Major League Baseball has entered a new broadcasting deal that will see Netflix hosting live games for the first time. Under this three-year agreement, Netflix will have the rights to air a new Opening Night game the evening ahead of the Opening Day matchups. It will also stream the T-Mobile Home Run Derby as well as select special events during the season, including the 2026 MLB at Field of Dreams Game and the previously announced World Baseball Classic in Japan.
It’s a limited amount of content, but aligns with Netflix’s recent pushes into both live events and sports programming. Last year the streaming service inked deals to show a double-header of NFL games on Christmas Day and snagged exclusive US rights to two FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments. Netflix has previously gotten access to documentary content from the MLB, but 2026 will mark its first time showing live baseball.
The MLB deal also included some shuffling on the broadcast side, moving certain matches between ESPN and NBCUniversal properties. Apple TV will still have the rights to the Friday night games going forward. So between the growing number of platforms grabbing slices of viewership and the MLB’s existing blackout rules, in future seasons you’ll need to undertake a thorough research assignment to figure out where you can watch each game.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflix-lands-a-deal-with-mlb-to-air-select-live-baseball-games-213336003.html?src=rss
