Major League Baseball looks close to landing a major media deal with ESPN. This could really change how fans catch their teams and how clubs like the Minnesota Twins earn money.
The deal on the table would let ESPN sell all out-of-market regular-season games digitally. ESPN would also have rights to in-market games for five MLB teams currently under league control.
If everything goes through, the agreement might start as soon as the 2026 season and last three years. Fans could see some new ways to watch, and the sport’s streaming world might shift in a big way.
ESPN’s Potential Exclusive MLB Streaming Rights
Reports say ESPN would get exclusive digital sales rights for out-of-market regular-season games across the league. That’s a big move toward putting more baseball games in one place online.
Fans often complain about local blackout rules and scattered broadcasts, so this could make things a little easier. It’s not a perfect fix, but it’s something.
Impact on the Minnesota Twins and Other League-Controlled Teams
The Twins are one of five teams — along with the Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Arizona Diamondbacks, and San Diego Padres — whose local broadcast rights now belong to MLB. Their old regional sports network deals fell apart, which has already shaken up team finances.
For Minnesota, this shift came after their $55 million per year deal with Diamond Sports ended. In 2024, MLB started running distribution through its own MLB.TV platform, so revenue now depends mostly on subscriptions and ads.
With less guaranteed money, the Twins have made some tough budget cuts. That’s affected things both on and off the field.
What Fans Could Expect from the ESPN Deal
If the deal happens, fans might be able to watch games on ESPN’s digital subscription service, which costs $29.99 per month. You could also get it bundled with a cable package if you want to stick with the old-school setup.
Blackout rules probably won’t disappear entirely, but the product could feel more unified and easier to use. Especially if you’re someone who’d rather stream than deal with cable headaches.
Uncertain but Promising Financial Terms
No one’s sharing the exact numbers yet, but people close to the talks call the rights fees “substantial.” For teams like the Twins, even a piece of a big national deal would help fill the hole left by busted RSN contracts.
ESPN recently stepped away from its old MLB broadcast deal, so this would be a bit of a reunion. It’s kind of interesting to see them jumping back into baseball coverage.
Supplementing Coverage with Over-the-Air Broadcasts
Streaming is the main focus here, but the Twins haven’t forgotten about fans who like regular TV. In 2024, they teamed up with Fox 9 to show 10 games over the air.
If the ESPN deal goes through, there’s a chance for more local broadcasts in 2026. Nothing’s set in stone yet, but the option’s there.
MLB’s Long-Term Vision for Media Rights
MLB wants to bring both local and national broadcast rights for all 30 teams under one roof. That would mean more consistent payouts and fewer gaps between rich and not-so-rich clubs.
With a stable, centralized broadcast setup, MLB could finally talk seriously about expanding the league or shuffling teams around. Who knows—maybe that’s the kind of big-picture thinking baseball needs right now.
Key Takeaways
The MLB-ESPN streaming talks aren’t final yet. If they go through, though, it could really change how people watch baseball these days.
Here are the basics:
- Five MLB teams — Twins, Guardians, Rockies, Diamondbacks, and Padres — lost their RSN deals, so MLB media now owns and distributes their broadcasts.
- ESPN wants to start a plan in 2026. It would run for three years and give them exclusive digital sales rights for every out-of-market game.
- Fans could pick ESPN’s $29.99 monthly digital bundle. Or, if they’d rather, stick with cable.
- The deal might help those teams recover some of the TV money they lost.
- MLB’s bigger goal? They’d love to unify local and national broadcast rights for the whole league someday.
Here is the source article for this story: RandBall: MLB deal with ESPN could have Twins’ TV plan changing again
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