ESPN's coverage of Major League Baseball games will conclude at the end of the 2025 season, it was announced on Thursday.

Commissioner Rob Manfred sent a memo to all 30 clubs informing them MLB is opting out of a broadcast partnership with ESPN following the 2025 season. According to The Athletic, Manfred cited ESPN’s request to lower the rights fees as a key catalyst while arguing the network hasn’t done enough to highlight the sport.

Major League Baseball and ESPN "mutually agreed" to part ways and end their national television deal after the upcoming 2025 season.

ESPN and Major League Baseball will no longer be partners following the 2025 season, as the sides agreed to mutually opt out of their broadcast contract Thursday.

Amid a shifting landscape of regional sports networks, the sides agreed not to extend the deal before their self-imposed March 1 deadline.

In what was announced as a mutual breakup of two longtime media partners, Major League Baseball and ESPN announced they would opt out of their contract ahead of their March deadline to do so. ESPN has aired MLB games since 1990,

ESPN's coverage of Major League Baseball games will conclude at the end of the 2025 season. Both parties agreed to end their national television deal early, a person with knowledge of the decision said Thursday.

ESPN will likely hang up its baseball mitts after 36 seasons. The cable sports giant failed to renegotiate contract terms with the league.

The sports giant sought to reduce the rights fees it paid the league; MLB to seek new rights deal for 2026 season.

ESPN and Major League Baseball mutually agreed to part ways and end their decades-long partnership after the 2025 season, the league announced on Thursday, a little less than a month before the start of the season.