NBCUniversal Bids for MLB Rights Dropped by ESPN

In February, ESPN and Major League Baseball (MLB) mutually agreed to end their 35-year partnership after the 2025 season, opting out of the final three years of a seven-year, $550 million-per-season contract. 

The decision stemmed from MLB’s dissatisfaction with ESPN’s reduced coverage outside live games and ESPN’s fiscal strategy to prioritize cost-effective sports rights. The package included 30 regular-season games (primarily “Sunday Night Baseball”), the Home Run Derby, and wild-card playoff games, which drew 1.5 million viewers on average last season.

Now comes word NBCUniversal’s Bid NBCUniversal, a Comcast subsidiary, has submitted a bid to acquire this MLB rights package, offering significantly less than ESPN’s $550 million annual fee, according to The Wall Street Journal. 

The bid covers regular-season games, postseason games, and the Home Run Derby, with plans to air games on NBC Sunday nights post-2025 and stream them on Peacock. Discussions with MLB, including talks with Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, began weeks earlier. NBC’s interest aligns with its strategy to bolster year-round sports programming, complementing its NFL “Sunday Night Football” and upcoming NBA games starting in 2025, which will air on Tuesdays and exclusively on Peacock on Mondays.

NBC’s bid reflects its aim to secure premium Sunday night sports content, potentially filling the summer gap left by football and basketball. The network previously broadcast MLB games from 1947 to 1989, covering 37 World Series, and briefly in 2022 via Peacock’s “MLB Sunday Leadoff.” 

NBC also owns regional sports networks airing local MLB games, making it a familiar partner. However, its lower offer acknowledges the package’s reduced scope compared to ESPN’s deal, which included radio and international rights. Other potential bidders, like Amazon, Netflix, or smaller networks like The CW, may also vie for the rights, with some suggesting MLB could split the package to maximize revenue.