**Apple’s Acquisition of MLB Streaming Rights: A Transformative Move for Sports Broadcasting**
Apple is believed to be in talks with Major League Baseball (MLB) to obtain streaming broadcast rights, specifically for the highly sought-after Sunday Night Baseball games. This change comes after ESPN opted not to extend its broadcasting agreement beyond the 2025 season, creating opportunities for new contenders in the sports streaming field.
The assortment of games that were previously under ESPN’s control has garnered attention from multiple networks, including NBC and Apple. The MLB is expected to split the package into various segments to appeal to both contemporary streaming audiences and traditional TV viewers, thereby enhancing its reach and revenue opportunities.
Currently, no official agreement has been finalized, and talks are still in progress. Nevertheless, Apple and MLB have an existing collaboration through the Friday Night Baseball program, which enables Apple TV+ to stream two baseball games every Friday without blackouts or regional limitations. This partnership, initiated in 2022, is thought to be a seven-year agreement valued at around $85 million each season.
Considering the success of the Friday Night Baseball initiative, expanding their partnership to encompass Sunday Night Baseball appears likely. While the Friday Night games are a bonus for Apple TV+ subscribers, it is probable that Apple would introduce an extra charge for access to the former ESPN package, given the considerably higher financial obligation. For reference, ESPN was paying close to $550 million each season for its rights.
Acquiring these rights would markedly boost Apple’s sports streaming offerings, which currently feature only Friday Night Baseball and the MLS Season Pass. The company has shown prior interest in securing agreements for NFL Sunday Ticket and the Pac-12 conference but eventually stepped away from those discussions.
To sum up, if Apple manages to obtain the MLB streaming rights, it could represent a pivotal shift for the company’s sports broadcasting approach, establishing it as a significant contender in the competitive realm of sports streaming.
