MLB’s Sunday morning package could leave Peacock for new home: Sources

MLB’s Sunday morning baseball on Peacock could be going, going, gone, executives briefed on the negotiations told The Athletic.

MLB expects to continue the Sunday morning games, known on Peacock as “MLB Sunday Leadoff,” with a new service, according to an executive briefed on the negotiations. The executive said the league and an unnamed platform are closing in on an agreement, which would begin this season. The executive declined to identify what service because negotiations were not finalized.

Last year, Peacock’s 19-game schedule began on April 23. MLB has flexibility when it can start with the new entity, which will likely result in a later first airing of games. Peacock has had the package for two seasons.

Comcast/NBC, which runs Peacock, remains interested in a deal but for less than the $30 million per season it previously paid, according to executives with knowledge of the negotiations. Talks have been stagnant.

“Our initiative with Peacock was a valuable experience with a collaborative partner in our ongoing effort to explore a variety of streaming offerings for our fans as their consumption habits continue to evolve,” an MLB spokesperson said in a statement to The Athletic.

An NBC Sports spokesperson declined to comment.

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Peacock is one of the several alternative outlets that MLB has had national relationships with, including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and Apple. Peacock’s setup was probably the most creative in terms of presentation, even though NBC is unable to justify the same cost.

The Peacock games had 11:35 a.m. or 12:05 p.m. ET start times and featured a national play-by-player, like Brendan Burke, teamed with analysts who had ties to each team playing in the game.

The setup gave Peacock an exclusive window as the rest of the day’s slate was prohibited from having starting times earlier than 1:30 p.m. For upcoming Sunday games, the earliest time listed is 1:35 p.m. The package only has so much appeal because they are regular-season games, with the same matchup in the prior days of the series.

The playoffs and the All-Star Games are already in the hands of Fox, TNT Sports and ESPN, which hampers any current rights talks since those are the sport’s most marquee national events.

ESPN pays $550 million per season for first-round playoff games, “Sunday Night Baseball” and the All-Star Break’s Home Run Derby. After the 2025 season, ESPN has an opt-out of its contract, which it is expected to use to negotiate a lower rate or additional programming or to escape from the deal, according to executives briefed on their current plans.

Fox Sports, which has the World Series, is in the midst of a seven-year deal for around $5.1 billion that runs through the 2028 season. TNT Sports, which has a large MLB playoff package, including a league championship series, also has a deal that runs through 2028 for $470 million per year. Fox has exclusive Saturday games of the week, while TBS — part of TNT Sports — has Tuesday night games, which are often on local TV in home markets.

MLB has exclusive games on Apple TV+ on Friday nights. They are in the third year of a seven-year contract valued at $85 million per season.

MLB is also dealing with the disintegrating cable bundle that has had a major impact on its regional sports networks. While some outlets, like the New York Yankees’ YES Network and the New York Mets’ SNY, are still doing well, many smaller markets are struggling as Sinclair’s Diamond Sports deals with its bankruptcy process. This has led MLB to investigate how to package the bulk of its regional games in the future.

Meanwhile, Peacock has invested in the NFL, spending $110 million to air an extra NFL playoff game last season. It will stream an opening NFL weekend Friday night game between the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles from Brazil this September. Peacock has one game in its overall package and the Packers-Eagles will be the one this season. An NBC Sports spokesperson declined to say if the network added more money for the marquee matchup to start the season.

While Peacock continues with football, it is likely done with MLB for now. The games will go on — where and when is still to be determined.

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(Photo of the Milwaukee Brewers’ William Contreras celebrating a home run during 2023’s final “MLB Sunday Leadoff” game on Peacock last September: Stacy Revere / Getty Images)