Major League Baseball and NBC Sports have had discussions about a possible broadcasting agreement for the 2022 season, reports Andrew Marchand of the New York Post. No deal has been finalized. If an agreement were to get across the finish line, Marchand writes that most of the games would be streamed. NBC would handle a few network broadcasts — its first in more than two decades — but the majority of the coverage would run through Peacock, NBC’s streaming service.
It marks the second possible broadcasting agreement in as many months for MLB, which come on the heels of a reduction in the number of weeknight broadcasts on ESPN. Marchand reported in mid-January the league was also in discussions with Apple that would see some games broadcast on that company’s streaming service, Apple TV+.
The Apple contract has yet to be finalized, Marchand hears, although he writes that ultimately “the expectation is that Apple and NBC would both be involved this year.” The league is targeting a combined sum in the $100MM — $150MM range between those two potential arrangements, with Apple expected to foot the majority of that bill.
Those potential broadcasting agreements are obviously set against a backdrop of broad uncertainty about the 2022 season itself. The parties are amidst their eighth straight day of collective bargaining negotiations as the lockout drags on. Latest reports cast a glimmer of hope as the sides have made some progress on key issues, but there remains plenty of ground to cover for a deal to be reached. The league has maintained that a CBA must be in place by tonight to avoid cancelation of regular season games. It remains to be seen whether late-night progress would mollify MLB’s stance, but the league expressed a willingness to lose a month’s worth of regular season contests during talks this afternoon.
More money for the second wealthiest sports league in the world.
It’s interesting that MLB likes to revenue share with each other at various percentages, but they have little interest in revenue-sharing agreements with the players.
Carry on, poor owners.
Like two dudes gonna sign half a billion dollar contracts this offseason maybe the Union should force them to profit share
Soooo, I hate to spoil the surprise, but you know that just because they sign doesn’t mean they get all that money right away, right? It takes, like, 13 years, during which it’s spread out, and oftentimes, it’s deferred to some degree.
Oh no, they will have to suffer on 30 million or more a year?!?! They play a game for a living, I have zero sympathy for them as they sit in their 1% mansions with their generational wealth (for playing a game).
As opposed to a 100 million dollar yacht?
What irreplaceable skill do you possess?
RoastGobot – Well said
RoastGobot – Horribly said. Why should players pay other players’ salaries? That the teams’ responsibility.
szc55 – It’s a game when kids play it. MLB is an $11B industry, and the players are the best in the world at providing highly valued skills. They are the workers and the product, so them getting compensated highly makes sense. If the players don’t get paid, the owners keep the money.
Who actually watches random weekday baseball games? Most people, myself included, watch their own team on their respective RSN. And if youre on this site, most likely you have MLB.tv/app or a way to watch every game already.
I have MLB.TV and I watch it nightly.
Does anyone know how deals with Apple+ and NBC/Peacock would affect MLB.TV coverage?
Probably more blackouts… 🙁
CBS should get in and get Ganes on CBSSPORTSLINE.
All these TV networks and online platforms need content. MLB has unending content and loyal fans. Revenue will continue to rise.
Cool, so more money for the owners to not share with the players while simultaneously crying poor.
No, the owners shouldn’t have to share with players because… well, they own…stuff.
And the players should try Chick Fil A if they aren’t happy at MLB-A ! Yeah!
Didn’t stop small business owners from taking PPP aka a handout and then complaining about how people don’t want to work.
The “players should go get a ‘real’ job” comments are silly. MLB players have skills our society has deemed very valuable, so them getting paid a lot of money in an $11B industry is completely justified. No one is paying big bucks to watch kids flip burgers.
The owners take all the risks. Tony Clark was a mediocre player, but he was a lot better player than Union leader.
owners take no risks. tell me what risks as long as they agree with players to a reasonable cba.
Mo’ money mo’ problems
They should be partners but are losing fans at a crazy rate and nobody cares about either.
How about fixing the MLB.TV blackouts? Cable is dying. Get with the times or you’ll lose your fanbase. Young people don’t do cable/satelite anymore.
Young people don’t watch baseball
How are they going to broadcast games that aren’t being played?
I like Smoltz and I don’t hate Joe Buck as much as some people but I wish they would alternate networks each year for the World Series like they do with the Super Bowl. That would give us some variety.
Hating Joe Buck less than other people makes you his biggest fan.
Joe Buck is worse than Matt Vasgersian.
The biggest problem with him is that he’s on TV all the time. You never get a break…whether it’s MLB or NFL.
That is a disgusting act
@Yankee Clipper- Joe Buck is definitely Mr. Cardinal himself. He hates the Yankees so much. You can just hear it in his voice. He sickens me.
And yet Angel fans will tell you he loves the Pinstripes
Hey Matty V is great doing play by play for the Angels
But better than Tim McCarver.
what 2022 season?
Giving exclusive streaming rights to a bunch of different services that people have to subscribe to would be a great way to turn even more people off of MLB. Wow.
Doesn’t seem like they care if people actually watch. Just as long as companies pay them for the rights.
AppleTV+ and Peacock are each $5/month. This isn’t some $20 monthly fee like Netflix and HBOMax. And since they are month-to-month, it isn’t like taking a yearly cable commitment to get RSNs, ESPN or TBS games.
Not free but hardly the end of the world, and since none of the games are free on TV anymore (except games on Fox if you have over the air antennas), $5 a month represents a very good deal.
As long as the games aren’t made “special” the way YouTube presented them, which was an abomination before God. Keep the chatter to a minimum, give good angles on the play, and don’t try to be clever.
