Report: MLB, NBC Sports in Broadcast Contract Talks; League Seeking $100-150M

According to Andrew Marchand of the New York Post, Major League Baseball and NBC Sports are in talks to broadcast games in the year 2022.

NBC would put most of the games on Peacock, with MLB looking for a $100 million-$150 million totalPayout for the broadcast rights.

Apple is in talks with MLB about broadcast rights, and would pay the majority of the league's asking price, according to Marchand.

The question is if there will be anything to broadcast. The owners of the league locked out the players in a dispute over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The two sides are far apart in those negotiations.

Evan Drellich @EvanDrellich

MLB today indicated a willingness to miss a month of games and took a more threatening tone than yesterday, sources briefed on the day’s first meeting between MLB and the Players Association tell me, @Ken_Rosenthal and @FabianArdaya. Full context of conversation not yet known.

Michele Steele @MicheleSteele

Something about this feels inevitable in a sport that's more closely associated with analytics than any other - when everything *and everyone* is reduced to a number, games are expendable beyond whatever 'optimal' number has been identified. No regard for the health of the game.

MLB TV announced Monday that it would not charge customers with auto-renewing subscriptions for the upcoming season if the start of the regular season is not certain.

MLB.TV @MLBTV

Update on #MLBTV and MLB Audio subscription renewals: we will not bill for 2022 subscriptions today. Notification about renewal will occur once a new CBA is in effect. All current subscriptions will remain active until then. Subscribers, check your email for important updates.

Turner Sports, Fox and ESPN will continue to be the top three broadcasters of MLB games. Fox has regular-season games and the World Series as a part of its deal with the league, while ESPN has Sunday Night Baseball and potentially the first round of the playoffs.

Turner Sports broadcasts the other playoffs and regular season games.