Fox Sports has extended its relationship with Major League Baseball, signing a new multi-year, multi-platform rights deal with the league through 2028.
Fox Sports will remain the exclusive home of the World Series and baseball’s All-Star game, while retaining rights to post-season coverage of one League Championship Series -- TBS will air the other LCS -- as well as coverage of two Division Series, according to the company.
Under the new agreement, FOX Sports will also continue to air 52 Saturday regular-season broadcast games with highlights packages, as well as maintain MLB-centric programs and Spanish-language rights through FOX Deportes.
Fox Broadcasting will increase its coverage of regular season and postseason games beginning in 2022, according to both parties.
“Fox Sports has been our national television partner for over 20 years and I could not be more pleased to announce the extension of our relationship through the 2028 season,” said commissioner Robert Manfred. “We value Fox Sports’ commitment to baseball and are excited to continue our partnership with this new agreement. Their innovative presentation of Major League Baseball through game telecasts and special programming across all their platforms has helped strengthen and elevate our sports’ popularity.”
On the digital side, the new agreement will include expanded streaming, social media and highlight rights. Fox will also will televise special event games to be determined over the term of the agreement.
Fox Sports’ current eight-year, reportedly $4 billion deal would have expired in 2021. Terms of the new deal were not disclosed.
“Major League Baseball has been a cornerstone of FOX Sports since 1996,” said Fox Sports CEO and executive producer, Eric Shanks in a statement. “It’s an honor to have shared countless historic moments with our viewers over the last 22 seasons. We are extremely proud to continue to be the home of Major League Baseball’s jewel events for the next decade.”
