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Netflix Swings for the Fences With New MLB Deal as Live Sports Strategy Takes Shape

MarketDash Editorial Team
17 days ago
The streaming giant is assembling a carefully curated collection of live sports events, with baseball joining an already impressive lineup that includes NFL games and WWE. It's all part of a bigger plan to boost advertising revenue and keep subscribers hooked.

Netflix Inc. (NFLX) isn't telling us how many subscribers it adds each quarter anymore. That ship has sailed. Instead, the company wants to talk about advertising growth and new ways to make money. Live sports, it turns out, check both boxes quite nicely.

The latest move? Baseball. Netflix just struck a deal with Major League Baseball that will bring three events to the platform in 2026, with more games continuing through 2028. And these aren't random Tuesday night matchups—Netflix is being strategic about what it's putting on the field.

Here's the Lineup

Netflix landed three events that actually matter. First up is the Opening Night game on March 25, 2026: New York Yankees at San Francisco Giants. That's the very first game of the MLB season, which means built-in buzz and nationwide attention.

Then comes the T-Mobile Home Run Derby on July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia. This isn't just some exhibition—it's the most-watched skills competition across all major North American sports. People who barely follow baseball tune in to watch players launch dingers into the stratosphere.

The crown jewel might be the Field of Dreams Game on August 13, 2026, with the Minnesota Twins facing the Philadelphia Phillies at the iconic movie set in Iowa. If you've seen the movie, you get why this matters. If you haven't, just know it's baseball at its most nostalgic.

"We are incredibly thankful for our partnership with Major League Baseball. We started with critically acclaimed documentaries, deepening the existing global passion for baseball," said Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria.

MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred returned the compliment, calling Netflix "a perfect partner" given its global reach and strong U.S. presence. "MLB has a diverse group of exciting international players competing in our biggest events which will create an appealing offering to Netflix subscribers around the world," Manfred said.

Netflix isn't the only one getting a piece of baseball's action. MLB also inked deals with The Walt Disney Company (DIS) and Comcast Corporation (CMCSA). Comcast's NBC network will broadcast MLB games for the first time in 26 years. Existing partners Fox Corporation and Apple will continue airing games in 2026 as well.

The Method Behind the Madness

Netflix has been dabbling in sports for a while now—documentaries, one-off golf and tennis events—but this feels different. The company isn't trying to become ESPN. It's not bidding for full-season rights. Instead, it's cherry-picking the biggest events that naturally attract massive audiences.

The three MLB events Netflix secured typically draw strong viewership. They have built-in awareness from fans and can pull in casual viewers who wouldn't normally watch baseball. That's the sweet spot.

The company has already aired several live boxing events and streams World Wrestling Entertainment content. But the real proof of concept came last Christmas with NFL games.

Netflix aired two NFL games in December 2024 as part of a three-year deal. The Baltimore Ravens versus Houston Texans game averaged 24.3 million viewers. The Kansas City Chiefs versus Pittsburgh Steelers matchup drew 24.1 million viewers. Both games shattered NFL streaming records for the regular season, even beating the 23 million viewers who watched Peacock's exclusive playoff game in 2023.

This Christmas, Netflix is running it back with two more games: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders at 1 p.m. ET, followed by Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings at 4:30 p.m. ET. And because Netflix knows how to stack a lineup, they're dropping the second part of "Stranger Things" season 5 (three episodes) that same day. The company could effectively own Christmas Day television in 2025.

For context, NFL viewership is up 6% year-over-year through Week 11, averaging 17.7 million viewers—the highest through Week 11 since 2015. Netflix has a real shot at breaking its own records.

Looking ahead, Netflix has locked in rights to air the World Baseball Classic in Japan and the Women's World Cup in the United States and Canada in 2027 and 2031.

Why This Actually Matters

Live sports solve multiple problems for Netflix simultaneously. They attract new subscribers and give existing ones another reason not to cancel. But the real money is in advertising. Live sports remain one of the most reliable ad markets because people actually watch them in real-time. You can't binge sports like you can a drama series, and you can't easily skip the commercials without missing the action.

Netflix has shifted from being purely subscription-driven to building out an advertising business. Live sports accelerate that transition in a way that scripted content simply can't match. Every marquee event is an opportunity to prove the platform can deliver the audiences that advertisers crave.

The strategy is coming together: selective, high-impact sports rights paired with the company's existing content library. Netflix isn't trying to compete with traditional sports networks on their turf. It's rewriting the playbook entirely—and so far, the gamble appears to be paying off.

