ESPN has announced the termination of its partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB), citing the $550 million annual rights fees as too high. Starting in 2026, baseball will no longer be broadcast on the network.
“We are grateful for our longstanding relationship with Major League Baseball and proud of how ESPN’s coverage super-serves fans,” the network said in a statement. “In making this decision, we applied the same discipline and fiscal responsibility that has built ESPN’s industry-leading live events portfolio as we continue to grow our audience across linear, digital and social platforms.
“As we have been throughout the process, we remain open to exploring new ways to serve MLB fans across our platforms beyond 2025.”
The decision has cast doubt on the sustainability of ESPN’s other major sports agreements, particularly its $2.6 billion annual deal with the NBA. Critics are calling the NBA agreement one of the worst in sports television history, especially if the network finds the MLB fees unsustainable.
This move signals a major shift in ESPN’s sports broadcasting strategy and raises broader questions about the future of sports media rights.
