The Big Lead

ESPN to acquire in-market broadcast rights to 5 MLB teams: report

The sports broadcasting behemoth continues its relationship with MLB — and its spending spree on live rights — by scooping up five teams recently abandoned by their RSNs.

By J.P. Hoornstra

A view of the ESPN display before the game between Metro Region and Midwest Region at Howard J Lamade Stadium on Aug. 18.
A view of the ESPN display before the game between Metro Region and Midwest Region at Howard J Lamade Stadium on Aug. 18. / Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
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ESPN will reportedly continue its relationship with Major League Baseball — and its spending spree on live rights — by scooping up the rights to air the regular-season games for five teams recently abandoned by their regional sports network.

According to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, baseball commissioner Rob Manfred and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro have reached agreement on a deal that would give the network the rights to sell all out-of-market regular season games digitally — the current MLB.tv business model — as well as in-market games for the Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Colorado Rockies, and Cleveland Guardians.

MORE: Netflix, NBC to divide former ESPN MLB properties while Apple bows out: report

Marchand reports that fans of the five teams would likely need to subscribe to ESPN, "either directly or through an operator, and then for an added price ... receive their local teams’ games."

The deal is not yet official, according to Marchand, and many details remain unclear. Kendall Baker of Yahoo! Sports reported Wednesday that ESPN would acquire the MLB.tv platform outright; Marchand reports it is unclear whether subscribers to the MLB.tv out-of-market packages will continue to have access through a cable subscription or any other means.

In any event, Marchand reports "the overall new pricing for MLB.tv is not yet decided, but is expected to be similar or slightly cheaper than the current $29.99 per month rate." The report does not address the possible renewal of T-Mobile's contract with the league, which has allowed subscribers to its cellular plans to stream MLB.tv for free.

One day after Baker reported Apple would not renew its contract to stream MLB's "Friday Night Baseball" doubleheaders, Marchand reported the tech giant could still wind up with ESPN's package of "Sunday Night Baseball" regular-season games and first-round playoff games.

Marchand reports that "Netflix remains the heavy favorite to pick up the Home Run Derby for the next three years," while NBC is also a candidate to acquire ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" package.

Earlier this month, ESPN purchased the NFL Network while giving the league a 10 percent stake in its network. It also paid a reported $1.6 billion to WWE for a package that includes the live rights to events such as Wrestlemania.

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