Major League Baseball (MLB) has finalized three groundbreaking media rights agreements with ESPN, NBCUniversal, and Netflix for the 2026–2028 seasons. These deals will significantly expand MLB’s global reach, enhance streaming access for fans, and bring baseball back to major broadcast platforms in a historic way.
MLB Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. said the new partnerships underscore baseball’s rising popularity. He added that the agreements will strengthen fan engagement across viewership, attendance, participation, and digital consumption.
ESPN: Expanded Streaming Power and Exclusive Game Coverage
ESPN will take a major leap forward by acquiring the rights to sell and distribute MLB.TV, the league’s out-of-market streaming service. Beginning in 2026, fans can purchase and watch their favorite teams directly through ESPN’s digital ecosystem. Notably, MLB.TV set a record in 2025 with 19.4 billion minutes watched, surpassing the previous season by 34%.
In addition, ESPN will continue its long-standing relationship with MLB—now extending to 39 consecutive seasons. The network will broadcast a 30-game national package, including Memorial Day, the mid-season restart game after the All-Star break, and the popular Little League Classic.
ESPN will also stream more than 150 out-of-market games on the ESPN app. Its 2025 Sunday Night Baseball coverage drew its best ratings in 12 years, increasing viewership by 21%.
NBCUniversal: Sunday Night Baseball Returns to NBC After 26 Years
In a historic move, NBCUniversal will bring MLB back to NBC’s broadcast network for the first time in over two decades. NBC’s rights package includes:
- Sunday Night Baseball on NBC, NBCSN, and Peacock
- Sunday Leadoff early-day games
- All four Wild Card Series
- Primetime Opening Day coverage
- Special event games on Labor Day and throughout the season
NBC will also expand its presence during All-Star Week, airing the Futures Game, the first hour of the MLB Draft, and a new celebrity-baseball showcase on Peacock.
Peacock will once again stream Sunday Leadoff, featuring 18 early-day games with additional studio coverage leading into Sunday Night Baseball.
NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said the network is “excited to welcome Major League Baseball back,” noting that Opening Day in 2026—which features the Los Angeles Dodgers hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks—will air in primetime.
Netflix: From Documentaries to Live Baseball EventsAfter years of successful baseball documentaries, Netflix will enter live sports broadcasting with MLB’s most anticipated events. The streaming giant will air:
- Opening Night exclusively for the next three seasons
- The T-Mobile Home Run Derby
- MLB at Field of Dreams (2026)
- A yearly MLB special event game
- All 47 games of the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Japan
In 2026, Opening Night will feature the New York Yankees vs. San Francisco Giants, promising a star-studded kickoff with Aaron Judge and Rafael Devers.
Netflix executives said they are “seizing the moment” by moving into major live sports to immerse fans deeper into baseball culture.
Existing Partners Remain Strong
While the new deals reshape baseball’s media landscape, MLB’s existing partners—FOX/FS1, TBS, Apple TV, and MLB Network—will continue their roles broadcasting World Series games, League Championship Series, Division Series, Tuesday and Friday night games, and special events.
MLB’s Audience Is Growing Rapidly
MLB ended the 2025 season with exceptional viewership gains. The 2025 World Series delivered:
- Most-watched World Series game in 34 years (51 million viewers globally)
- Highest full-series viewership in 33 years
- Most-watched Postseason in eight years
The league also marked its third consecutive rise in attendance and significant increases among younger audiences, including viewers 17 and under and 18–34-year-olds.
With these three-year media rights agreements, MLB is entering a new era of accessibility and audience growth. By distributing live games across ESPN, NBCUniversal, and Netflix, the league is positioning itself at the forefront of modern sports broadcasting. As a result, fans will enjoy unprecedented access to baseball across both traditional TV and cutting-edge streaming platforms.
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