Turner Sports expands rights deal with MLB through 2028 season

Turner Sports will continue broadcasting Major League Baseball after agreeing to an extension of rights through the 2028 season.

The seven-year agreement will take effect in 2022 and includes a Tuesday night game as well as additional postseason games. It also includes expanded digital rights for Bleacher Report and other WarnerMedia platforms.

This is the second of the three rights deals that MLB has extended. It reached an extension with Fox two years ago that also runs through 2028. Manfred said negotiations with ESPN are ongoing about renewing that network’s deal beyond the 2021 season.

The Fox and Turner deals are similar in that each includes an increase over 40 percent when they begin in 2022. Turner will pay an average of $470 million per season.

“The commitment to baseball from Turner is as strong today as it has ever been,” WarnerMedia Sports and News Chairman Jeff Zucker said. “Our strategy is to present premium live sports and obviously extending our deal was an important pillar.”

While the increased playoff games carry their own value, Zucker did say the deal would not have been reached if there wasn’t an expansion of the digital rights. The increased use of MLB footage and highlights for Bleacher Report could attract a younger audience, which baseball has struggled to build.