Apple and NBC appear to be the "final contenders" for the rights to MLB's "Sunday Night Baseball" package, and "presumably" even Wild Card postseason games, according to a report this week from The Athletic's Andrew Marchand.
Netflix and ESPN also remain in negotiations with MLB officials, the report said.
ESPN held the rights to Sunday Night Baseball through the 2028 season, but the network and MLB mutually opted out of the $550-million-per-year contract earlier this year, so ESPN's rights now expire after the 2025 season. Apple is now looking to pick up those final three seasons, along with NBC, while ESPN might negotiate a new weekday package.
Apple TV+ already streams MLB's Friday Night Baseball games, and the service could offer Sunday Night Baseball too if Apple wins the rights.
ESPN also held the rights to the Wild Card Series for the American League and National League, so Apple might land those postseason games as well. However, the report said MLB could decide to split the Sunday Night and Wild Card rights.
Netflix is a frontrunner for MLB's annual Home Run Derby, according to the report.
Following the 2028 season, all regional and national MLB media rights will be expired, and the league is hoping to table a bigger all-in-one package of rights. Apple would likely be very interested in such a package, as it would allow the company to offer an MLB equivalent of MLS Season Pass through the Apple TV app. However, MLB is much bigger than MLS, so it remains to be seen if MLB would be willing to go all-in with Apple.
Apple continues to push into sports content, with the company reportedly likely to secure the rights to Formula 1 racing. In the past, the company unsuccessfully bid on the NFL's "Sunday Ticket" package, and on the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
On a related note, Apple TV+ subscribers can watch Bayern Munich superstar Thomas Müller make his MLS debut with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC for free this Sunday, with his match against the Houston Dynamo FC kicking off at 6 p.m. Pacific Time.
