Major League Baseball Secures New Rights Deals with NBCUniversal, Netflix, ESPN

Major League Baseball is in talks with NBCUniversal, Netflix, and ESPN for new rights deals that could bring in significantly more revenue than its current contract with ESPN. NBCUniversal is nearing a three-year agreement worth $200 million annually, while ESPN is exploring a deal that could incorporate MLB.TV, the league's out-of-market streaming service. The potential new contracts highlight the growing value of live sports and the growing competition for baseball rights.

Major League Baseball (MLB) is in advanced negotiations with NBCUniversal, Netflix, and ESPN for new rights deals that could significantly boost its revenue. These talks come as MLB seeks to capitalize on the growing value of live sports and the increasing competition for baseball rights.

NBCUniversal is nearing a three-year agreement worth approximately $200 million annually to air games on its broadcast network and Peacock streaming service [1]. The deal would include Sunday night games on NBC when football and basketball are not scheduled, and additional games would be streamed on Peacock. The agreement would also grant NBCUniversal rights to some postseason games, further enriching its sports-heavy lineup.

Meanwhile, Netflix is close to securing rights to stream the Home Run Derby in a separate deal valued at more than $35 million a year. This agreement, set to run through 2028, would give the streaming giant a high-profile entry into live baseball programming [1]. Netflix has been increasingly aggressive in pursuing sports rights to expand its live content slate.

ESPN is also exploring a deal that could incorporate MLB.TV, the league's out-of-market streaming service, into its new direct-to-consumer streaming offering [2]. This potential agreement could include both in-market and national games, positioning ESPN to expand its streaming reach. Analysts believe adding MLB.TV would help draw dedicated fans to ESPN's upcoming $29.99-a-month service, though the subscriber base may remain limited.

MLB has made it clear it wants to increase revenues beyond its prior ESPN contract, which paid the league $550 million annually from 2026 to 2028 for regular-season games, the Home Run Derby, and the Wild Card round [1]. The current contract ends after the 2025 season following a public dispute over ESPN's reduced baseball coverage outside live games.

The potential new contracts highlight the growing value of live sports, one of the few reliable draws for television networks and streaming services seeking to retain audiences. While baseball no longer commands the same marquee status it once held, postseason games and signature events like the Home Run Derby remain major attractions for viewers.

Comcast, the parent company of NBCUniversal, reported better-than-expected second-quarter results, driven by steady execution across its media, connectivity, and theme park businesses. The company reported a quarterly growth of 2.1% year-over-year (Y/Y) to $30.31 billion, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $29.80 billion [1].

These negotiations underscore the strategic importance of sports rights in the media landscape. As traditional cable bundles face subscriber erosion, media companies are increasingly focused on direct-to-consumer streaming services to capture a larger share of the market.

References:
[1] https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/08/47283153/nbcuniversal-netflix-espn-vie-for-baseball-rights-as-major-league-baseball-seeks-bigger-revenues
[2] https://senalnews.com/en/digital/disney-to-launch-standalone-espn-streaming-service-as-sports-demand-surges