The way fans watch baseball is about to drastically change, as Major League Baseball tears the Band-Aid off its distribution model and pivots toward a future where linear television and streaming coexist, even if it comes at a cost to both sports leagues and consumers.
The upshot? Welcome back, NBC. All is forgiven, ESPN. And with any luck, “buffering” won’t be a word on fans’ lips as Netflix steps onto the scene.
The league and its new/old distribution partners announced on Nov. 19 broadcast agreements covering the 2026-28 seasons. Various details or frameworks of the agreements have been reported in recent months, but it remains a lot for the average consumer to ingest.
What will it all look like come March? From the most casual fan to the hardcore seamhead, here are a few details as MLB's new broadcast era dawns:
This game of musical chairs was fast-tracked in February, when ESPN opted out of the final three years of its deal with MLB to broadcast its franchise Sunday Night Baseball and the four wild-card series that kick off the postseason.