Peacock forbids Linux users on the grounds that they want ultra-aggressive DRM, so there’s a few percent of the audience unnecessarily alienated by this deal. I’m not going to buy Windows and figure out how to set up a VM just to watch their stupid streaming service, even if it does have baseball. Nor am I going to watch on my phone.
But if the games are still on MLB.TV, I’ll just wait until the blackout passes while being mildly annoyed.
Keep getting those revenue streams will playing penny pinchers with players!
Stupid agreement for a clueless league. When you have an alleged aging fan base issue, why strike broadcasting agreements with pay-to-watch channels?
Been that way for a long time. Besides Fox game of week and playoffs you aren’t watching much baseball with an antenna.
What tv network channel would that be?
Your dream I here you. I have one choice to watch games and it’s streaming.
NBC does a poor job of covering sports, I.e. the Olympics. Give them several years and
The game would be different to suit NBC….
#EndBlackouts
Yet owners cry poor
Why are they making deals when they can’t give the network the product on the field with an agreement to start playing?
I hope not, NBC is the most left wing of them all. Go with Dish Network or Fox Sports.
Yeah, I mean we certainly don’t want people thinking that maybe they’re entitled to more money for their labor. That’s just straight up anarchy.
Preview of socialism? LMAO.
Yeah, all that healthcare and lowered retirement age America is getting…. oh, wait…. what are you talking about again?
The bootlickers have been conditioned to think that anything less than people fighting for crumbs in the street is socialism.
Old people getting dental care or hearing aids WILL END OUR FREEDOM!!!!!
Kids getting pre-K will end America?
And don’t you understand?
These things which aren’t actually happening yet (ever?) are the reason we have (world wide) inflation (less than the rest of the world, though). Or something.
Finally, the “stick to sports” crowd seems confused as to their raison d’etre.
NBC and MLB would be a great match then.
Despite rumors to the contrary, MLB remains extraordinarily healthy financially.
What they need to figure out is access for all fans and to cultivate more younger fans, which gets back to access.
Hated when NBC broadcasted baseball. I remember them wishing the World Series would end in a sweep so it wouldn’t affect their Thursday night lineup.
I promise you nobody at NBC thought that, because if the Series is less than 5 games the network broadcasting the games is losing money on the venture. Any network showing the Series prays for 5-7 games played.
Please, please, please, do away with the ridiculous tv blackout policy.
Yes to rotate of Networks for All-Star Game and World Series. If Buck goes to ESPN then Michaels to Fox..
NBC is living in the past. Olympics are no longer the big ratings draw. And baseball in places outside of a few stalwart cities is losing its fan base. Who wants to watch the franchises who have no chance to even finish .500?
You may be right Mario, and the whole concept of the Olympics took a hit with the pandemic in 2020 and delaying Tokyo a full year as a result.
But keep in mind NBC bought the rights to these recent games something like 8 years ago. An Olympics (Winter or Summer) takes a decade to plan and present, and the rights are sold off at that time as well. It isn’t as if someone decided last year to put the Winter Olympics on TV, and they did work hard to provide as many hours of live (non-delayed) coverage as possible.
Manfred is destroying baseball!
What about PBS? Would be nice to see some games on there. Maybe put some of those games like Orioles vs. Marlins or Diamondbacks vs. Colorado Rockies.
Nah put the Yanks and Mets on their. It’s free and will save their fans $$$$$ on sleeping pills
This is the best worst news of the night. Yes, the are more games to see (maybe – unless MLB lifts its blackout restrictions). But the context ruins the content. More old lame white men failing to explain baseball, unable to address the action in front of them and ruining the sport for another generation. At least hire some decent announcers and play by play people that would make a broadcast interesting. Jerry Blevins, Coco Crisp, Adrian Beltre, Stephen Vogt come to mind.
Ugh not peacock. The only streams that have been more problematic than YouTube are peacock.- they cut off early and have buffer issues to no end
This story originated with Andrew Marchand, an ESPN refugee on a Murdoch-owned tabloid that’s barely breathing. Marchand also has a recent history as guillible for whatever is planted with him.
NBC has been content to leave baseball to its RSNs and Comcast corporate might feel the same way.
They should bring back NBC Sports App, That app never had blackouts for me when NHL had an agreement with them
The reduction in ESPN broadcasts is about the best news baseball has had in a long time. There’s nothing worse than turning on the game and realizing that you have to swap out your local broadcaster with ARod. No thanks.
I read MLB was trying to launch their own network, but the article wasn’t in depth since MLBtv already exists. The issue is another company (cant remember which) has broadcast production rights but they may file for bankruptcy.
Cubs are wanting to launch their own streaming service, but mlb is balking at this.
MLB at least needs to lift the local blackout restrictions. Some local market games sell out anyway.
Isn’t this really poor timing? Like who working for NBCSports leaked the potential deal hours after the two sides during this lockdown supposedly could finalize something today? If Im part of the PA don’t I say hold up? Y’all about to bring in another 100mil+in to your collective coffers? Think we need to talk about some of that money coming our way.
You know said 100-150. MLB may need to swoop up that offer at 100 before a ruckus comes from the PA delaying games and they pull the offer completely. Kudos to saving 50mil NBC Sports.
The best part of that deal with NBC would be the potential for Bob Costas to call games again. Likely would only be the World Series, but maybe a few others as well. If you have never heard Costas call a game, it’s closer to the past greats like Vin Scully and Jack Buck
Yes agreed, I enjoy listening to him the last few years doing the game of the week on MLB network with Jim Kaat.
Bringing in more streaming services only screws the fans, ups their monthly costs and puts bags more money in the owner’s pockets. Disgusting..