Unless we see a change in ESPN’s stance with a new offer, the network will officially exit the baseball business after opting out of its media rights deal with MLB. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred shared his thoughts on the departure, acknowledging the change in partnership.
While the league initially framed the breakup as mutual, the truth is it was ESPN’s decision to opt out, marking the end of baseball’s games on the network by the 2025 season. This decision to exit the last three years was reportedly due to ESPN’s attempt to reduce its rights payments to MLB from $550 million to $200 million.
Manfred expressed his sentiments in a memo obtained by Evan Drellich of The Athletic, stating that MLB felt accepting a smaller deal wouldn’t be advantageous: “It wouldn’t be beneficial to accept a smaller deal to remain on a shrinking platform.” During his appearance on Mad Dog Unleashed with Chris Russo, he further elaborated on the implications of losing ESPN as a partner, pointing out a lack of proper coverage for the sport.
When asked by Russo if he was surprised by ESPN’s decision to opt out, Manfred replied, “I didn’t have to see it, I could read it. There were leaks going back a year. It’s unfortunate that was the mode of communication…we had been reading leaks for over a year before that phone call took place.” This dissatisfaction began with the end of Baseball Tonight, leading to further issues regarding the sport’s visibility on ESPN’s platforms.
Despite the issues, Manfred noted, “Having said that, did we want to be partners with them? Yes. But taking less money… I said this publicly because I said it to them. They stepped up for the NBA. They stepped up for football. To come back to us and say we want to cut you… We felt like we were being treated disrespectfully, particularly when you listen to their own marketing rhetoric around baseball.” He acknowledged the league’s appeal in various demographics but lamented the unfortunate situation that led to the split.
“Were you surprised when ESPN said they wanted to opt out of the contract… or did you see it coming?” –@MadDogUnleashed
“Well I didn’t have to see it. I could read it. There were leaks going back a year. [It’s] unfortunate that was the mode of communication.” -Rob Manfred 👀 pic.twitter.com/usgq9rxp2Y
— Mad Dog Sports Radio (@MadDogRadio) March 26, 2025
Although ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro recently stated that the network is “open to re-engaging” with MLB, Manfred does not sound particularly hopeful about this possibility. Unless ESPN significantly improves its offer from the suggested $200 million annual payment, it seems likely that Manfred will explore options with other networks.
