Major League Baseball Closes in on New Media Rights Deals with ESPN, NBC, Netflix

Major League Baseball is close to finalizing new three-year media rights deals with ESPN, NBC Sports, and Netflix. ESPN will acquire a new package of rights for $550 million, while NBC will get Sunday games and Wild Card playoff games for around $200 million per year. Netflix will get the rights to the Home Run Derby for $50 million per year. All agreements end after the 2028 season.

Major League Baseball (MLB) is nearing the finalization of new three-year media rights deals with Disney's ESPN, Comcast's NBC Sports, and Netflix. These agreements, set to run through the 2028 season, aim to distribute a significant portion of MLB's schedule among the three major players.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, ESPN will acquire a new package of rights for $550 million annually. This package includes a mix of national and local games, as well as the MLB.TV streaming service [1]. NBC will secure all of the league's Sunday games and Wild Card playoff games for approximately $200 million per year, utilizing its broadcast network and Peacock streaming service [2]. Meanwhile, Netflix will gain the rights to the Home Run Derby for around $50 million per year, further bolstering its live events strategy [3].

These deals come at a critical time as traditional TV viewership patterns shift, with sports content increasingly driving the market. The new agreements also reflect the evolving landscape of sports broadcasting, where streaming services and regional sports networks are vying for content. ESPN, in particular, is looking to leverage its new streaming services to reach a broader audience and generate new viewership for sports entities [1].

The negotiations have been driven by strategic decisions from ESPN and Apple, both of which have opted out of their existing contracts. ESPN's decision to walk away from its current rights for Sunday Night Baseball has opened up opportunities for NBC and Peacock to acquire these games, while Netflix's acquisition of the Home Run Derby is a strategic move to expand its sports offerings [3].

The new deals also align with MLB's broader goals, including potential expansion and regional realignment. Commissioner Rob Manfred has indicated that expansion could provide the league with an opportunity to geographically realign and reduce travel wear and tear on players [3].

In summary, MLB's new media rights deals with ESPN, NBC, and Netflix are a significant development in the sports broadcasting landscape. These agreements reflect the evolving dynamics of content distribution and the growing importance of live sports events in driving viewership and revenue. The finalization of these deals is expected to have a substantial impact on the financial performance of the involved entities and the broader sports industry.

References:
[1] https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/major-league-baseball-tv-rights-nbc-netflix-espn-1236495404/
[2] https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/22/mlbrrights-espn-nbc-netflix.html
[3] https://www.the-express.com/sport/baseball/180931/apple-drops-mlb-coverage-netflix-swoops-ufc