Apple TV+ Reportedly Abandoning MLB Coverage

Apple is apparently set to exit its partnership with Major League Baseball and discontinue its "Friday Night Baseball" package on Apple TV+.

Apple first entered Major League Baseball in March 2022 with a seven-year agreement valued at roughly $85 million per year, which granted it exclusive global streaming rights to two Friday night games each week on ‌Apple TV‌+. The deal was originally scheduled to run through 2029, but Yahoo Sports' Kendall Baker now says that Apple has exercised an early opt-out provision, allowing the company to end its involvement before the contract's planned expiration.

Apple's exit from baseball arrives less than three full seasons into its seven-year arrangement, marking a rare early termination of a major streaming sports contract. Baker described the new arrangement as "close to being done."

The shift would see Apple leave Major League Baseball coverage entirely. Baker reported that NBCUniversal, through its Peacock streaming service, is expected to assume the Friday night slot as well as gain rights to Sunday exclusive games and the Wild Card round. Disney's ESPN is said to be in advanced negotiations to acquire the MLB.TV direct-to-consumer service, while Netflix is reportedly set to secure the rights to stream the annual Home Run Derby.

The early termination would represent a significant retreat from one of Apple's highest-profile sports investments to date. When the partnership was announced in 2022, it was framed as an important part of Apple's video streaming strategy, intended to expand the ‌Apple TV‌+ offering beyond scripted entertainment into live sports. At the time, Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Services, described the deal as an opportunity to provide fans with "the best seat in the house."

Apple's most prominent remaining sports deal is the 10-year global agreement with Major League Soccer, signed in 2023 and valued at an estimated $2.5 billion. The MLS Season Pass package is available exclusively through ‌Apple TV‌+.

In addition to MLS, Apple has held discussions with other leagues and rights holders. The company was previously linked to negotiations for NFL Sunday Ticket, which ultimately went to YouTube, and explored packages with the English Premier League and the Pac-12 conference. Multiple reports suggest that Apple is currently in talks to acquire Formula 1 streaming rights in the United States.