For the first time in decades, the first pitch of the MLB season won’t be seen on traditional broadcast television. In a landmark move that signals a new era for baseball broadcasting, Major League Baseball has announced a three-year partnership with Netflix that will see the streaming giant carry the season’s Opening Day game exclusively, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand.
The inaugural Netflix broadcast will feature a coast-to-coast showdown between the San Francisco Giants and the New York Yankees on March 25, 2026. But this historic shift is more than just a programming note — it’s a paradigm shift in how America’s pastime is delivered to fans.
The streaming swing
The driving force behind the deal? Money — and lots of it.
Marchand writes that the “exact figures for the MLB-Netflix and MLB-NBC/Peacock three-year deals are not yet known, but are expected to be in the $225 million to $250 million per season range.”
With ESPN set to step away from MLB coverage after the 2025 season, Netflix is stepping in. It will claim Opening Day and will potentially land other marquee events such as the Field of Dreams Game, MLB Speedway and the fan-favorite Home Run Derby during All-Star week.
What this means for fans
For the everyday baseball fan, however, this change comes with a price tag. Literally.
Starting next season, watching certain MLB games will require a Netflix subscription, which ranges from $7.99 to $24.99 per month. These Netflix-broadcasted games will be exclusive to the platform and will fall outside traditional sports packages.
The shift also likely signals a broader transformation. Within the next decade, we could see a full migration of MLB content away from cable and broadcast networks toward a streaming-first model.
The future of baseball is online
This move mirrors a growing trend across professional sports — chasing the money and the market where viewers already are: online. With traditional broadcast ratings slipping and cord-cutting on the rise, leagues like the NFL, NBA and MLB are finding new homes — and big paydays — with streaming platforms.
In a world where entertainment consumption is becoming increasingly personalized and on demand, baseball is making sure it doesn’t get left behind.
When the umpire shouts “Play ball!” next spring, fans won’t be turning on their TVs — they’ll be opening their apps.