MLB, ESPN End TV Deal After 2025 Season

ESPN and Major League Baseball have decided to terminate their broadcast partnership after the 2025 season, ending a seven-year deal that was valued at around $550 million per year. The agreement, which brought fans Sunday Night Baseball, the Home Run Derby, and wild-card games, came under strain as ESPN sought to reduce its payment for MLB content and scaled back its coverage from as many as 90 regular-season games to a more limited slate.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed that the league would not renegotiate under the new terms proposed by ESPN. With the opt-out now in effect as of early 2025, MLB is set to explore fresh partnerships with both traditional broadcasters like Fox, NBC, and CBS, as well as streaming platforms such as Amazon, Netflix, Apple, and Roku. ESPN, although stepping back from the current deal, remains open to future collaborative efforts under revised cost structures, as noted in multiple reports dating from February 2025.