ESPN Secures New Rights Deal with MLB

ESPN and the MLB have signed a new rights deal that will see even more baseball content hit the sports network.

What’s Happening:

ESPN and MLB have announced a new multi-faceted rights deal effective 2026–2028, including national, out-of-market, and in-market rights.
The new deal will see the Disney-owned sports network become the exclusive rights holder of MLB.TV, making thousands of out-of-market games available on the ESPN App (and MLB platforms in 2026).
MLB.TV subscribers will access the service through the enhanced ESPN App, alongside 50,000+ other sports events.
ESPN gains exclusive local in-market streaming rights for six MLB teams including the Padres, Guardians, Mariners, Twins, Diamondbacks, and Rockies.
The network will also broadcast 150+ out-of-market regular-season games each season as a “game of the day” offering for ESPN Unlimited subscribers.
ESPN will produce an exclusive package of 30 national regular-season games annually for its linear networks and direct-to-consumer platforms, focused on weeknights in summer.
The deal also sees ESPN continue as the exclusive home of the MLB Little League Classic and adds rights to Memorial Day games and second-half opener games.
ESPN Radio continues as MLB’s national audio home, covering the World Series, full postseason, All-Star Game, Home Run Derby, and Sunday Night Baseball.
Spanish-language rights will stay with ESPN in its new linear package.
Internationally, ESPN will continue distributing daily regular-season games plus the All-Star Game, playoffs, and World Series across its TV and digital platforms.

What They’re Saying:

Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN: “This fan-friendly agreement allows us to showcase the great sport of baseball on both a local and national level, while prioritizing our streaming future. MLB.TV is a coveted, must-have companion for passionate MLB fans all over the country, and it will be strongly complemented by our national game package and in-market team rights – all within the ESPN App.”
Robert D. Manfred, Jr., Baseball Commissioner: “This new agreement with ESPN marks a significant evolution in our more than 30-year relationship. Bringing MLB.TV to ESPN’s new app while maintaining a presence on linear television reflects a balanced approach to the shifts taking place in the way that fans watch baseball and gives MLB a meaningful presence on an important destination for fans of all sports.”

More NFL Content:

NFL owners recently approved the league's deal with the Walt Disney Company that would see the league sell the NFL Network and other NFL Media assets (NFL.com, NFL RedZone, etc.) to Disney.
In return, the league would receive 10% ownership of ESPN.
ESPN is currently 100% owned by Disney, and if the deal is approved, it would change many ways that professional football would be broadcast on the network.
In addition to the business relationship, it could mean a more aligned look at program sharing, streaming rights, and marketing.

Read More ESPN:

What We're Covering