NBCUniversal (NBCU) is in the early stages of discussing a potential deal with Major League Baseball (MLB), aiming to pick up a valuable broadcast rights package that ESPN is preparing to drop. The deal, reportedly worth $550 million per year, was part of a larger seven-year agreement that ESPN signed with MLB in 2021 but has now decided to exit early.
In February, ESPN revealed it would opt out of the agreement before its scheduled end in 2028. The decision was influenced by ESPN’s frustration over MLB’s smaller streaming deals with Apple TV+ and Roku, which offer exclusive games at a much lower annual cost. The company felt these newer agreements diminished the value of its own, more expensive contract. The current ESPN-MLB deal included a clause allowing either side to walk away under specific conditions, which ESPN has now triggered. This move could mark the first time in 40 years that the Disney-owned sports network no longer holds national broadcast rights for professional baseball.
Now, NBCUniversal is stepping up to explore opportunities. According to a source familiar with the situation, NBCU has had initial conversations with MLB about acquiring the rights package, though the talks are described as very early and not yet serious negotiations. Importantly, NBCUniversal is not interested in matching the $550 million annual figure ESPN is currently paying.
NBCU’s interest is driven by the potential programming benefits. ESPN’s package includes exclusive Sunday Night Baseball games, a time slot NBC already leverages heavily in the fall for “Sunday Night Football”. The media company is also set to begin airing Sunday-night NBA games in 2026 as part of a new 11-year rights deal. Adding Sunday-night baseball could allow NBC to deliver year-round sports programming, a major incentive for advertisers looking for consistent live sports content.
NBC and MLB are not strangers. In the past, NBCUniversal streamed Sunday morning baseball games on its Peacock platform during the 2023 season. However, the company didn’t renew the deal as MLB sought higher payments. NBCUniversal also owns regional sports networks (RSNs) that carry local MLB games, giving it an established presence in baseball broadcasting.
At the same time, ESPN has not ruled itself out completely. During an appearance last week, Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN, said the company might still consider a new deal especially one that includes local in-market rights for its planned standalone streaming service, expected to launch this fall. “We love the game of baseball, and we would like to figure something out with them, ultimately,” Pitaro said. “And yes, that includes local in-market games.”
Multiple companies may join the race. Fox Corp., which already holds U.S. broadcast rights to the World Series, could look to expand its MLB coverage. Warner Bros. Discovery, another MLB partner, currently airs games on TBS and also streams them on Max, positioning it as another potential bidder.
As rights shift and new players enter the space, MLB’s broadcast landscape continues to evolve. The outcome of these negotiations could significantly influence how fans watch baseball in the coming years, especially as more content moves from traditional TV to streaming platforms.
About NBCUniversal
NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast Corporation, is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. It owns and operates NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, and several regional sports networks, as well as Universal Pictures and Universal Parks & Resorts. The company continues to invest in expanding its live sports coverage across traditional and streaming platforms.