Apple Emerges as Top Contender for MLB's 'Sunday Night Baseball' [Report]

Apple is reportedly a top contender to land Major League Baseball's "Sunday Night Baseball" broadcast package, according to a new report from The Athletic. The league is said to be in active negotiations with Apple, Netflix, ESPN, and NBC for a new set of broadcast rights that also includes first-round playoff games and the Home Run Derby.

The new packages are being created from the rights that ESPN opted out of in February, which were part of a deal worth an average of $550 million per year. According to officials briefed on the discussions, MLB is now looking to create and sell new packages to reach or exceed that value.

This follows earlier reports that Apple was bidding for the Sunday night package, which would significantly expand its sports footprint. The company already has a deal with the league to broadcast "Friday Night Baseball" games on Apple TV+.


The Athletic reports that while Apple and NBC/Peacock are the frontrunners for the Sunday night games and playoffs, other platforms are in the mix for different rights. Netflix has reportedly emerged as a potential destination for the Home Run Derby, and ESPN may re-enter with a new package of weekday games and a larger digital presence. The deals are all expected to be for three seasons.

That shorter-term deal length is part of a larger strategy for MLB. The league's goal is reportedly to have all of its national broadcast rights, including those for the World Series, available for bidding at the same time for the 2029 season.

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