FOX Sports and Major League Baseball have reached a new multiyear, multiplatform rights agreement expanding the network's television, digital and Spanish-language rights and cementing FOX Sports as the home to baseball's marquee events for the next decade. The agreement was announced today by Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. and Executive Chairman of 21CF Lachlan Murdoch.
FOX Sports and FOX Deportes maintain the television rights to MLB's jewel events, including serving as the exclusive television broadcast partner of the World Series, one League Championship Series, two Division Series and the All-Star Game. The network's League Championship Series and Division Series coverage will remain the same as it's been since 2014, alternating leagues each season. As in previous agreements, MLB Network will continue to have the rights to two games from the League's Division Series that FOX is airing. Under terms of the new deal, FOX Sports will also expand its digital rights.
Under the new agreement, FOX Sports continues its Saturday regular-season broadcast windows -- two per Saturday (52 total) -- with highlights packages as well as MLB-centric programs and Spanish-language rights through FOX Deportes. Beginning in 2022, the amount of regular-season and postseason games televised by the FOX broadcast network will increase.
In addition, the new MLB and FOX agreement will include expanded streaming, social media and highlight rights. FOX also will televise special event games to be determined over the term of the agreement.
"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 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."
"Since we began our historic partnership with Major League Baseball more than 20 years ago, MLB games on FOX have provided some of the most iconic moments in American sports," said Murdoch. "This significant multi-year agreement not only cements FOX's role as Major League Baseball's number one broadcast partner, it ensures that FOX will remain America's leader in live sports well into the future."
"Major League Baseball has been a cornerstone of FOX Sports since 1996," said FOX Sports CEO and Executive Producer, Eric Shanks. "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."
FOX Sports has been a national MLB rights-holder since 1996 and the sport's exclusive national broadcast partner since 2001. To date, FOX Sports has carried 21 World Series and 23 All-Star Games since its inaugural national rights deal with MLB.