Overview

• Commissioner Rob Manfred acknowledged for the first time that NBCUniversal, Apple and incumbent ESPN have all submitted bids for the Sunday Night Baseball package expiring after the 2025 season.
• MLB plans to select a single rights holder or split the package between two partners by mid-August, with any agreement running only through 2028.
• The league’s short-term deal strategy sets the stage for a full realignment of national and local media rights beginning in 2028.
• In response to regional sports network bankruptcies, MLB has taken over production and streaming of local telecasts for five teams this season.
• Robust viewership for marquee events—Home Run Derby up 5% to 5.73 million viewers and All-Star Game drawing 7.2 million—underscores the value driving these negotiations.