ESPN and MLB to end their relationship after 2025 season . The two have been working together since 1990, but MLB announced that they will not continue their agreement due to disagreements over rights fees.

MLB stated that ESPN wanted to pay less money for the rights to broadcast games, even though baseball continues to attract strong viewership. The league was not happy with this request and decided to move on. ESPN, on the other hand, defended its decision, saying that it needed to be financially responsible while also continuing to provide coverage of sports in different ways.

A source told CNN that the split was not a mutual decision. According to this source, ESPN had an opt-out clause in its contract and chose to use it, which was a surprise to MLB. ESPN’s deal with MLB was worth around $550 million per season and was originally set to last until 2028. Under this deal, ESPN aired 30 national games each year, including “Sunday Night Baseball,” the season’s opening night game, and the Home Run Derby.

Live sports rights have become very valuable in recent years because sports are one of the few things that still draw large TV audiences. MLB believes that with rising interest in baseball, it will be able to find a new media partner that is willing to pay more for the rights to broadcast games.

In 2024, MLB had its highest attendance in seven years, with more than 71.3 million fans attending games. Viewership also increased, including for ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball,” which has been one of the most important games of the week for many years. MLB credits rule changes and exciting young talent for the increase in fan engagement.

The league is confident that it will find a new broadcasting partner for the 2026 season. It plans to explore deals with both traditional TV networks and streaming services that may want to air MLB games.

Although ESPN will no longer have the same deal with MLB, the network is open to working with baseball in other ways. However, ESPN also has other sports to focus on, such as the NHL Playoffs and the rising popularity of the WNBA. A source from ESPN said that the cost of the MLB deal was no longer worth it for the number of games the network was receiving in return.

This decision marks a major change for sports broadcasting. MLB is betting that it can get a better deal elsewhere, while ESPN is adjusting its priorities to focus on other sports. Fans will have to wait and see what the future holds for baseball on TV.