Archive · 20 Nov 2025
MLB Secures 3-Year Rights Deals With ESPN, Netflix & NBCUniversal
Major League Baseball (MLB) has made deals with ESPN, Netflix, and NBCUniversal to show their games for the next three years.
The deals are worth a lot of money, but we don't know exactly how much.
This is the first time Netflix will show live sports.
The deals come at a time when there might be a fight between the players and the owners about how much players should get paid.
NBCUniversal will start showing games on March 26 with a big ceremony for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who won the championship last year.
MLB signs 3-year deals with ESPN, Netflix, and NBCUniversal for media rights
Deals' value not disclosed, but estimated at $800 million per year
Netflix to stream games for the first time, NBCU to broadcast games, ESPN to scale down its portfolio
New deals come amid MLB's labor uncertainty and potential salary cap implementation
NBCU's deal starts with Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks on March 26, includes Sunday Night Baseball and wild card round
- Who
- Major League Baseball (MLB), ESPN, Netflix, NBCUniversal
- What
- Signed 3-year media rights deals
- When
- Deals start in 2026 and last for 3 years
- Where
- Not specified
- Why
- To broadcast MLB games, increase viewership, and generate revenue
Players' Union
Owners
Salary Cap
Players' Union
Opposes implementation
Owners
May push for implementation
- Deal Duration
- 3 years
- First Game (NBCU)
- Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks on March 26, 2026
- Streaming Platform (Netflix)
- Multiple games per year, including Opening Day and Home Run Derby
- Broadcast Platform (NBCU)
- Sunday Night Baseball, wild card round