ESPN MLB announcer Boog Sciambi recently shared intriguing insights regarding the opt-out clause that may terminate the current broadcast deal after this season. In a segment on Spiegel & Holmes on Chicago’s 670 The Score, he disclosed that the league was the one that originally proposed the opt-out. Now, it’s clear that ESPN took advantage of this option, thereby concluding the partnership before the deal was set to expire in 2028.
“The league made a mistake, right? Because the league was the one that initially offered or asked for the opt-out, and then ultimately, ESPN got one as well,” Sciambi said. “It was a major mistake because if they hadn’t done an opt-out, then MLB would be locked into $550 million for this year, plus two or three more years.”
Boog Sciambi on ESPN and MLB ending their television rights deal: “The league made a mistake, because the league was the one that initially offered or asked for the opt-out. And then ultimately ESPN got one as well. It was a major mistake.”
Listen: https://t.co/o1boZwULxu pic.twitter.com/rYttjQKocZ
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) February 26, 2025
This revelation aligns with the sentiment that MLB commissioner Rob Manfred was dissatisfied with the diminishing baseball coverage on ESPN. Nevertheless, Sciambi remains optimistic, believing the two entities could renegotiate a fresh deal. “I think they can go back to the table. It’s not done until it’s done,” he remarked.
Moreover, he added, “Personally, I believe the league probably needs ESPN a bit more than vice versa. Regardless of how opinions on ESPN have shifted, it remains the primary destination for sports fans to catch games. Take the instance of the NHL; while not featured on ESPN, it effectively vanished from public attention. Baseball could miss out on viewership if not on ESPN, as data reveals that the same event broadcast simultaneously on ESPN tends to attract higher ratings than on other networks like TBS or TNT. Thus, I am confident that the league and ESPN will ultimately reach an agreement. While I can’t say it’s guaranteed, it would be disappointing otherwise.”
At present, ESPN holds the rights to exclusive Sunday Night Baseball broadcasts, along with an Opening Day lineup, the Home Run Derby, and the new Wild Card postseason round.
The $550 million cost for these rights (in addition to lesser items such as ESPN Radio’s postseason coverage and an ESPN+ “Game of the Day”) likely no longer seems viable, especially in light of Apple’s $85 million acquisition of a Friday night game and Roku’s $10 million deal for a Sunday morning game. However, as Sciambi pointed out, Manfred must be aware of the repercussions when a sport parts ways with the leading network.
If MLB can secure more lucrative opportunities elsewhere, they may choose to depart. If not, the league has only itself to blame for the current predicament.
