NBC is taking a swing at getting back into the baseball broadcasting game.
NBCUniversal made an offer to the MLB to scoop up the broadcast package of regular season and playoff games that ESPN is giving up, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
According to the report, the offer is less than what the Worldwide Leader in Sports currently pays Major League Baseball to carry games, which includes “Sunday Night Baseball.”
The offer by NBC was made earlier in May after the league and network had conversations in the weeks prior.
Comcast exec Brian Roberts and MLB commissioner Rob Manfred had also talked about a potential deal.
NBC is offering less than what ESPN currently pays because the network isn’t looking for any international rights or radio rights, which ESPN licenses from the league, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The Comcast-owned network reportedly is also interested in the rights to the first round of the playoffs and the Home Run Derby, which ESPN currently carries.
The offer would also include games airing on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock, which has shown exclusive NFL and Premier League games.
ESPN triggered its opt-out clause in February for the final three years of its $550 million-a-year deal with MLB, ending a longstanding broadcast partnership between the two sides after this season.
NBCUniversal cable channels, including USA Network, have been spun off into a separate company, Versant, which has expressed interest in picking up a baseball package.
Versant hasn’t been part of NBC’s talks with MLB.
NBC already holds the rights to the NFL and will carry NBA games starting next season.
According to the report, when there are scheduling conflicts with other sports, MLB games would be streamed on Peacock.
