MLB Announces New Television Rights Partnerships
Nov 19, 2025, 4:14 PM | Updated: Nov 20, 2025, 10:47 am
CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 09: A general view of Wrigley Field prior to Game Four of the National League Division Series presented by Booking.com between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Thursday, October 9, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
(Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Major League Baseball is coming back to NBC, joining three of the four major professional sports leagues in North America under one broadcasting partner. The league’s deal covers the 2026, 2027, and 2028 seasons.
NBC is already the home to popular NFL primetime Sunday Night Football, and resumed its partnership with the NBA in 2025 after a 26-year hiatus.
“We are excited to reignite NBC Sports’ storied Major League Baseball history through this comprehensive and innovative partnership that will honor the past and create new traditions,” said Rick Cordella, President, NBC Sports. “With the Sunday Night Baseball package, NBC and Peacock are now the year-round platforms for premier Sunday night sports programming. We can’t wait to focus our award-winning production, promotion, and storytelling on MLB’s iconic stars, teams, and rivalries to spotlight beginning on March 26. Play ball!”
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MLB has formed new three-year media rights agreements with Netflix, NBCUniversal, and ESPN.
The agreements, which cover rights for the 2026-2028 MLB seasons, mark the return of NBC to regularly airing MLB games on its broadcast network for the first time in 26 years, will expand… pic.twitter.com/uqMXYpbQFP
— MLB (@MLB) November 19, 2025
NBC was the home of professional baseball from 1957 to 2000, airing a host of programming. The network was home to the MLB Game of the Week and Monday Night Baseball telecasts, more than 30 MLB All-Star games, and countless postseason memories.
NBC televised the first nationally broadcast All-Star game in 1952 and has broadcast 39 World Series, more than any other network.
MLB partners with NBC/Peacock
MLB returns to the Peacock Network after 26 years and will feature several exclusive games throughout the upcoming season. Peacock is NBC’s streaming service.
Sunday Night Baseball and all Wild Card games will be exclusively available on NBC, NBCSN, and Peacock. MLB’s All-Star weekend events, like the MLB draft and Futures Game, will also be featured on the network.
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“NBC has demonstrated an outstanding combination of high production value and powerful athlete storytelling that makes MLB’s return to the network an exciting opportunity to continue the sport’s growth,” said Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. “With NBCUniversal showing great enthusiasm for baseball, we are looking forward to working together to continue the sport’s momentum by telling the stories of today’s talented players and capturing the excitement of our great game.”
The 2026 MLB season opener between the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers and divisional rival Arizona Diamondbacks will begin the network’s coverage on March 26, 2026.
The network also plans to air 18 ‘late-morning starts’ and 25 primetime Sunday Night Baseball games per season.
ESPN is taking over MLB.TV services
The worldwide sports leader is dipping back into the MLB market, agreeing to a three-year contract that gives it control over MLB.TV, the MLB streaming subscription service.
“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,” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said. “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.”
ESPN & MLB reach fan-focused new agreement ft. national & local rights collection
In '26, ESPN becomes exclusive https://t.co/nTuigP01TM rights holder (incl. thousands of games every season)
Plus, exclusive local in-market rights to 6 #MLB Clubs & a 30-game exclusive package… pic.twitter.com/1aFor6YEEt
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) November 19, 2025
ESPN will air a 30-game package each year across its platforms and will be the exclusive home of the second-half opener and the Little League Classic.
Fans will also be able to purchase the MLB.TV package directly through the ESPN app.
