ESPN Signs New Deal With Major League Baseball

Disney has announced a major new deal between its sports brand, ESPN and Major League Baseball, which will see ESPN become the exclusive rights holder of MLB.TV, making thousands of games available each season on the ESPN App, in addition to MLB platforms in 2026, through to 2028.

MLB.TV and its thousands of out-of-market games each year will stream live and on-demand on the ESPN App. The games will also be available on MLB platforms in 2026. New MLB.TV subscribers will be able to purchase and stream the service through the enhanced ESPN App and enjoy its suite of interactive features and functionalities – alongside more than 50,000 other sports events and content from ESPN’s family of networks. Both new and existing MLB.TV subscribers will have the ability to access the service on the ESPN App and through MLB platforms.

Additionally, ESPN has acquired exclusive, local in-market streaming rights for MLB Clubs. The MLB Clubs currently include the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. In 2026, the games will be available to purchase and stream on MLB platforms. 

ESPN will also deliver more than 150 out-of-market regular-season games every season across a special ‘game of the day’ offering for subscribers to the ESPN Unlimited plan.

As part of the deal, ESPN will produce a new, exclusive package of national regular-season MLB games each year for its linear networks and direct-to-consumer offering. The 30-game schedule will be comprised primarily of weeknight games, with a focus on the core summer months. As part of this national package, ESPN will maintain exclusive rights to the MLB Little League Classic presented by New York Life as part of its sweeping Little League World Series coverage. ESPN has also added rights to Memorial Day games and second-half opener games. 

Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN, said in a statement regarding the new deal:

This is fan-friendly agreement allows us to showcase the great sport of baseball on both a local and national level, while prioritizing our streaming future. MLB.TV is a coveted, must-have companion for passionate MLB fans all over the country, and it will be strongly complemented by our national game package and in-market team rights – all within the ESPN App.” 

Robert D. Manfred, Jr., Baseball Commissioner, added:

“This new agreement with ESPN marks a significant evolution in our more than 30-year relationship. Bringing MLB.TV to ESPN’s new app while maintaining a presence on linear television reflects a balanced approach to the shifts taking place in the way that fans watch baseball and gives MLB a meaningful presence on an important destination for fans of all sports.” 

Disney has also been able to secure additional rights, including:

• Fans with an MLB.TV subscription also have access to MLB Network and its 24/7 programming;
• ESPN’s MLB studio rights for Baseball Tonight will continue;
• Existing audio package continues as ESPN Radio remains the national audio home of the World Series, the full MLB Postseason, the MLB All-Star Game and Home Run Derby, weekly Saturday games and Sunday Night Baseball;
• ESPN retains Spanish-language rights for its new, linear games package;
• Rights for SportsCenter and additional ESPN studio show presence at signature MLB events, including the World Series;
• Throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, Australia/New Zealand, Africa, the Netherlands, and China (via its hotel channels), ESPN continues to serve fans with a robust game package featuring daily regular season games, including Sunday Night Baseball, MLB All-Star Game, and culminating with the MLB Postseason and World Series.

Roger’s Take:  Disney is continuing to invest heavily in sports content, and getting access to more Major League Baseball will make subscribing to ESPN Unlimited even more attractive, especially to those who watch more than one sport.  NBC Universal and Netflix also have new deals for some MLB games, so sadly not everything will be available in one single package. 

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