ESPN Opts-out of MLB Deal

[jkrdevil]

MLB, ESPN opt out of TV deal for 2026-28; MLB cites ‘minimal coverage’

ESPN had been asking to lower the fees it pays to MLB for the next portion of its current contract. The deal would remain in place for 2025.

www.nytimes.com

Based on Manfred’s letter it looks like ESPN’s relationship with MLB is done after this year.

Click to read more...

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Isn't this why NHL left ESPN first time around?

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

The candidates to replace ESPN to me are CBS Sports and NBC Sports, in order to keep games on linear TV. Unlike NBC, CBS will still have cable outlets it can use for MLB games in 2026, with the most appropriate outlet being Paramount Network which is in more homes than CBS Sports Network, and is similar in scope to Warner Bros. Discovery-owned TBS, which already airs MLB games.

NBC could put the games on their broadcast network, but it would only be able to do so when neither the NFL or NBA are in season.

Based on this, I favor Paramount Network because it can guarantee putting games on all Sunday nights during the season. As well, alternate broadcasts aimed at a youth audience can air on Nickelodeon on select weeks, like what CBS does with some of their NFL telecasts. A show similar to NFL Slimetime can also air on Nick.

 

[nickp91]

ESPN going to broadcast over the summer? MLS in exile on Apple MLB leaving World Cup on Fox

 

[S E P H]

I am pretty sure ESPN doesn't want to pay what it will take to only get 300k fans for an average regular season game.

 

[Reaser]

ESPN going to broadcast over the summer? MLS in exile on Apple MLB leaving World Cup on Fox

Well, hopefully NHL on the front-end. would finally give NHL on ESPN a consistent slot, for at least a few months.

Remember, new NBA deal, too. Which won't have the February-March Sunday night ESPN games. So without Sunday Night Baseball also, ESPN will need to fill Sunday nights Feb-Sept. Almost a guarantee Stanley Cup Playoffs would be mid-April through May, instead of like now where they stick a game on espn2 or on ESPN after Sunday Night Baseball ends. The wishful thinking, though still possibility is Feb-Apr lead-up to Stanley Cup Playoffs they they have NHL regular season games in those now open Sunday nights on ESPN, for consistent/destination viewing scheduling.

March/April they have women's college basketball tournament, too.

UFL could be an option which goes late March (when Sunday Night Baseball starts) through June.

They also have college world series, men and women, which don't do much different numbers than Sunday Night Baseball. A fine replacement in the middle of summer.

Late summer into football season is the real question, but they have tons of inventory, WNBA, US Open Tennis, women's college volleyball can do numbers with right matchup (i.e. Nebraska-Louisville) and can fill-in 1-2 open dates with whatever, a new 30 for 30 or some throwaway Ocho programming in Sept when they'd lose H2H with SNF on NBC anyway.

But a lot of options. They would/will be fine without Sunday Night Baseball. The only 'loss' is the tradition/familiarity of its existence.

NHL for sure would pick up some Sunday nights for playoffs, and hopefully some for regular season, as well.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

ESPN going to broadcast over the summer? MLS in exile on Apple MLB leaving World Cup on Fox

 

[OG6ix]

Not a good move by MLB. As hockey fans we know how bad it is going away from the mothership. No matter how many channels there are now or streaming services ESPN is still the zeigeist of sports in America.

 

[Fatass]

Are MLB and NBA losing viewers so broadcast rights, which have been huge in funding the leagues, will not be as much now? What does the drop in broadcast revenue do to the leagues’ overall revenues, or does this mean nothing really?

 

[Bjorn Le]

Not a good move by MLB. As hockey fans we know how bad it is going away from the mothership. No matter how many channels there are now or streaming services ESPN is still the zeigeist of sports in America.

ESPN was going to opt out anyway, and they want a serious paycut to provide the same services. Given ESPN treats baseball barely above the NHL—that is to say their coverage is garbage—Manfred has little incentive to cut them a break. If they’re going to accept a lower amount they may as well pursue another option.

 

[CTHabsfan]

Oh, no! I'm really going to miss those Yankees-Red Sox Sunday night games!!!!!!!

