Sports.
Looking at who’s on the list for next year. MLB would obviously be foolish in today’s current sports media landscape to consider Apple, Roku, or Netflix for the World Series. Yes, Netflix did come to an agreement to stream the World Baseball Classic in Japan next year. That’s not the Fall Classic.
With the remaining networks that MLB will likely be working with. Would NBC Sports give up a Sunday Night Football game for a broadcast of a World Series game?
Sunday Night Football has been the highest-viewed television product for the last several years. I don’t feel putting Sunday Night Football on the revamped NBC Sports Network or Peacock helps their relationship with the NFL. Nor would MLB want that as an option for the World Series.
TNT Sports has never broadcast the World Series but has become a trusted home for the NLCS and Division Series for the last several years. However, Warner Bros. Discovery has started a pivot away from sports as the company is looking for a buyer by Christmas. Does that give MLB assurances for a secure home for the World Series in 2029?
That leaves ESPN. Which was looking for a better media rights deal with baseball earlier this year and then opted out of the $550 million it was paying per year to MLB. Could ESPN put on a quality broadcast for the World Series? Absolutely it could. However, the network is soon to be owned in a small percentage by the NFL and has shifted its focus away from baseball for some time. Is that the partner that MLB wants to entrust with a broadcast of the World Series? The same one that Rob Manfred said was a “shrinking platform”?
That leaves old reliable FOX Sports — 26 straight World Series broadcasts delivering solid viewership and consumer trust for the entirety of the relationship. FOX Sports is the ride-or-die, the woman who always stood by her man. Baseball’s go-to for the biggest stretch of games the season can provide.
Stay Where Your Home Is
There’s too much fragmentation already with the game of baseball. It’s becoming more difficult for fans to find games and costing more when the delivery has become less. Sometimes chasing the biggest dollar makes the smallest sense when customer loyalty is what keeps people coming to you in the first place.
That’s why the concept of moving the World Series like the Super Bowl or Stanley Cup Final currently makes no real sense for the good of the consumer.
In a time when every sport is chasing the next billion-dollar deal, baseball should remember what truly built its value — consistency, familiarity, and trust. The World Series isn’t just another property to sell to the highest bidder; it’s an American ritual with roots as deep as the game itself. For a sport that’s constantly searching for ways to stay relevant, the smartest move might be to simply stay put and grab on to being America’s pastime.
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John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.
