Analysis: MLB broadcast rights worth $1.6bn despite TV disruption

Analysis: MLB broadcast rights worth $1.6bn despite TV disruption | Advanced Television

Ampere Analysis estimates the value of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) regional broadcast rights at $1.6 billion (€1.4bn) in 2026, accounting for 43 per cent of the league’s total $3.7 billion broadcast rights revenue.

The contribution remains substantial despite the disruption to regional sports networks (RSNs), which traditionally broadcast teams’ games to local audiences outside national television packages.

Key findings:

Rooted in linear cable, regional sports networks (RSNs) have come under increasing pressure from cord-cutting, as US households move away from traditional pay-TV towards streaming.
o Over the past four years, 13 of MLB’s 30 teams have lost their regional sports network partner, including 12 following the bankruptcies of Diamond Sports and Main Street Sports Group.
o Ampere estimates that US pay-TV households will fall from 96 million in 2016 to 65 million by the end of 2026, while streaming households will increase from 57 million to 112 million over the same period.
MLB.tv has taken on responsibility for broadcasting local games for affected teams which has contributed to the robustness of the regional rights income. In the 2026 season, it holds regional broadcast rights for 14 of the league’s 30 teams.
Most of the remaining teams have more lucrative regional television arrangements. Teams in larger, more populous markets have a bigger pool of fans and potential regional sports network customers.
Ampere estimates that the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees alone account for 23 per cent of total MLB regional rights fees.
Ampere estimates that in total, the 14 teams partnered with MLB.tv currently account for roughly 30 per cent of all regional non-advertising TV revenue. These teams previously had more lucrative agreements with their regional broadcast partners, with MLB.tv currently providing an interim solution.
Greater revenue sharing between teams may be introduced following the expiry of the collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association at the end of this year. This could reduce the television revenue gap between teams in smaller and larger markets.
MLB wants to centralise local broadcast rights at its next media rights cycle in 2028. This could allow the rights to be sold collectively to a streaming platform, potentially on a national basis.
Ampere expects US pay-TV households to decline further to 58 million by 2031, while streaming households will reach 120 million.
A consolidated package of local MLB rights would offer a substantial volume of games to broadcasters interested in one of the ‘big four’ US sports leagues.
The disruption to regional sports networks has also affected the NBA and NHL. Main Street Sports Group held regional rights for 13 NBA teams, which have had to find new broadcast arrangements ahead of the coming season. Meanwhile, DAZN has acquired regional streaming rights involving several NBA teams in 2026.

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