ESPN's long-standing relationship with Major League Baseball (MLB) will conclude at the end of the 2025 season as both sides agreed to opt out of the final three years of their contract. The decision reflects ESPN's strategy of fiscal discipline and adapting to market changes amidst rising competition in sports broadcasting. While ESPN has scaled back its MLB coverage in recent years, they remain open to potential deals with lower rights fees, particularly in light of new contracts obtained by Apple and Roku for MLB games.
Given that MLB provides strong viewership, valuable demographics, and the exclusive right to cover unique events like the Home Run Derby, ESPN's demand to reduce rights fees is simply unacceptable.
We are grateful for our longstanding relationship with Major League Baseball and proud of how ESPN's coverage super-serves fans. We applied the same discipline that has built ESPN's portfolio.
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