Major League Baseball and ESPN are reportedly close to finalizing a framework agreement that would grant the network exclusive rights to distribute all out-of-market regular-season games digitally, along with in-market games for five clubs, according to a report by The Athletic. The deal, expected to span three years, would mark a significant expansion of ESPN’s baseball portfolio.
Under the proposed arrangement, ESPN would continue to broadcast approximately 30 regular-season games annually, though the network’s current flagship Sunday Night Baseball would move to a different weekday slot. The broadcasts on ESPN would remain exclusive, meaning fans could only watch these games through the network. The agreement, which has not yet been signed, is expected to be finalized by September. Financial terms were not disclosed, though they are described as substantial.
The potential agreement comes after ESPN opted out of the final three seasons of its previous deal with MLB, under which the network paid roughly $550 million per year for “Sunday Night Baseball,” the Home Run Derby, and Wild Card playoff games.
The current negotiations suggest a reconciliation between Manfred and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, who has repeatedly expressed interest in leveraging ESPN to address challenges facing regional sports networks amid declining cable subscriptions. ESPN launched a direct-to-consumer streaming service at $29.99 per month today, allowing access to its network without a traditional cable, satellite, or YouTube TV subscription.
As part of the framework, ESPN would integrate MLB.TV into its direct-to-consumer offering, though details remain unclear regarding access for out-of-market subscribers through cable or linear services. Fans would likely need both an ESPN subscription and, for certain clubs, an additional fee to view local games. The five teams under this model would include the Cleveland Guardians, San Diego Padres, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Colorado Rockies.
While ESPN appears poised to retain a prominent baseball presence, other partners are expected to claim marquee events. Netflix is favored to acquire the Home Run Derby rights for the next three years, and NBC/Peacock or Apple are leading candidates to assume Sunday Night Baseball and first-round playoff coverage. MLB is reportedly structuring these deals with three-year terms, aligning national and international rights packages through 2029, including the World Series and playoffs.
MLB and ESPN declined to comment.
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