MLB and NBCUniversal have announced a three-year media rights agreement. The deal brings a revamped package of exclusive regular season and Postseason coverage to NBC, the newly launched NBCSN, and Peacock starting in 2026.
The reunion between the league and network will launch with a marquee moment: the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers raising their banner ahead of a primetime Opening Day matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 26, 2026. It will be the only primetime game on MLB’s first full day of action.
The agreement centers on a multi-platform slate that places Sunday nights at the heart of NBC Sports’ baseball strategy. NBC and Peacock will share a 25-game Sunday Night Baseball package each season. They’ll also add a new Labor Day primetime telecast and an exclusive Opening Day game.
Peacock will again host MLB Sunday Leadoff, which returns with 18 morning starts followed by a live whip-around show tracking every game across the league.
NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said the deal revives a legacy while building new tentpole moments for fans.
“We are excited to reignite NBC Sports’ storied Major League Baseball history through this comprehensive and innovative partnership that will honor the past and create new traditions,” Cordella said. “With the Sunday Night Baseball package, NBC and Peacock are now the year-round platforms for premier Sunday night sports programming.”
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred also praised NBC’s production track record and its storytelling ambitions. Manfred noted that the partnership allows the league to extend its recent growth.
“NBC has demonstrated an outstanding combination of high production value and powerful athlete storytelling,” Manfred said. “We are looking forward to working together to continue the sport’s momentum.”
In addition to regular-season coverage, NBCUniversal will become the exclusive home of the entire Wild Card round. The package includes between eight and 12 Postseason games annually. That gives NBC a meaningful stake in MLB’s playoff structure for the first time in decades.
The network will also introduce several new offerings. Every game on July 5, 2026, will appear exclusively on Peacock and NBC as part of a special “Roadblock” day that spans morning to night. NBCSN and Peacock will carry MLB Draft coverage and the All-Star Futures Game in 2026. Peacock will stream daily out-of-market games and expanded highlights, documentaries, and short-form content.
Sky Sports, NBC’s sister network in the United Kingdom and Ireland, will receive international rights to most of the package.
For NBC, the move cements a year-round Sunday night strategy already anchored by Sunday Night Football and Sunday Night Basketball. For MLB, it reestablishes a partner with decades of history. NBC first televised the World Series and aired decade’s worth of Game of the Week broadcasts.
With Opening Day 2026 set to deliver the first showcase, NBC’s return to baseball begins with a spotlight it hasn’t had in nearly 25 years.
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