Major League Baseball — i’s not dying, it’s not fading, it’s not gasping for air in a world of TikTok attention spans and Sunday football dominance. In fact, according to Commissioner Rob Manfred, MLB just had a banner year on the national broadcast front in 2025. That’s right — ratings are up. Way up. And not just on one platform. We’re talking across the board: TV, streaming, regional sports networks, even international viewership.
Sunday Night Baseball hits a home run on its way out
Let’s start with the biggest headline: ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball just had its best season since 2013, averaging 1.83 million viewers — that’s a 21% jump from last year. That’s not just a nice bump — that’s a grand slam in broadcast terms, especially in a year when cord-cutting is still chipping away at the old cable model like a woodpecker on Red Bull.
Fox? Same story. They pulled in 2.04 million viewers for their national broadcasts — that’s up 9% and the best they’ve done since 2022. FS1, often overlooked in the crowd, posted a 10% gain, and MLB Network saw a massive 21% surge, pulling in 232,000 viewers, its best since 2018. Even the combo platter of TBS and truTV was up 29%, landing at 462,000 viewers. Folks, when truTV is up 29%, something’s happening.
And here’s the kicker — regional sports networks — yes, those local channels that everyone said were doomed — they were up too. A modest 3% increase, sure, but in an environment where the cable model is melting faster than a popsicle in Arizona, that’s a win.
Streaming and international numbers break records
Now let’s talk streaming, because that’s where the eyeballs are heading. MLB.tv shattered its own record with 18.9 million minutes watched, a 34% increase. That’s not just healthy growth — that’s proof that baseball is finding new life in the on-demand, binge-watching era.
Even Japan got in on the action. NHK reported its best-ever regular-season MLB viewership, with an average of 2.65 million viewers, a 20% increase. That’s a whole lotta people tuning in across the Pacific, and it shows that baseball’s global footprint is expanding.
NBC, Netflix, and ESPN reshape the 2026 MLB broadcast battlefield
Here’s where it gets really interesting — and where the chess game comes into play. Starting in 2026, MLB’s media landscape is getting a makeover. ESPN is stepping back from Sunday Night Baseball, handing the torch to NBC and Peacock, who shelled out a reported $200 million annually. That includes the Wild Card round and a Sunday morning slot that had been over on Roku. Yes, Roku had baseball. You blinked and missed it. NBC didn’t — and they pounced.
And guess who’s stepping up to the plate for the Home Run Derby? None other than Netflix, in a reported $50 million deal. That’s right — the platform that brought you Stranger Things and Drive to Survive is now bringing you dingers. You want younger audiences? You go where they live.
ESPN isn’t gone, though. They’re holding onto midweek games and in-market rights for six teams, including the newly added Mariners. Plus, they’ll keep licensing MLB.tv’s out-of-market games. It’s a compromise, but it keeps the brand in the mix — and keeps baseball in front of ESPN’s loyal sports-hungry audience.
Rob Manfred summed it up like this: “We increased our reach and really positioned ourselves really well.” And he’s not wrong. With NBC on board, Netflix dipping a toe in the batter’s box, and ESPN still in the picture, MLB has successfully retooled for the new media age — and the ratings prove it.
So, if you thought baseball was on life support — think again. The league isn’t just surviving the media shake-up — it’s swinging for the fences. And folks, they’re connecting.
