ESPN and MLB have had a longstanding partnership since 1990. As such, Sunday Night Baseball and other MLB festivities have become common sights for the ESPN network and the game of baseball for the past few decades.
However, that is all set to change, and soon.
In February, just a month before the start of the 2025 season, it was revealed that ESPN and MLB are ending their long-term deal as soon as the 2025 campaign comes to an end.
So, naturally, that puts the MLB Commissioner in a search to find a new network to partner with.
According to the initial report, ESPN was due to pay the league $550 million a year from 2026 to 2028. The network would air 30 regular-season games per season, as well as the Home Run Derby and Wild Card Round.
Not only is ESPN walking away, but the offer that has come in now is far less than what ESPN was paying.
MLB Rights Gain Traction, But With Lower Offer Than That of ESPN
ESPN’s deal was worth $550 million per year, which is a large amount of money to broadcast select MLB games.
However, a new suitor has emerged: NBC Universal. That’s the good news. But, the bad news for the league is the amount is far less than what ESPN was paying, per Joe Flint and Jared Diamond of The Wall Street Journal.
NEWS: NBC has made an offer to MLB to take over Sunday Night Baseball and the rest of ESPN's baseball inventory starting next season.
With @JBFlint https://t.co/QV7cXRh7cY
— Jared Diamond (@jareddiamond)
“Comcast’s NBCUniversal has made an offer to Major League Baseball to take over the package of regular-season and postseason games that ESPN is walking away from, offering much less than its rival currently pays, according to people familiar with the matter.”
NBC would also stream games on Peacock, and the network has interest in a postseason series and the Home Run Derby, eerily similar to that of what ESPN negotiated.
But, less money could be a problem for the league. Per the report, there is a reason why NBC has offered far less than what ESPN was paying.
“NBC is offering significantly less than what ESPN pays, the people said, in part because it isn’t seeking the international and radio rights that the Disney-owned sports network licenses from MLB, or the rights to highlight clips.”
Sure, the product on the field has been terrific in MLB this year with teams such as the Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees being among the best in the league.
But, the media rights deal is an issue the league needs to address, and Manfred might want to come to the reality that they might not get what they were getting from ESPN.