The new broadcast rights agreement sees Netflix and NBC take some of ESPN’s core offerings from the previous agreement, but the addition of MLB.TV to more online screens.
Major League Baseball (MLB) has officially announced a new three-year broadcast rights agreement with NBC, ESPN and Netflix.
The next broadcast rights agreement (2026-2028) will commence with the start of the 2026 MLB season and will see the return of NBC as a national broadcaster for the first time since 2000, while also bringing onboard Netflix as its streaming partner.
The deal is worth a reported $200m per season and consolidates its broadcast future after coming off the back of the most-watched MLB postseason in eight years, as well as the most-watched MLB game in 34 years during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 5-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game Seven of the 2025 World Series.
“Our new media rights agreements with ESPN, NBCUniversal and Netflix provide us with a great opportunity to expand our reach to fans through three powerful destinations for live sports, entertainment, and marquee events,” said MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred.
“Following our last World Series game that averaged more than 51 million viewers globally, these partnerships build on MLB’s growing momentum that includes generational stars setting new standards for excellence, new rules which have improved the game on the field, and increases in important fan engagement metrics like viewership, attendance, participation and social media consumption.”
Netflix
For the first time, Netflix has acquired rights to broadcast a single game on Opening Night for the next three years for subscribers in the US and Canada. The 2026 fixture will take place on Netflix between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants on March 25.
The global streaming platform will also become the new home of the Home Run Derby, the MLB skills competition that was previously broadcasted on ESPN held a day before the All-Star Game.
Netflix will also stream an additional MLB special event game each year of the deal, starting with the Field of Dreams game on August 13.
These single game offerings fall in line with Netflix’s live sports broadcasting strategy. The platform has maintained this over securing lengthy yearly contracts which involves broadcasting high-volume games per-year.
“We are incredibly thankful for our partnership with Major League Baseball,” said Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer at Netflix.
“We started with critically-acclaimed documentaries, deepening the existing global passion for baseball. Now, we are seizing that moment by bringing massive cultural spectacles — from Opening Night to the Home Run Derby — directly to our members, reinforcing Netflix as the ultimate home for both the story and the sport.”
NBC
MLB will return to NBC screens for the first time in over 25 years as the lead broadcaster for Sunday Night Baseball, taking over from ESPN.
The Sunday night game will air on NBC’s streaming platform Peacock and NBCSN (NBC Sports’ new cable network) during weeks in which there is overlap with previously negotiated media rights deals on NBC.
The Wild Card Series will also be part of NBC’ MLB offering, as well as select special event games, including primetime matchups on Opening Day and Labour Day. NBC’s first game will be the primetime Opening Day matchup between the Arizona Diamondbacks and two-time defending World Series champions the Dodgers.
“We are excited to welcome Major League Baseball back to the NBC Sports family as we showcase the best in the game with Sunday Night Baseball on NBC, NBCSN and Peacock, the first game of the day on most Sunday mornings exclusively on Peacock and NBCSN, and the full Wild Card round across NBC, NBCSN and Peacock,” said Rick Cordella, President of NBC Sports.
The MLB broadcast rights also further bolsters NBC’s standing as one of the US’ leading sports broadcasters after securing rights for the NBA for the first time since 2002 as part of the basketball leagues’ 11-year broadcast rights agreement.
ESPN
ESPN and the MLB continue their 39-year partnership despite losing previous offerings such as the Home Run Derby to Netflix and Sunday Night Baseball to NBC.
One of the core offerings in the renewed deal see’s MLB.TV’s integration into the new ESPN streaming platform for in-market games across the next three seasons. Fans will have the ability to purchase subscriptions either independently, as part of a bundle with MLB.TV, or as part of a package with ESPN’s app.
For the 2026 season, the local in-market streaming products will continue to be available through MLB’s platforms, and the league noted that the MLB Network will continue to be available to fans purchasing an MLB.TV subscription and will remain available to fans through linear packages and a standalone direct-to-consumer offering.
“This fan-friendly, forward-thinking agreement allows us to showcase this great sport on a local and national level, while prioritizing our streaming future,” said Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN.
“MLB.TV is a coveted, must-have service for passionate MLB fans all over the country, and it will be strongly complemented by our national game package and in-market team rights.”
