MLB launches a multi-platform TV era in 2026
Major League Baseball’s 2026 media landscape is a multi-platform, fragmented setup across Netflix, NBC/Peacock, Fox, ESPN, TBS/TNT, Apple TV+, and MLB Network. Netflix will stream marquee events (Opening Night, the Home Run Derby, Field of Dreams); NBC/Peacock secures a broad package including Sunday Night Baseball and exclusive windows; Fox maintains a stable schedule with Baseball Night in America; ESPN pivots to in-market club rights and houses MLB.tv in its app; Apple TV+ expands Friday Night Baseball; there are 47 over-the-air windows this season; total rights cost is roughly half of ESPN’s previous package, with deals through 2028. The big question now is how this fragmentation affects casual fans."