ESPN's long-running TV rights contract for Major League Baseball expires after the 2025 season following a mutual decision to end the deal. MLB and ESPN have resumed talks but other networks and streamers including Amazon, Apple, Fox, NBC and Netflix are pursuing rights. Commissioner Rob Manfred expects the TV rights picture to be resolved within weeks while MLB explores dividing rights into multiple packages. Potential shifts include Peacock or Apple TV+ acquiring "Sunday Night Baseball" and the Wild Card Series and Netflix hosting the Home Run Derby, leaving ESPN with a reduced weekday game package.
The distribution of Major League Baseball games could look very different next year as ESPN's TV rights contract is set to expire at the end of the 2025 season. The two sides mutually agreed to end their deal as opposed to extending a relationship that began more than three decades ago. It was recently reported MLB and ESPN reopened talks to see if they can continue working with each other beyond the 2025 season, even if under a different structure.
ESPN currently holds the rights to "Sunday Night Baseball" games, the Wild Card Series and Home Run Derby, but all of those events will likely be broadcast on different platforms next year. A recent report suggested that Peacock (NBC) or Apple TV+ could take over "Sunday Night Baseball" and the Wild Card Series, while the Home Run Derby may find its way to Netflix. That would leave ESPN with a smaller package such as weekday MLB games.
Commissioner Rob Manfred said he's hoping to have the MLB TV rights situation resolved in the next few weeks, via Awful Announcing: "We're having very detailed conversations with a number of parties, including ESPN. We hope to have it resolved in the next couple of weeks. It's a little bit like a jigsaw puzzle we're trying to put together. But we will have it resolved in the next few weeks."
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