MLB Eyes 2028 for Radical Shift in Local Media Rights
Major League Baseball is targeting 2028 as the year to possibly overhaul the structure of its local media rights deals, with Commissioner Rob Manfred seeking to aggregate enough teams to sell a package of local broadcast rights to a major tech player like Amazon or Google.
The proposed system aims to eliminate blackout restrictions and streamline the viewing experience for fans, creating a centralized platform for local MLB broadcasts and doing away with the requirement for traditional pay-TV subscriptions.
Giants Express Openness to Nationalized Media Rights Plan
San Francisco Giants CEO Larry Baer has signaled the team’s openness to bundling its local media rights with other franchises for sale to a national streaming platform. According to Puck, Baer stated last week that the Giants are “very open” to the idea, suggesting that the majority of teams share a similar sentiment.
Small, Medium Market Teams Stand to Gain
The arrangement is notably attractive for small and medium-market teams, which stand to gain greater revenue from a nationalized local rights package compared to current deals with regional sports networks, many of which are facing financial difficulties and reducing rights payments.
Convincing Large Market Teams Remains a Challenge
Gaining full support for the plan will require overcoming challenges, particularly among large-market teams. Franchises like the Los angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees have highly valuable local rights agreements and would likely need important financial incentive to abandon their existing arrangements and join a nationalized deal. A complete package of local rights is only as appealing as the teams included, making big-market buy-in essential.
MLB Faces Years of Negotiations Ahead
The Giants own about one-third of their regional sports network, NBC Sports Bay Area, which recently began streaming games on Peacock. With several years remaining before firm commitments are needed from teams, Manfred aims to secure the support of as many clubs as possible, improving the overall value of the league’s bundled local media rights package.
MLB Media Rights Overhaul: Your Burning Questions Answered
The MLB is considering a major shift in how you watch your favorite team, and it all boils down to local media rights. Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening:
Q&A
Q: What’s the core idea behind MLB’s plan for 2028?
A: MLB wants to bundle local broadcast rights from multiple teams and sell them as a package to tech giants like Amazon or Google. This would create a centralized streaming platform for local games, eliminating blackouts.
Q: Why is this change being considered?
A: To modernize the viewing experience for fans, provide more revenue for teams, and potentially rescue struggling regional sports networks (RSNs).Manny RSNs are experiencing financial difficulties, leading to reduced payments to teams.
Q: Who benefits most from this proposed change?
A: small and medium-market teams are expected to benefit the most. A nationalized package could generate more revenue than their current agreements with RSNs.
Q: What’s the biggest hurdle MLB faces?
A: Getting buy-in from large-market teams like the Dodgers and Yankees. These teams have lucrative local rights deals and would need compelling financial incentives to join the national package.
Q: What’s the Giants’ stance on this?
A: The san Francisco Giants are “very open” to the idea of bundling their local media rights, potentially setting an example for other teams.
Q: What’s the timeline for this plan?
A: MLB is targeting 2028 for the overhaul. Commissioner Rob manfred has several years to secure team support and negotiate deals.
Q: What about blackouts? Will I be able to watch any game, anywhere?
A: The goal is to eliminate blackout restrictions, meaning you could watch your team nonetheless of your location. This would be a major win for fans.
Q: Does this mean I can ditch my cable subscription?
A: Potentially, yes! The plan aims to deliver local MLB broadcasts via a streaming platform, eliminating the need for conventional pay-TV subscriptions.
Q: What’s the connection with Peacock?
A: The Giants, who own a portion of NBC Sports Bay Area, are already streaming games on Peacock, offering a glimpse into the future of local MLB viewing.
Stay tuned as MLB navigates these complex negotiations. The future of watching baseball is on the line!
