ESPN has officially taken control of Major League Baseball’s out-of-market streaming service, MLB.tv, marking a significant step in the league’s revised media rights strategy and strengthening the broadcaster’s position in the evolving sports streaming ecosystem.

According to a Reuters report, the takeover forms a key component of the reworked agreement between Major League Baseball and ESPN. Alongside the transition, the league has also made in-market streaming subscriptions available for 20 of its 30 teams through the MLB app, widening digital access for fans at a time when traditional regional sports networks face mounting challenges.

The new arrangement follows MLB’s decision in November to finalise a short-term deal for national media rights after ESPN opted out of its expensive package for ‘Sunday Night Baseball’ and other properties last year.

While the revised agreement introduced new partners such as NBCUniversal and Netflix, it also included a fresh deal with ESPN that granted the company the rights to sell and distribute MLB.tv.

Under the new pricing structure, MLB.tv will be available for USD 149.99 for the full season for users without ESPN Unlimited, the company’s direct-to-consumer service. Subscribers to ESPN Unlimited will be able to access the service at a reduced rate of USD 134.99. Existing MLB.tv subscribers will continue with their subscriptions at the previous price through automatic renewal, and they will not be required to sign up for ESPN Unlimited.