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.