As had been widely expected, ESPN has officially decided to opt out of its Major League Baseball rights deal after the 2025 season. “We are grateful for our longstanding relationship with Major League Baseball and proud of how ESPN’s coverage super-serves fans.

ESPN's coverage of Major League Baseball games will conclude at the end of the 2025 season. Both parties agreed to end their national television deal early, a person with knowledge of the decision said Thursday. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because an announcement had not been made.

ESPN's coverage of Major League Baseball games — at least in its current form — will conclude at the end of the 2025 season. ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro informed MLB commissioner Rob Manfred Thursday morning that the network was opting out of the final three years of its contract,

Amid a shifting landscape of regional sports networks, the sides agreed not to extend the deal before their self-imposed March 1 deadline.

Disney’s ESPN and Major League Baseball are breaking up after nearly 40 years together, a sign of how even the most durable content relationships have come under scrutiny in the streaming era, with sports rights increasing and entertainment conglomerates left to figure out how to pay the bill.

MLB and ESPN are reportedly ending their partnership. ESPN began broadcasting MLB games in 1990, and they reached a new seven-year deal in 2021. They had until March 1 to opt out of the agreement's final three years.