NBCUniversal is reportedly interested in acquiring the MLB game rights that ESPN relinquished earlier in 2025. The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous sources, broke the news, highlighting that the offer is considerably less than ESPN’s previous payment.

In February 2025, ESPN exercised a clause in its contract allowing it to opt out of the final three years of its agreement after the 2025 season. ESPN, a Disney subsidiary, paid $550 million annually for the rights. While the WSJ didn't specify NBCU's offer, sources indicate it's significantly lower. This reduction is partly due to NBCU’s exclusion of international and radio rights, unlike Disney’s comprehensive agreement. They also reportedly declined highlight clip rights.

If successful, NBC would broadcast Sunday night games. This, alongside its NFL deal and the upcoming return of NBA games, would bolster NBC’s live sports portfolio. These acquisitions necessitate significant schedule adjustments to accommodate the increased sports programming during primetime and weekends. The network canceled five shows to make room for these commitments.

This increased focus on live sports reflects the evolving television consumption landscape. Live sports maintain strong viewership on both linear and streaming platforms due to their real-time appeal. The ability to distribute rights across platforms is attractive to networks aiming to maximize reach and revenue.

Despite the substantial cost of sports rights (hundreds of millions of dollars), they can be economically advantageous. Deals typically cover at least 100 games, each lasting at least two hours. Even after accounting for production, salaries, and other expenses, the cost per hour is often more appealing than traditional shows. ESPN reportedly offered MLB $200 million annually for the remaining three years, but MLB declined.

MLB is also reviewing its media deals and may consolidate them after 2028, when current contracts expire. This involves teams allowing MLB to sell local rights as part of a streaming package, with revenue sharing for the teams. Subscribers might also pay to remove blackouts on a per-team basis.

Beyond linear rights, NBC is interested in streaming rights for Peacock and potentially the first round of postseason games and the Home Run Derby.