In a league desperately trying to modernize, some dinosaurs still roam freely. MLB is chasing relevance, reach, and revenue, but the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers seem more interested in hoarding their empires than saving the sport. As Commissioner Rob Manfred stares down a $1.5 billion misstep, the two biggest brands in baseball are acting like they’re too big to fail—and too proud to help. We know that the Dodgers and the Yankees are like the biggest teams in baseball, but are they bigger than the MLB? With the way things are going, they might as well be.
The MLB had a big plan of having the TV Deals of all 30 teams at some point in the next few years, but the Yankees and the Dodgers are the biggest threat to that dream the MLB has. This is not just us saying it; it was said by Sportscaster Lee Hackshaw Hamilton when he said, “Teams like the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, and Dodgers … are not giving those rights back to baseball.” And after the ESPN breakup, Rob Manfred and MLB will want to do something big and prove that they can handle things on their own. The only thing stopping them is big teams.
If Major League Baseball could centralize all 30 teams’ TV rights, it’d be a broadcasting goldmine. Unified control means better national deals, more consistent exposure, and a future-proof streaming platform. But for teams like the Yankees and Dodgers, it smells like a revenue heist. Why share billions when your local TV deal already prints money?
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 22: Major League Baseball Executive Vice President Rob Manfred speaks at a news conference at MLB headquarters on November 22, 2011 in New York City. Commissioner Bud Selig announced a new five-year labor agreement between Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
These powerhouse franchises built kingdoms with cable cash and don’t want MLB holding the keys. Surrendering rights means surrendering leverage, local branding, and autonomy over game distribution. For the Dodgers and Yankees, that’s sacrilege wrapped in a contract. They’d rather guard their turf than help the league grow a unified media empire.
But here’s the rub—MLB is flailing after ESPN walked, and no one’s paying full price. Manfred’s regret echoes loudly as negotiations stall and partners balk. Without a full inventory of games to sell, the league can’t offer premium value. The longer the league stays fragmented, the weaker its future becomes. And that’s the paradox: baseball’s richest teams might be its poorest allies. As the sport teeters on a media crossroads, the Yankees and Dodgers are clinging to their castles, while the league tries to build a city.
If MLB wants to survive the streaming age, it needs unity, not ego. But try telling that to billionaires with their own broadcast kingdoms. Until then, the league isn’t running a media empire, it’s running a group project where the smartest kids won’t share their notes.
The ESPN regret might not last that long with two giants swinging for rights at MLB
No one stays single for long when the league in question is MLB. One door closes, and suddenly there’s a line of billion-dollar brands holding bouquets and broadcast proposals. The ink isn’t even dry on ESPN’s exit, yet Apple and NBC are already suiting up, ready to turn baseball’s prime time spotlight into their own streaming spectacle. Turns out, MLB still calls the shots—and the shots are expensive.
Major League Baseball isn’t waiting around. With ESPN walking away, new suitors are already circling the bases. Apple TV+ and NBC have emerged as frontrunners for the now-available rights package. Apple wants more than just Friday Night Baseball, and NBC sees a path back to prime time. Together, they’re chasing a bundle that includes Sunday Night Baseball, the Home Run Derby, and Wild Card games.
Apple’s current MLB deal is worth about $85 million per year. NBC is reportedly ready to spend significantly more, possibly matching ESPN’s old $550 million annually. MLB could divide the package across streamers and networks to raise total value. For MLB, this shift means younger audiences, global reach, and a stronger digital identity. Streamers get subscribers; broadcasters get relevance. Everyone wins—except maybe ESPN, left watching from the dugout.
As the dust settles, one thing is clear: MLB isn’t just playing the game; it’s rewriting the rulebook. With Apple and NBC ready to invest big, the sport’s broadcast future looks both lucrative and unpredictable. ESPN’s exit might sting now, but the bigger story is how baseball is betting on innovation over tradition. In this league, holding the rights is the real grand slam, and everyone wants a piece of the action.
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