We are finally getting some clarity on what may happen to Sunday Night Baseball after ESPN decided to opt out of its MLB contract earlier this year.
Speaking to CNBC’s Alex Sherman, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred revealed that NBC, Apple, and yes, ESPN have all submitted bids for the league’s exclusive package of Sunday games. Manfred’s comments come shortly after reports emerged that MLB and ESPN had reengaged in talks that could see the Worldwide Leader retain some amount of baseball inventory.
However, Manfred also revealed that the Sunday Night Baseball package could be split between two bidders. NBC, in particular, could be a sensible destination for the inventory during the summer to bridge its gap between the end of Sunday Night Basketball and the start of Sunday Night Football in the fall. ESPN could then, hypothetically, bookend the season with the package while NBC has NBA and NFL obligations. Last week, Sports Business Journal reported Apple is a front-runner for the package, so they shouldn’t be counted out either.
Perhaps even more notable, Manfred suggested that a potential ESPN deal could include the local broadcast rights for the five MLB clubs the league currently controls production and distribution for: the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cleveland Guardians, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, and San Diego Padres. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro has been on the record about wanting the network to get involved in local MLB rights, and with the forthcoming launch of ESPN’s direct-to-consumer streamer this fall, securing a handful of local rights deals could help jump-start the platform.
Per Sheman, “ESPN sources tell me there’s renewed optimism a deal can be struck with MLB – when a few weeks ago it looked like a long shot.”
Any deal reached between MLB, ESPN, or others would only be short-term, ending in 2028 when the league can reorganize its entire suite of national media rights. MLB’s other primary national rights agreements with Fox and TNT Sports expire in 2028.