Posted on 02/21/2025 4:28:14 AM PST by Libloather
It appears Major League Baseball will be off ESPN’s airwaves after the 2025 season.
The two sides “mutually agreed” to cut their national television deal short after this year, according to a memo from MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, via The Athletic.
Manfred has “not been pleased with the minimal coverage that MLB has received on ESPN’s platforms over the past several years outside of the actual live game coverage,” according to the memo.
The league and network had a March 1 deadline to opt out on a deal that would’ve extended their partnership through the 2028 season.
ESPN will continue to broadcast the 2025 Home Run Derby, Sunday Night Baseball, its wild-card round games and other MLB rights through this season.
The parties could still reportedly come to terms on a new deal, though Manfred noted the league is talking to “several interested parties.”
ESPN, who currently pays MLB $550 million per season for broadcast rights, was recently looking to revise the current deal, The Athletic reported earlier this month.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
It’s the DH. Casual fans don’t know what it is but it isn’t baseball. I’ve given up.
Per usual, will watch the first few weeks and then wake me in September
I haven’t watched the game since the Red Sox were in the World Series
Watching insufferable ESPN broadcasts was impossible for me. 90 percent of the MLB games I’ve followed have been radio broadcasts. I like the Reds and we have a good radio crew.
It will be a difficult season for Brewer’s radio fans.
Designated Hitter
Defense not allowed to shift
Stupid extra inning rules
Baseball ain’t baseball anymore
Hockey is fast and the TV (Android) app can't keep up with the video feed, so it's full of jitters and poor picture quality. Sometimes it just crashes the TV and everything gets a reboot. The app for iOS runs great. Go figure.
The internet is full of complaints like mine and ESPN (Disney) has a crappy development program that makes their Android application a POS.
I hope baseball fans get a better service platform than ESPN can offer.
I agree! I hated the ESPN broadcasts!
See the new electronic strike zone yet? Umpires? Yer out!
Cubs pitcher Poteet wins first challenge in MLB’s ABS test
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story?id=43943161
“Chicks dig the long ball.”
I’d rather watch The Savannah Bananas.
The kind of people that enjoy baseball are the same people that have gotten rid of cable long ago. No ESPN.
Woke vs woke - DKDC. Let ‘em both croak.
Screw ESPN, a vile bunch of woke East Coast liberal sacks of shit.
The day that company dies will be a day of celebration .
What’s DH?.............
1912?
MLB better come up with an enormous contract to replace the $5oo m they were getting from ESPN, to fund Soto at $50 m /year for 10 years. I wonder what Disney stock does on the news.
ESPN is owned by Disney.
I’m a huge baseball fan, but I buy the MLB Network season package and watch and listen to all the different TV and radio broadcasts around the league. Could care less about ESPN.
I knew the DH is now in both leagues, but didn’t know about the the other two changes. I guess it’s been awhile since I watched a game...
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