MLB Strikes Three-Year Broadcast Deals With Netflix, ESPN and NBCUniversal
Major League Baseball (MLB) has secured a series of new broadcast and streaming partnerships with Netflix, ESPN and NBCUniversal, expanding how fans will watch games and marquee events over the next three seasons.
The agreements will see Netflix carry several of the league’s most-watched specials, including Opening Night and the annual Home Run Derby, marking a major push by the streaming giant further into live sports.
MLB Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. said the deals would help broaden the league’s reach by placing content across a wider range of platforms.
ESPN to Take Over MLB.TV
Beginning in the 2026 season, ESPN will assume rights to MLB.TV, the league’s out-of-market streaming service that allows viewers to watch teams beyond their local broadcasts. MLB did not disclose pricing details or the value of any of the three agreements.
NBCUniversal Returns to Regular Baseball Coverage
NBCUniversal, owned by Comcast, will take over Sunday night games, restoring weekly MLB coverage to the network for the first time in nearly 25 years. NBC will also gain additional MLB programming as part of the multi-year deal.
Netflix, in turn, will also air the World Baseball Classic in Japan, further strengthening its investment in live sports content.
A More Fragmented – and Broader – MLB Media Landscape
The new agreements add to a growing list of platforms carrying MLB content. Fox Sports will continue to broadcast the World Series and other major matchups, while Apple TV+ retains its Friday Night Baseball doubleheaders.
The rights shuffle follows ESPN’s decision to exit the final three seasons of its existing contract, a move that avoided more than $1.5bn in spending but sparked fresh negotiations with MLB and opened the door for other partners.
With the new deals now in place, baseball fans will see a more diversified sports media environment – one that spans traditional broadcasters, cable networks and global streaming services.
