Tag: Rob Manfred

The mutual opt out of the final three seasons of its $550 million annual agreement between MLB and ESPN included rights to Sunday Night Baseball, the Home Run Derby, and a portion of MLB’s postseason coverage including the wild card round

“I’m hopeful that in the next few weeks, prior to the All-Star Game, we get something done.”

"When you say that tens of thousands of direct-to-consumer in-market packages are being sold and you’re trying to say, ‘Look how many people want to pay to watch baseball,’ and then you do the math, oy."

The NBA continues to grow its global audience, and its young, social-media-savvy fan base aligns well with ESPN’s long-term digital strategies.

"They stepped up for the NBA, they stepped up for football, stepped up for this one, and to come back to us and say, ‘We want to cut you.’"

"I know Jimmy to be a huge baseball fan, a huge Yankee fan. So the idea that he or ESPN would just wash their hands of baseball, I just don’t believe that.”

ESPN was reportedly aiming to slash its annual rights fee to no more than $200 million per year.

"Following the 2025 MLB season, the Washington Nationals will be free to explore alternative options for their television rights"

"The current agreement with ESPN is set to expire at the conclusion of the 2025 MLB season"

"I challenge any radio broadcasting company with any media rights partnership to attempt to replicate how Jimmy Pitaro built and positioned ESPN "