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Netflix will stream Major League Baseball's Opening Day game for the first time next season, according to reports from The Athletic. The three-year agreement between Netflix and MLB begins with the 2026 season opener featuring the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants on March 25. This game will be the only one scheduled for that day, with the rest of the league starting their season the following day.
In addition to the Opening Day game, Netflix will stream the Home Run Derby and share rights to special event games like "Field of Dreams" and "MLB at Rickwood Field" with NBC and Peacock. Awful Announcing notes that these moves are part of MLB's strategy to expand its presence on global platforms and align with Netflix's big event strategy.
The deal follows ESPN's decision to opt out of its contract, which led MLB to reallocate rights to various networks. NESN reports that MLB and ESPN have reached a new agreement for ESPN to license out-of-market packages and in-market games for five teams. Meanwhile, NBC and Peacock will host "Sunday Night Baseball" and the first round of the playoffs.
This partnership marks Netflix's first venture into MLB streaming, adding to its existing sports streaming portfolio, which includes NFL games on Christmas Day.
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