Hey, baseball lovers! Here’s some big news you might want to sit down for. C’mon, grab a seat, maybe a hotdog or popcorn, and brace yourself. After the wrap of the 2025 baseball season, we ain’t gonna be tuning into ESPN for Major League Baseball (MLB) games anymore. You heard it right, folks!
What We Know So Far…
The MLB Commissioner, Rob Manfred, dropped this little spoiler himself in an official memo that The Athletic managed to get a hold of. Now, it appears that this decision to part ways isn’t a one-sided affair. Can you wrap your head around the fact that our beloved baseball-ESPN love story is hitting a rough patch? It seems like Manfred has been nursing a beef with ESPN for their not-so-great coverage of MLB, beyond live game transmissions, for some time now.
On paper, ESPN and MLB were supposed to be in cahoots until 2028. But with this new sudden curveball, ESPN is set to hang up their broadcasting hats right after they’ve covered the 2025 Home Run Derby, Sunday Night Baseball, wildcard round games, and a few more MLB commitments for the season. After end-of-the-season celebrations, they’ll pack up and part ways.
What the heck is happening after 2025, you wonder? Good question! Even our crystal ball is a little foggy on that one. The current deal is kaput, but hey, who’s to say ESPN and MLB won’t kiss and make up with a brand-new agreement? In the meantime, we’re hearing whispers that the league is cozying up to a few interested candidates for future broadcasts post-2025.
Here’s a fun fact: ESPN pays out a massive $550 million each season to MLB for broadcasting rights. Rumor has it they wanted to adjust the current deal, which had tongues wagging earlier this month. Manfred, however, wasn’t about to accept a watered-down deal just to keep MLB on ESPN. “We don’t think it’s beneficial for us to accept a smaller deal to remain on a shrinking platform,” he’s quoted to have said. He’s gunning to broadcast MLB’s show-stopping season games, Home Run Derby, and Wild Card playoff rounds on a new, shiny platform.
Final Thoughts
Of course, ESPN didn’t roll over. They gave a nod to their long-standing partnership with MLB and pledged to keep the fans entertained and connected. They’re not shutting the door completely on MLB and have mentioned that they “remain open to new ways to serve MLB fans across our platforms beyond 2025.” The bond between MLB and ESPN is like that high school romance that never seemed to end; they’ve been sweethearts since 1990. But as the old saying goes, “All good things must come to an end,” and that seems to be the reality here. Given the rapid evolution of how we consume media, it’s no surprise that sports giants like MLB are planning ahead.
Sure, it’s a bittersweet ending to a classic sports broadcasting era, but let’s flip the script and look forward to what’s next. With potential new broadcasters waiting in the dugout, it’s exciting to think about MLB’s future. Will we be rooting for our favorite teams on a streaming platform, or will another traditional broadcaster step up to the plate? Time will tell, sports fans. Time will tell!
