05/18/2021
ESPN announced its new rights deal with MLB last week, completing MLB’s full slate of renewals with the Worldwide Leader, Turner, and Fox. In the deal, ESPN is paying an average of $550 million per year (dropping all non-exclusive games in the process), a 20% decrease from their current $700 million per season.
But that rights fee could get even lower if MLB and the MLBPA don’t agree to expanded playoffs in the next collective bargaining agreement. Per the Sports Business Journal, if the playoffs aren’t expanded, the rights fee will fall an additional $100 million to “just” $450 million per season.