Report: MLB, ESPN End TV Contract; Manfred Calls Out 'Minimal Coverage' on Platforms

Major League Baseball might not be on ESPN after the 2025 season.

Evan Drellich of The Athletic reported Thursday that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred sent a memo to the team owners revealing the league and ESPN "mutually agreed" to end their partnership that dates back to 1990 after the upcoming campaign.

Manfred's letter explained the league has "not been pleased with the minimal coverage that MLB has received on ESPN's platforms over the past several years outside of the actual live game coverage."

ESPN and MLB each released statements regarding the situation:

ESPN shows Sunday Night Baseball, the Home Run Derby and Wild-Card Round playoff games, among other contests. Drellich noted its deal with MLB was slated to run through 2028, although there was a March 1 deadline for both sides if they wanted to opt out of it.

The primary issue appears to be the cost for ESPN, as Drellich reported the network asked MLB to accept a lower rights fee than the average value of $550 million included in the deal. It pointed to the $85 million Apple is paying per year and the $10 million Roku is paying per year to air live games.

However, Manfred countered with an explanation that ESPN holds the more valuable inventory as part of its rights deal.

"First, the inventory involved in the Apple and Roku deals is very different from the ESPN inventory," he wrote.

"The ESPN deal contains the only truly exclusive regular-season windows on Sunday nights, the exclusive right to an entire round of playoffs, and the Home Run Derby, one of the most exciting events of the summer. In contrast, Apple and Roku have games that compete against a complete slate of other games broadcast in local markets."

Manfred's memo also said there are "several interested parties" who have held discussions about assuming ESPN's rights.

This comes after ESPN revealed its Sunday Night Baseball schedule for the upcoming season last month. 

The first game is on March 30 between the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres:

Yet it seems like the 36th season of the traditional game-of-the-week programming will be the final one if the two sides don't come to terms on a new deal in the near future.

*Full disclosure note: TNT Sports is an MLB broadcast rights holder.