How New MLB Television Deals Impact Local Rockies Games in 2026

Major League Baseball announced several new national television deals and part of the deal impacts the Colorado Rockies.

A detail view of a Colorado Rockies batting helmet in the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox at Coors Field. / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Major League Baseball announced its television rights deals for the next three seasons and part of those deals impacted the Colorado Rockies.

As part of the contract, ESPN will continue to be a national partner with the league, though it will no longer broadcast Sunday Night Baseball, as that package moves to ESPN. But, as part of the deal, ESPN became the exclusive rightsholder to MLB.tv, which broadcasts thousands of local games to out-of-market fans each season.

As part of the deal, this gives ESPN exclusive local in-market rights to six MLB clubs, including the Rockies. The other five clubs are the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks. All had entered into distribution deals with MLB.TV after their regional sports network deals went away.

How Rockies Television Could Be Impacted

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

Per MLB.com, ESPN can offer fans of those six teams in-market games as they are being produced and distributed by MLB through the ESPN app. Fans can acquire a subscription in several ways — as a standalone, as part of an MLB.TV bundle or as part of an ESPN app package. Additionally, for the 2026 season, local in-market streaming will continue to be through MLB’s platforms.

In 2025 Rockies fans were able to stream local games through Rockies.TV or watch via linear cable through DirecTV, Comcast and other outlets. MLB’s and ESPN’s release didn’t make clear if the linear options would still be available. Rockies.TV was $19.99 per month or $89.99 for the season last year. The Rockies did not make announcements on how the new deal would impact their television access for 2026.

If the Rockies played any national games, those games would be available based on the network carrying it.

ESPN, NBC Universal and Netflix all signed new deals per MLB.com. ESPN will have a package of mid-week games, including the streaming packages. NBC will take Sunday Night Baseball and will also take on a group of Sunday afternoon games. Netflix will carry the opening night game, the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game and the Field of Dreams game in August.

Other parts of the broadcast package have not changed. Fox and FS1 will remain the home of Saturday afternoon and evening games during the regular season, along with World Series, League Championship Series and Division Series. TBS retains its role as a broadcaster of LCS and Division Series telecasts, plus regular season games on Tuesday nights. Apple TV will retain the Friday night doubleheaders.

The Rockies are coming off a 119-loss season that led to the hiring of Paul DePodesta as the new president of baseball operations. A new managerial hiring is pending.  

Recommended Articles

feed