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Netflix is stepping into live sports in a major way, with Major League Baseball handing the streaming giant its Opening Day spotlight. According to a report in The Athletic, Netflix will exclusively stream the New York Yankees’ March 25, 2026, opener against the San Francisco Giants.
The primetime matchup will serve as the first game of the season and the streamer’s first live MLB broadcast. It is the only contest scheduled that day, with the rest of the league opening the following afternoon.
The move is part of a reported three-year rights package between MLB and Netflix that is expected to be announced in the coming weeks. While the league declined comment. Sources told The Athletic the deal will also give Netflix rights to the Home Run Derby and a share of MLB’s showcase regular-season games at special locations. That includes events such as the “Field of Dreams” game, “MLB at Rickwood Field,” and the new “MLB Speedway” matchup, which debuted this past August.
Fox Sports, which previously carried those games, may retain some event broadcasts moving forward.
The deals come after ESPN chose to opt out of the final three years of its previous contract in February. That package, worth $550 million annually, included Sunday Night Baseball, the Home Run Derby, and playoff rights. In response, MLB split the rights among multiple partners.
Netflix and NBC/Peacock picked up key pieces. NBC/Peacock will become the new home of Sunday Night Baseball, carry the first round of the playoffs, and stream late Sunday morning games—replacing Roku, as previously reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer. Peacock is also expected to carry one or two special event games annually.
Exact financial terms for the new agreements are not yet known. Sources tell The Athletic the combined MLB-Netflix and MLB-NBC/Peacock packages are expected to land in the $225 million to $250 million per season range.
Meanwhile, ESPN is set to stay heavily involved. The network will license MLB.TV’s out-of-market package and five local team in-market packages while also adding 30 exclusive national weekday games. ESPN’s new deal is projected to total the same $1.65 billion that was lost from its original opt-out.
For Netflix, the Opening Day stage marks a significant expansion into live sports. The company already secured the rights to the World Baseball Classic in Japan next spring, underscoring its broader global ambitions.
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