MLB Local Media

MLB Local Media is a division of Major League Baseball that produces and distributes regional television broadcasts. Established prior to the 2023 season, and leveraging resources from MLB Network, the division currently holds the local media rights to 14 of MLB's 30 teams.

The division was established in 2023 amid uncertainties in the regional sports network market, including the bankruptcy of Bally Sports (now FanDuel Sports Network) owner Diamond Sports Group (now Main Street Sports Group), and Warner Bros. Discovery's winddown of the AT&T SportsNet networks, with the intended capability of taking over a team's regional media rights on short notice if their respective broadcaster is no longer able to carry their games. The division made its on-air debut on May 31, 2023, when it took over broadcast rights to the San Diego Padres from Bally Sports San Diego after it missed a rights payment. In July 2023, MLB also took over the rights to the Arizona Diamondbacks from Bally Sports Arizona under similar circumstances.

In 2024, MLB Local Media added the Colorado Rockies, and started producing MLB Sunday Leadoff with its move to The Roku Channel. It acquired the rights to the Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins, and Seattle Mariners in 2025, albeit with the Mariners' telecasts continuing to air on Root Sports Northwest until its closure after the end of the season. In 2026, it added the Washington Nationals, following the resolution of its long-standing rights disputes with the Baltimore Orioles' MASN. Amid continued financial issues at Main Street Sports Group, MLB Local Media added seven of its nine teams, and reached an agreement to provide production and distribution support to the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings (which share common ownership with the Detroit Tigers).

MLB Local Media regional broadcasts are distributed via ad-hoc agreements with television providers in each team's home market, as well as over-the-top (OTT) subscription packages hosted by MLB.tv (branded under names such as Padres.tv and DBacks.tv), available separately from MLB.tv's out-of-market service. Beginning in the 2025 season, MLB Local Media also began to syndicate packages of broadcasts to terrestrial television stations in the teams' local markets.