Netflix Inks 3-Year Deal to Stream Live MLB Games
▼ Summary
– MLB announced new three-season media rights deals with ESPN, NBCUniversal, and Netflix.
– Netflix will stream Opening Night games, the Home Run Derby, and one special event game annually for about $50 million per year.
– NBCUniversal gains Sunday Night Baseball, draft coverage, and will simulcast some games on Peacock and NBCSN.
– ESPN secured an exclusive 30-game package, 150 out-of-market games, and rights to sell additional MLB games via its app.
– The new deals replace MLB’s previous exclusive arrangement with ESPN and expand live game distribution across multiple platforms.
Major League Baseball has finalized a trio of significant media rights agreements with ESPN, NBCUniversal, and Netflix, reshaping how fans will watch games for the next three seasons. Netflix’s entry into live sports broadcasting marks a pivotal moment, as the streaming giant will now feature select MLB events. According to industry reports from Front Office Sports, this arrangement is valued at approximately $50 million annually, underscoring the substantial investment Netflix is making to expand its sports content offerings.
Under the new deal, Netflix will broadcast one live game on Opening Night every season, along with the popular Home Run Derby and an annual “special event game.” In 2026, this special event will be the “Field of Dreams” game, scheduled for August 13th in Dyersville, Iowa, featuring a matchup between the Minnesota Twins and the Philadelphia Phillies. This move represents a strategic effort by Netflix to attract a broader audience by incorporating high-profile, live sporting events into its platform.
These new agreements collectively replace a previous media deal that MLB had exclusively with ESPN. For NBCUniversal, the partnership includes rights to the Sunday Night Baseball game, coverage of the MLB draft, and additional games across its network channels. The league clarified that some Sunday night games will be available for streaming on Peacock and will also be simulcast on NBCSN during periods when there is scheduling overlap with other pre-existing media rights on NBC. Additionally, Peacock will carry MLB’s Sunday Leadoff games, which begin around noon and will be simulcast on the recently relaunched NBC Sports Network.
ESPN’s portion of the deal consists of a 30-game broadcast package each season, which will be exclusive to its television channels and the ESPN app. The agreement also grants ESPN the rights to stream 150 out-of-market games, one per day, through its app. Furthermore, ESPN gains the ability to sell access to MLB Network and certain in-market games via its digital platform, enhancing its comprehensive coverage of America’s pastime.
(Source: The Verge)
