Yahoo Sports reporter Kendall Baker says in an X post that Apple is out of the running for more Major League Baseball streaming rights.
From the post:
MLB rights deals are “close to being done,” per sources.
What I’m hearing:
– Apple is fully out. RIP Friday Night Baseball
– NBC/Peacock is in, for Friday and Sunday exclusive and Wild Card
– MLB TV being sold to ESPN (for a boatload of $$$)
– Netflix gets HR Derby
Last month it was reported that ESPN had decided to opt out of its Major League Baseball media rights deal, ending a 35-year relationship. Apple was reportedly among the companies vying to scoop up the rights.
The simple explanation for why ESPN opted out on its deal with MLB is straightforward, according to CNBC. ESPN was paying $550 million a year for 30 games. Compare that to the $10 million Roku is paying for 18 games or the $85 million Apple TV+ is spending on “Friday Night Baseball,” and it’s pretty easy to see why ESPN doesn’t want to pay $550 million.
Last month MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred named Apple and NBC as possible destinations for the open Sunday night package. Apple currently holds the holds the rights to Friday Night Baseball, which sees it exclusively stream two games every Friday on Apple TV+, so expanding its relationship with the MLB seems like a logical step.
As noted by 9to5Mac, assuming Baker’s report is accurate, the new deal would see Apple abandon all interests in MLB streaming, which would mean it would longer broadcast Friday Night Baseball. Apple signed a seven-year deal for Friday Night Baseball back in 2022, paying about $85 million annually. However, Apple is believed to have the latitude in the contract to get out earlier than that, as is suggested to have happened, per 9to5Mac.
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