Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby could be heading to a streaming service next year as part of negotiations on new TV rights deals.
Netflix has emerged as a potential landing spot for the Home Run Derby starting in 2026, according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. Those rights are available after MLB walked away from its deal with ESPN earlier this year.
MLB has also been in discussions with NBC and Apple for the rights to “Sunday Night Baseball,” but the Home Run Derby appears likely to be separated from that package. A one-off event like the derby fits Netflix’s strategy, as they have also used it to acquire one-off Christmas Day games from the NFL.
The Home Run Derby is not the marquee event it once was for MLB. The league often struggles to get star players to participate, and is constantly changing the format to try to make it flow more smoothly. Players are still capable of putting on a show, but the length of the event can be a big drawback.
ESPN has aired the Home Run Derby since 1993, and has shown it live since 1998. That appears almost certain to change in 2026 and beyond.