 

[OG6ix]

ESPN was going to opt out anyway, and they want a serious paycut to provide the same services. Given ESPN treats baseball barely above the NHL—that is to say their coverage is garbage—Manfred has little incentive to cut them a break. If they’re going to accept a lower amount they may as well pursue another option.

I think the days of anyone getting similar coverage to the NBA and NFL are long gone but being off the channel all together is tough for visibility going forward.

 

[Dolemite]

Typical ESPN Day Today - NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA.

Booooooorrriiiinnnggg

 

[jkrdevil]

I could see the NHL shifting the schedule back to starting the first week of October as they did when NBC had the rights the last two years of the deal.

As for MLB the league needs to completely restructure their tv deals. Too many non-exclusive games and then too many duplicate matchups. Also too many tv partners to track. Structure it where on the weekends the Saturday broadcaster gets first pick on an AL/NL game to broadcast nationally in an exclusive window and then the Sunday broadcaster gets first pick from the opposite league for SNB. Rotate leagues each week.

Then midweek do league exclusive games on Tuesday/Wednesday or Wednesdays/Thursdays where one game from the AL/NL is exclusive in primetime and the rest of the games from that league are day games or off days. Again rotating back and forth.

Then you have one broadcaster who handles a Wednesday and Saturday and another you handled say Tuesday and Sunday. Now you have consistent broadcasts with exclusivity for national games. You can then also package local rights from the teams MLB is picking up with them for streaming to boost the price.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Well, hopefully NHL on the front-end. would finally give NHL on ESPN a consistent slot, for at least a few months.

Remember, new NBA deal, too. Which won't have the February-March Sunday night ESPN games. So without Sunday Night Baseball also, ESPN will need to fill Sunday nights Feb-Sept. Almost a guarantee Stanley Cup Playoffs would be mid-April through May, instead of like now where they stick a game on espn2 or on ESPN after Sunday Night Baseball ends. The wishful thinking, though still possibility is Feb-Apr lead-up to Stanley Cup Playoffs they they have NHL regular season games in those now open Sunday nights on ESPN, for consistent/destination viewing scheduling.

March/April they have women's college basketball tournament, too.

UFL could be an option which goes late March (when Sunday Night Baseball starts) through June.

They also have college world series, men and women, which don't do much different numbers than Sunday Night Baseball. A fine replacement in the middle of summer.

Late summer into football season is the real question, but they have tons of inventory, WNBA, US Open Tennis, women's college volleyball can do numbers with right matchup (i.e. Nebraska-Louisville) and can fill-in 1-2 open dates with whatever, a new 30 for 30 or some throwaway Ocho programming in Sept when they'd lose H2H with SNF on NBC anyway.

But a lot of options. They would/will be fine without Sunday Night Baseball. The only 'loss' is the tradition/familiarity of its existence.

NHL for sure would pick up some Sunday nights for playoffs, and hopefully some for regular season, as well.

UFL seems to be Fox only now from the current marketing ads.....

 

[DaBadGuy7]

 

[Reaser]

UFL seems to be Fox only now from the current marketing ads.....

ESPN has a UFL doubleheader next Sunday. And UFL games on ESPN and ABC all season -- and one espn2 game I believe. Plus the UFL Championship is on ABC.

 

[Big Z Man 1990]

During college football season, ESPN could flex three marquee CFB games from Saturday to Sunday every week, partially replacing MLB at night.

It would serve to provide a better alternative in markets where an NFL team is doing poorly especially if there isn't another NFL game on at the same time as the local team's game.

There is precedent for this - ESPN aired CFB on some Sunday nights between 2006-09 up against SNF on NBC.

 

[Sparty]

During college football season, ESPN could flex three marquee CFB games from Saturday to Sunday every week, partially replacing MLB at night.

It would serve to provide a better alternative in markets where an NFL team is doing poorly especially if there isn't another NFL game on at the same time as the local team's game.

There is precedent for this - ESPN aired CFB on some Sunday nights between 2006-09 up against SNF on NBC.

NFL just moved a game from Sunday to Thursday this year and there were tons of people who had to accept losses on travel and sell tickets because they could no longer attend the games. People travel really long distances to attend CFB games and make plans months if not years in advance. This would be some disrespectful ish.