MLB’s New Media Deals: Out-of-Market, Sunday Night & Wild Card Viewing

The Major League Baseball (MLB) media rights market is changing quickly. Long-standing broadcast deals are giving way to a more fragmented, streaming-driven landscape.

This shake-up started when ESPN decided to exit the final three years of its $550 million per year agreement. That deal covered big events like the Home Run Derby and the Wild Card games, so this is a big shift in how baseball content will reach fans in the coming seasons.

Negotiations are now in play with major media and tech companies, including NBC, Netflix, and Apple. MLB’s ongoing partnerships with Fox and Turner Sports remain, but the new players could totally reshape how fans experience America’s pastime.

ESPN’s Exit and New Direction

After decades as a cornerstone of MLB’s national broadcast strategy, ESPN is changing course. By opting out early, the network will end its exclusive coverage of high-profile events like the Home Run Derby and the MLB Wild Card games.

But ESPN isn’t walking away from baseball entirely. The network is deep in talks to acquire distribution rights for MLB.TV, the league’s out-of-market streaming package.

If this happens, ESPN could fold baseball’s digital offering into its upcoming direct-to-consumer platform. That might create a one-stop shop for sports streaming, which honestly sounds pretty convenient.

Potential In-Market Rights for Five Teams

ESPN might also try to sell in-market game rights—produced by MLB—for five franchises:

• San Diego Padres
• Colorado Rockies
• Arizona Diamondbacks
• Cleveland Guardians
• Minnesota Twins

This could open new ways for fans to watch local games directly through ESPN. Maybe it’ll finally help bypass some of those regional sports network headaches that have annoyed viewers for years.

NBC’s Return to Baseball

NBC is negotiating for a package of Sunday night regular-season games and coverage of the MLB Wild Card round. If this goes through, it would end a long absence from baseball for NBC, which was once a big name in the sport.

Complementing NFL and NBA Coverage

NBC’s plan would put Sunday Night Baseball on air from May through Labor Day. That fits right between NFL season and the network’s new NBA rights.

Adding baseball to NBC’s Sunday lineup would make for a pretty stacked sports offering. Viewers and advertisers probably won’t complain.

Netflix Eyes the Home Run Derby

Netflix is in talks to grab exclusive rights to the Home Run Derby. The streamer’s been dipping its toes into live events, and this fits with its love for big, buzzy spectacles.

Live comedy specials and celebrity-driven sports programming have worked well for them, so why not try baseball?

A New Kind of Sports Play for Netflix

Netflix hasn’t gone all-in on league coverage yet. Still, picking up the Home Run Derby would be a bold move into live U.S. sports and could give the event a fresh, streaming-era twist.

Apple TV’s Continuing Role

Apple TV joined MLB broadcasting with Friday Night Baseball in 2022. The details of its future involvement are still up in the air, but Apple seems determined to keep a piece of the live baseball pie as part of its bigger sports push.

Balancing New Deals with Existing Giants

MLB still has to balance its long-term broadcast partnerships. Fox has a $729 million annual deal, and Turner Sports has a $470 million per year agreement, both running through 2028.

These contracts guarantee a steady national presence. At the same time, they limit some flexibility in scheduling and event distribution, which isn’t ideal in this new, streaming-heavy world.

Commissioner’s Focus on National Exposure

Commissioner Rob Manfred wants MLB to move away from relying so much on regional sports networks. By mixing up its partners and platforms, the league hopes to give more fans national access, especially as cord-cutting and new viewing habits keep changing the game.

What This Means for Baseball Fans

The way MLB broadcasts games is shifting, and that could mean more options for watching—both nationally and locally. Traditional TV channels and streaming platforms are both in the mix now.

Keep an eye out for some big announcements before the regular season wraps up. These new deals are still unfolding, so there’s a bit of uncertainty, but that’s part of the excitement, right?

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Here is the source article for this story: How MLB’s upcoming deals will change how you watch out-of-market, Sunday night and wild card games