Major League Baseball (MLB) is set to announce short-term national media rights deals with ESPN, NBC and Netflix. According to sources with the Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s national games and streaming arrangements are considered the centerpiece of the agreements.
Under the new deal, ESPN is expected to retain approximately 30 national games through the 2028 season, sources said. Alongside rights to the MLB.tv out-of-market package and local streaming for six clubs.
The Mariners join the growing roster of teams participating in the streaming arrangement, which already includes the Diamondbacks, Twins, Guardians, Padres and Rockies. Sources told SBJ that ESPN would also gain rights for any additional teams that join the initiative.
The MLB.tv package will be accessible via both ESPN and MLB platforms initially. While the local streaming rights for the six clubs will launch on MLB’s platform.
ESPN’s national schedule will feature a marquee Thursday night window following the All-Star break. In addition to other games yet to be fully announced. The annual Little League Classic will remain part of the network’s lineup.
On-air talent such as Buster Olney and Tim Kurkjian are expected to remain with ESPN. The network will continue to produce Baseball Tonight, though an exact schedule is still under development.
ESPN Radio will continue airing Sunday Night Baseball, postseason games, All-Star events and additional programming under the new agreement. ESPN declined to comment on the ongoing negotiations to SBJ.
Meanwhile, NBC’s arrangement will strengthen its Sunday night sports lineup, complementing NBA and NFL programming. The network will also broadcast the Wild Card round, previously held by ESPN, while Peacock will assume the Sunday morning streaming package formerly carried by Roku.
NBC’s deal is set to kick off on March 26 with a primetime matchup between the Diamondbacks and Dodgers. Which will include the Dodgers’ World Series banner-raising ceremony.
Netflix will enter the baseball media landscape with rights to the Home Run Derby and MLB season opener, sources said, marking a continued expansion of the streaming platform’s live sports offerings.
The negotiations follow ESPN’s decision to opt out of its previous seven-year, $550 million-per-year deal with MLB in February. That agreement, which began with the 2022 season, included 30 regular-season games, the Wild Card round and the Home Run Derby.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has expressed a desire to sell a comprehensive national streaming package after 2028. As MLB continues to diversify its national broadcast and streaming partnerships, fans can expect a hybrid mix of traditional television and digital-first experiences in the coming seasons.
UPDATE (5pm): MLB has officially announced their media rights deals with NBCUniversal, Netflix, and ESPN. View the full details by clicking the network.
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