In February, Major League Baseball (MLB) and ESPN triggered an opt-out clause in a broadcast agreement for the 2026-28 season. This means that, as things affect, this is the last year ESPN carries MLB games. The network holds exclusive regular season games every Sunday night, home run derby and playoff wild card rounds.
The Wall Street Journal's Joe Flint and Jared Diamond reported that Comcast's subsidiary NBCuniversal provided MLB with proposals for ESPN's game pack this month. The length of the offer is unclear, and the specific details about the rights fee are not clear. However, the Wall Street Journal reported that NBC's proposals were “much less” than ESPN's offer Now Payment. In February, track and field’s Evan Drellich and Andrew Marchand reported that ESPN would owe 550mm per year in the 2026-28 season without a choice.
Apparently, ESPN chose the price to exceed the market value. The network said it was “Openly explore new ways to provide services to MLB fans on our platform after 2025. “The Wall Street Journal's Diamond and Isabella Simonetti reported in March that during the renegotiation period, a maximum of 200 mm will be paid per quarter.
ESPN has been on Sunday night baseball and home run derby since 1990 since 1993. It has introduced the playoffs since the 2022 collective bargaining agreement, so it has aired the wildcard round. NBC seems interested in getting all three, although Flint and Diamond write that NBC does not pursue international/broadcasting rights or access the highlights currently received by ESPN (partially justifying the lower bid).
NBC and the NFL reached an agreement on its Sunday night football game. Last July, it signed an 11-year contract with the National Basketball Association, with a total of 100 regular season and NBA All-Star games. (This is effective in the upcoming basketball season.) According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, the network will play some MLB games on its Peacock service when these games conflict with other live sports. Those interested in the topic are encouraged to read the Wall Street Journal report in full.
