[ESPN] ESPN & MLB reach fan-focused new agreement ft. national & local rights collection. In ’26, ESPN becomes exclusive MLB.TV rights holder. Plus, exclusive local in-market rights to 6 MLB Clubs (includes Padres) & a 30-game exclusive package produced by ESPN.

34 comments

  2. Interesting. I wouldn’t have guessed ESPN. Watch any of their shows today, even during baseball season and they BARELY talk about baseball.

  6. For those that enjoy mlb.tv/padres tv this is not good.

    ESPN / mlb are trying to monopolize baseball and force fans into multiple streaming contracts to watch your favorite big league team play in a parks across the country built with public funds.

    This is end game capitalism

  7. How much money is going to the padres? Can we sign schwarber, king, and cease? If not than this means nothing to me

  8. Per the article it states;

    MLB.TV on ESPN App

    MLB.TV and its thousands of out-of-market games each year will stream live and on-demand on the ESPN App. The games will also be available on MLB platforms in 2026. New MLB.TV subscribers will be able to purchase and stream the service through the enhanced ESPN App and enjoy its suite of interactive features and functionalities – alongside more than 50,000 other sports events and content from ESPN’s family of networks. Both new and existing MLB.TV subscribers will have the ability to access the service on the ESPN App and through MLB platforms.

    Additionally, ESPN has acquired exclusive, local in-market streaming rights for MLB Clubs. The MLB Clubs currently include the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians, Seattle Mariners, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. In 2026, the games will be available to purchase and stream on MLB platforms.

  11. Hopefully it pays the team near the amount diamond was paying the team ($60 million), the team has been getting around $20 million since the bankruptcy.

  14. I heard about this a longtime ago but the news source made it seem like it was only the padres and ESPN. Also that this was a mega deal that could help the padres compete with the dodgers enormous payroll. Show me the money!!!

  15. Does this mean we have a tv deal now? Do we have an additional revenue stream for the padres?

  18. God I hate ESPN so much. They’re going to promote the shit out of their stupid ESPN Bet platform. We’re all going to be listening to the worst ESPN broadcasters fantasy lineups and parlays before every game now.

  21. Let me know if the Padres get any money from this so they can sign some dudes this offseason.

  22. So we’d use the ESPN app now to watch Padres baseball?

    It’s all very confusing, is ESPN the RSN now?

  23. I avoid ESPN as much as possible. I catch highlights 90% of the time, and I think a lot of fans do the same. It can’t be good for MLB.

    The only NBA I consume is Inside the NBA. I won’t watch it as much because I don’t want to pay for Peacock.

  24. I’m out of market and got a free mlb.tv subscription via T-mobile. I’m guessing that deal will probably not happen this season 🙁

    Don and Mud are back though right?

  29. I’m not certain what this means but it sounds like I might be a pirates fan of sorts in 2026 knowing how terrible ESPN is.

  30. Idk bout yall but I’ve had to illegally stream games for the past few seasons, so I’m going to be optimistic for now

  34. For the padres.tv people there seems to be no change.  

    For the cable watchers there is no news on it 

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