ESPN, NBC, and Netflix: New TV deals for MLB (Details)

Major Changes in MLB Broadcasting: ESPN, NBC, and Netflix Join

Major League Baseball (MLB) has reached a renewed agreement that includes out-of-market broadcast rights and new deals with NBC and Netflix. This new media rights agreement, lasting three years, will bring significant changes to the way fans enjoy baseball. Commissioner Rob Manfred managed to maximize the rights for the Home Run Derby and the wild card series, resulting in lucrative deals for the league.

New Platforms for Baseball

NBC and Peacock will become the new home of “Sunday Night Baseball” and the wild card round. For its part, Netflix will broadcast the Home Run Derby and two additional games. These three agreements will generate an average of almost $800 million per year. ESPN, despite the changes, will continue to pay $550 million, while the agreement with NBC amounts to $200 million and the one with Netflix to $50 million. ESPN, which has broadcast baseball since 1990, will lose some postseason games and the Home Run Derby, but will become the titleholder of MLB.TV rights, which will be available on the ESPN app.

“I think it’s really important that we manage to continue a relationship with ESPN. They have been the foundation of our broadcast program for a long time,” Manfred commented.

Rob Manfred, MLB Commissioner

ESPN will also obtain the broadcast rights in the market for six teams whose games are produced by MLB: San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins, and Seattle Mariners.

“This fan-friendly agreement allows us to showcase the great sport of baseball both locally and nationally, while prioritizing our broadcast future,” said Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN chairman.

Jimmy Pitaro, ESPN Chairman

Despite losing “Sunday Night Baseball”, ESPN will broadcast 30 games, mainly on weekdays and during the summer months. The addition of baseball games gives NBC a night of sports year-round on Sundays. They have had NFL games on Sunday nights since 2006 and will debut an NBA Sunday night schedule in February. NBC will also have a primetime game on Labor Day. Sunday afternoon games also return to Peacock, which had them in 2022 and 2023. The afternoon games will lead into a pre-game studio show before Sunday Night Football. NBC/Peacock will also broadcast the Major League Futures Game the day before the Home Run Derby and coverage of the first round of the amateur draft the Saturday before the All-Star break. Netflix’s baseball deals align with its strategy of betting on big events in a major sport. The streaming service will have a Christmas Day NFL doubleheader this season for the second year in a row. In addition to the Home Run Derby, Netflix will have the first game of the season on March 25, when Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees visit the San Francisco Giants. It also has the Home Run Derby and MLB at Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, on August 13, when Minnesota faces Philadelphia. Netflix will broadcast a special MLB game each year.