NBCUniversal and Netflix Near $200M Annual Deal with MLB for Broadcast Rights

Comcast's NBCUniversal is nearing a three-year deal to broadcast Major League Baseball games on NBC and Peacock streaming service for $200M annually. Netflix is close to a deal to stream the "Home Run Derby" for over $35M a year. Disney's ESPN is also in advanced talks with MLB and may incorporate MLB.TV into its direct-to-consumer streaming offering.

Comcast's NBCUniversal is nearing a three-year deal to broadcast Major League Baseball (MLB) games on NBC and the Peacock streaming service, with an annual cost of approximately $200 million. This agreement is part of ongoing negotiations between MLB and media companies, with Netflix also close to securing the rights to stream the "Home Run Derby" for over $35 million a year [1].

Meanwhile, Disney's ESPN is in advanced talks with MLB, potentially incorporating MLB.TV into its new direct-to-consumer streaming offering. The reported deal would allow ESPN to offer MLB.TV to fans, although the exact terms and pricing remain unclear [3].

These deals are expected to increase MLB's revenue from its previous agreement with ESPN. The MLB's current broadcast rights are set to expire in 2029, which could lead to a significant payday through auctions [3].

The negotiations come after months of discussions between MLB and the media companies. The deals have not yet been finalized, and additional components could drive the price tag significantly higher [2]. NBCUniversal, Netflix, and MLB have not yet responded to requests for comment, while Disney's ESPN did not immediately provide a statement [2].

Reference List:
[1] https://www.tipranks.com/news/the-fly/comcast-netflix-near-broadcast-rights-deals-with-mlb-wsj-reports-thefly
[2] https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/nbcuniversal-mlb-nearing-three-deal-193939782.html
[3] https://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/breaking-news/article/mlb-espn-reportedly-reach-agreement-for-network-to-obtain-rights-to-sell-out-of-market-games-ability-to-offer-mlbtv-171316101.html