MLB’s Manfred confirms who’s in the running for rights package
MLB’s Manfred confirms who’s in the running for rights package
The inventory up for grabs now includes ‘Sunday Night Baseball,’ the Home Run Derby, and select playoff series.
Who wants “Sunday Night Baseball”? It appears the list of contestants is down to three, according to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred. Manfred spoke to Alex Sherman of CNBC ahead of the 2025 MLB All-Star Game about the rights package formerly held by ESPN that includes “Sunday Night Baseball” and other events, and confirmed that the league is currently deciding between three potential broadcast partners.
Key Details:
- Musical bases: NBC and Apple TV+ are strong contenders for the outstanding MLB rights package.
- Familiar face?: The rights could also be headed back to ESPN.
- Going local: The local rights to five MLB teams whose games are currently distributed by the league could be in the deal as well.
Manfred confirmed to Sherman that there are three contenders for the rights package formerly held by ESPN. Two of the three are NBC and Apple TV+, both of which could expand the league’s availability on streaming, as any games headed to NBC would likely stream on Peacock as well.
The third option is ESPN, which owned the rights in question until February, when it opted out of its deal to continue distributing them over MLB’s demands for an increase in fees. At the time, Manfred called ESPN a “shrinking platform,” but it appears that assessment was less of an enduring opinion and more a fit of pique.
In June, reports circulated that Apple TV+ had potentially emerged as the top bidder for the rights package, which includes “Sunday Night Baseball,” as well as the Home Run Derby, and some playoff games. Manfred previously said that he wanted to name a new partner for this package ahead of the All-Star game, but that unofficial deadline has come and gone without an announcement.
Manfred also told Sherman that he’s had talks about including local rights to five teams in the agreements. It just so happens that five is the number of clubs that MLB currently distributes games for: the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, and San Diego Padres.
If ESPN were to get those rights, it could distribute them in local markets via its new streaming service that’s due to launch this year. It’s also possible that MLB might split the rights between providers, and the league still wants to create a deal that will expire in 2028 so that it can bring all of its national rights to market at the same time.
It likely won’t take much longer for MLB to decide on where this rights package will be available, so keep an eye on The Streamable for more updates. When the league makes its decision, we’ll have all the details on where you’ll be able to stream games.
Apple TV
Apple TV (formerly known as Apple TV+) is a subscription video streaming service for $14.99 per month, offering a growing slate of original series, films, documentaries, and specials. Unlike other platforms that combine licensed titles with originals, Apple TV is built entirely around exclusive programming, making it the home of critically acclaimed hits such as “Ted Lasso,” “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Silo.” Its lineup continues to expand with award-winning dramas, comedies, family-friendly shows, and blockbuster original films like “CODA,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture.