MLB, ESPN in Talks for New Broadcasting Contract

ESPN previously opted out of their current contract with MLB, meaning their partnership will end in October if a new agreement isn't reached.

General view of an ESPN microphone at an MLB game. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

In February, it was reported that MLB and ESPN agreed to end their national television contract after the 2025 season, with ESPN opting out of the rest of its deal with the league. As of Monday, there have reportedly been further discussions between both sides about continuing the broadcasting rights in a new deal, The Athletic's Andrew Marchand reported.

If an agreement is not reached by October, then MLB and ESPN partnership will officially end. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred hopes an agreement on ESPN's current package is determined by the All-Star break in a few weeks, whether it remains with the network or goes to other bidders. ESPN opted out of their current contract three years early after the two sides have been in business together for 35 years. MLB followed suit and also opted out of the deal itself.

If ESPN does not reach a new agreement with MLB, the current frontrunners to take over the broadcasting rights are NBC, Apple and Fox.

ESPN's current deal is worth $550 million, which Manfred said he was O.K. with, though, ESPN felt that they were paying too much. With the package, ESPN broadcasts the weekly Sunday Night Baseball game along with the Home Run Derby and eight to 12 playoff games annually.

MLB has broadcasting deals with Apple ($85 million per year for Friday night doubleheader games) and with Roku ($10 million per season for Sunday morning games). The main issue for MLB right now is figuring out how to improve their local rights situations for viewers. ESPN’s chairman Jimmy Pitaro previously said that ESPN's new direct to consumer app, which will launch later this year, could be the league's solution for this problem.

We'll see what happens over the next few weeks.

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