Back to News

Netflix Swings for the Fences With New MLB Deal as Live Sports Strategy Takes Shape

MarketDash Editorial Team
17 days ago
The streaming giant is assembling a carefully curated collection of live sports events, with baseball joining an already impressive lineup that includes NFL games and WWE. It's all part of a bigger plan to boost advertising revenue and keep subscribers hooked.

Netflix Inc. (NFLX) isn't telling us how many subscribers it adds each quarter anymore. That ship has sailed. Instead, the company wants to talk about advertising growth and new ways to make money. Live sports, it turns out, check both boxes quite nicely.

The latest move? Baseball. Netflix just struck a deal with Major League Baseball that will bring three events to the platform in 2026, with more games continuing through 2028. And these aren't random Tuesday night matchups—Netflix is being strategic about what it's putting on the field.

Here's the Lineup

Netflix landed three events that actually matter. First up is the Opening Night game on March 25, 2026: New York Yankees at San Francisco Giants. That's the very first game of the MLB season, which means built-in buzz and nationwide attention.

Then comes the T-Mobile Home Run Derby on July 13, 2026 in Philadelphia. This isn't just some exhibition—it's the most-watched skills competition across all major North American sports. People who barely follow baseball tune in to watch players launch dingers into the stratosphere.

The crown jewel might be the Field of Dreams Game on August 13, 2026, with the Minnesota Twins facing the Philadelphia Phillies at the iconic movie set in Iowa. If you've seen the movie, you get why this matters. If you haven't, just know it's baseball at its most nostalgic.

"We are incredibly thankful for our partnership with Major League Baseball. We started with critically acclaimed documentaries, deepening the existing global passion for baseball," said Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria.

MLB Commissioner Robert Manfred returned the compliment, calling Netflix "a perfect partner" given its global reach and strong U.S. presence. "MLB has a diverse group of exciting international players competing in our biggest events which will create an appealing offering to Netflix subscribers around the world," Manfred said.

Netflix isn't the only one getting a piece of baseball's action. MLB also inked deals with The Walt Disney Company (DIS) and Comcast Corporation (CMCSA). Comcast's NBC network will broadcast MLB games for the first time in 26 years. Existing partners Fox Corporation and Apple will continue airing games in 2026 as well.

The Method Behind the Madness

Netflix has been dabbling in sports for a while now—documentaries, one-off golf and tennis events—but this feels different. The company isn't trying to become ESPN. It's not bidding for full-season rights. Instead, it's cherry-picking the biggest events that naturally attract massive audiences.

The three MLB events Netflix secured typically draw strong viewership. They have built-in awareness from fans and can pull in casual viewers who wouldn't normally watch baseball. That's the sweet spot.

The company has already aired several live boxing events and streams World Wrestling Entertainment content. But the real proof of concept came last Christmas with NFL games.

Netflix aired two NFL games in December 2024 as part of a three-year deal. The Baltimore Ravens versus Houston Texans game averaged 24.3 million viewers. The Kansas City Chiefs versus Pittsburgh Steelers matchup drew 24.1 million viewers. Both games shattered NFL streaming records for the regular season, even beating the 23 million viewers who watched Peacock's exclusive playoff game in 2023.

This Christmas, Netflix is running it back with two more games: Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders at 1 p.m. ET, followed by Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings at 4:30 p.m. ET. And because Netflix knows how to stack a lineup, they're dropping the second part of "Stranger Things" season 5 (three episodes) that same day. The company could effectively own Christmas Day television in 2025.

For context, NFL viewership is up 6% year-over-year through Week 11, averaging 17.7 million viewers—the highest through Week 11 since 2015. Netflix has a real shot at breaking its own records.

Looking ahead, Netflix has locked in rights to air the World Baseball Classic in Japan and the Women's World Cup in the United States and Canada in 2027 and 2031.

Why This Actually Matters

Live sports solve multiple problems for Netflix simultaneously. They attract new subscribers and give existing ones another reason not to cancel. But the real money is in advertising. Live sports remain one of the most reliable ad markets because people actually watch them in real-time. You can't binge sports like you can a drama series, and you can't easily skip the commercials without missing the action.

Netflix has shifted from being purely subscription-driven to building out an advertising business. Live sports accelerate that transition in a way that scripted content simply can't match. Every marquee event is an opportunity to prove the platform can deliver the audiences that advertisers crave.

The strategy is coming together: selective, high-impact sports rights paired with the company's existing content library. Netflix isn't trying to compete with traditional sports networks on their turf. It's rewriting the playbook entirely—and so far, the gamble appears to be paying off.