MLB Commissioner: ESPN media rights deal coming to end after 2025 season
ESPN and Major League Baseball (MLB) are parting ways at the end of the 2025 regular season, bringing an end to their long-standing media rights partnership. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred explained the reasoning behind the decision in a letter to league owners, expressing disappointment with the lack of coverage MLB received on ESPN’s platforms in recent years.
Despite ESPN’s agreement to pay the league $550 million annually for the next three years, both parties agreed to opt out of the deal by the March 1 deadline. Manfred stated that MLB did not want to accept a smaller deal to remain on a platform that was shrinking in reach. Instead, the league is looking to explore new broadcast and streaming options for its marquee games, including regular season matchups, the Home Run Derby, and the Wild Card playoff round.
While ESPN will retain rights to “Sunday Night Baseball,” wild-card postseason games, and other partnership details through the 2025 season, both MLB and the network are open to negotiating a new deal. ESPN has presented national and regional programming ideas for MLB to consider, but discussions are ongoing regarding the financial terms.
Manfred pointed out that ESPN had approached MLB about reducing the annual payment, citing lower fees paid by other platforms like Apple and Roku for game rights. However, he emphasized the exclusive nature of the ESPN deal, which includes prime-time slots for regular season games, playoff rounds, and popular events like the Home Run Derby.
If a revised agreement with ESPN cannot be reached, MLB will explore other potential partners for its media rights. The league is committed to finding the best platform to reach fans and maximize exposure for its games. As negotiations continue, the future of MLB broadcasting remains uncertain, but both MLB and ESPN are dedicated to finding a solution that benefits all parties involved.
