The MLB and ESPN have had a longstanding relationship that goes way back but according to recent reports, that partnership could be in jeopardy.
In a recent piece by popular sports media outlet Awful Announcing, it was reported that the sports network may be hesitant about renewing their current deal with with Major League Baseball. The contract between the two parties runs through 2028 with a value of $540 per year. According to the New York Post, ESPN has a clause that permits them to opt out of the deal after 2025.
ESPN has expanded in other areas which could be a concern for MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and the league as they proceed in negotiations.
ESPN reportedly leaning towards opting out of MLB contract https://t.co/hRmamfk8pM pic.twitter.com/O8KZaxGFxI
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 26, 2024
The piece from Awful Announcing goes on to say that John Ourand of Puck has reported that the partnership could be terminated earlier.
The MLB does not have an exclusive deal with ESPN with games shown on Fox, TNT and even Apple TV.
With the emergence of new streaming sites like Amazon that are looking to invest in sports, it is very possible that other companies could be willing to take on ESPN’s market share. The demand is there for other sites to step in but with the growing popularity of the MLB internationally, and the exciting new rule changes, ESPN may want to stick around a little longer to see how rating develop in the coming years.
