How New ESPN Deal Could Change Twins TV, MLB.TV, Prices, and Minnesota Twins Payroll

[Peter Labuza]

Image courtesy of © Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Twins fans have been thrown around the gutter over the last few years, with the team trying to figure out both broadcast and streaming options in a market that looks a lot like a burst bubble. Now, it looks like fans will likely see another change in the nature of local coverage next season—potentially with added costs.

First reported by Kendall Baker of Yahoo Sports and confirmed by Andrew Marchand of The Athletic, MLB is in talks to lease MLB.TV to ESPN for a three-year deal. This will include the service through which out-of-market fans watch their favorite teams, as well as the five teams whose broadcasts are now run by MLB itself—including the Twins. The Wall Street Journal confirmed the deal will be three years at $550 Million.

This is part of a broader change in the distribution plan for the entire league over coming years. Apple could completely drop baseball, while NBC will pick up Saturday and Sunday night games (many of which will be broadcast only on Peacock, their streaming platform). ESPN looks likely to have a weekly national game, but on a different night while also keeping its playoff games. Netflix will take the Home Run Derby, continuing their specific interest in mega events.

But the biggest one would be selling MLB.TV. The league-owned streaming product has been a huge success since its introduction almost 20 years ago, and a moneymaker on multiple levels. It's been a key way to deliver out-of-market viewing, as fans have unplugged from cable companies that had created highly expensive premium packages to do the same thing. The league sold the underlying technology to ESPN’s parent company, Disney, over recent years, for an enormous sum.

The key question, of course, is how this will change fans' access to that product via subscription, in terms of either logistics or cost. The answer to that is nowhere near clear yet. The reports do indicate that both in- and out-of-market fans can still access the Twins via streaming, but Marchand reports that they will need to purchase “an ESPN direct-to-consumer subscription to go along with MLB.TV.” The same is true for those only interested in Twins.TV, requiring “an added price” alongside ESPN. While reporting suggests they are hoping to keep costs essentially the same, prices at the major streamers (including Netflix and Peacock, very recently) have soared as new content has been bundled under various umbrellas. That seems likely to continue.

It is also unclear what that will mean for Twins.TV as a service. Will it mean new branding? New commentators? Those details might not emerge until far after the deal—which is likely to close in September—is finalized. Right now, despite many reporters who cover sports media scrambling to seize upon them, details on all of this feel a bit slippery.

For Twins fans who are dedicated enough to buy this product no matter where it's sold, though, the more pertinent question is what effect it will have on payroll. We know that the Twins are currently making much less than they were a few years ago, both from gate receipts and from TV rights. This transaction has a chance to change that. Will it make a material difference?

When the Pohlads cut payroll in the winter of 2023, many considered it to be in connection with the loss of Twins’ broadcasting revenue, which (thanks to the bankruptcy hearings through which Bally Sports had to pass) was a matter of public record: $54.3 million for that season. The fear was that that figure might drop by more than half for 2024. But when the Twins ended up rejoining Bally’s Sports Network at a lower but still substantial price, payroll never moved an inch.   

While the sale of MLB.tv to ESPN could take various structures (and it's impossible to know what the Twins' cut would be), Marchand calls the deal “substantial.” That means the Twins should see a sizable increase in what they’re receiving from their broadcasting deals. 

However, the Twins' share of the broader national deals might be smaller. ESPN had a $550-million deal for Sunday Night Baseball, the Home Run Derby, and the playoffs. The Wall Street Journal is reporting that MLB is finalizing the Sunday Night deal for $200 million with Peacock and the Home Run Derby for $35 million with Netflix. While MLB has essentially had to lease more content out to other providers, it has increased its short term revenues from $550 million to $785 million.

If the Pohlads want to claim poverty, they certainly can (and almost certainly will). With their debt retired and new minority partners on board, though, they should be in position to substantially increase revenue over the next few years. If the Twins keep payroll the same, there’s little evidence that ownership has learned any lessons over the last few years. If they decide to run a payroll closer to $100 million next season, consider it part of the needlessly miserly style that has been this family's signature for decades. Which way that breaks might depend on what form this deal takes, so every detail that emerges from here will be important.

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[RIP BYTO]

One thing can be assured, it’s going to cost us more

[Vanimal46]

MLB has no interest in broadcasting team games. It was something they needed to do out of desperation when Bally Sports swirled down the drain. Good for the Pohlads - they’ll get 10x what little revenue they got from Twins.TV subscriptions this year. More money in their pockets!! 

[DJL44]

The only thing I liked about this season was TwinsTV streaming. Not thrilled to pay double the price for next season.

[Hrbowski]

Guess I'll just watch birds instead of baseball. Screw MLB and ESPN!

[Woof Bronzer]

Pohlads botch their tv situation so badly they have to get bailed out by the league and...are handed a more lucrative deal with ESPN, doing absolutely zero work in the process. So the Pohlads will hoard more wealth they will never be able to spend, and everyone else will pay more. 

A perfect analogy for America in 2025.  

[MN Brian]

55 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

The only thing I liked about this season was TwinsTV streaming. Not thrilled to pay double the price for next season.

Agreed.  And it might be more than double if the rumors are accurate.

[TheLeviathan]

One day I'd like to live in a world where MLB just shares media revenues and we don't have to keep playing these stupid games.

[Whitey333]

If the pricing rumors are correct I imagine many of us will not pay the exorbitant prices.  I bought Twins.Tv this season.  I enjoy the broadcasts.  They are well done and the pricing is reasonable.  However if it more than doubles for next season then I will be dropping it.  Of course it doesn't help when we have such a lousy baseball team.  With MLB moving games to Netflix, Peacock and other pay venues it looks like the idea that the Twins wanting to expand viewership is another bunch of bs.  If mlb goes to more pay tv streaming and direct payments for customers to ESPN from customers then screw them both.

 

[Brandon27]

My guess they are going spilt the tv deals with the five teams and they will barely get any money of out it 

[Galen]

So...still no idea of the overall TV revenue the Twins will receive. 

 

[Woipadinga80]

This deal I feel will make it impossible for me to watch Twins games overseas. I've been a subscriber to MLB.tv since the beginning and have always loved being able to watch any game, any team, at any time. When the NHL moved on from their streaming service and went to ESPN+ I completely lost the ability to watch anymore games. I gave it a try on a few occasions with a VPN but the results were more bad than good as they seem pretty good at detecting VPNs. This is heartbreaking news for me. I've been a lifelong baseball fan of 45yrd, but MLB is making it harder and harder for me to even want to care. 

[old nurse]

9 hours ago, Vanimal46 said:

MLB has no interest in broadcasting team games. It was something they needed to do out of desperation when Bally Sports swirled down the drain. Good for the Pohlads - they’ll get 10x what little revenue they got from Twins.TV subscriptions this year. More money in their pockets!! 

It is the same setup as with mlb tv only with ESPN added. If so few are watching now, less will watch when it costs more. 

[Parfigliano]

58 minutes ago, old nurse said:

It is the same setup as with mlb tv only with ESPN added. If so few are watching now, less will watch when it costs more. 

Funny the suits can't figure that out.

[DJL44]

The Cardinals are raising season ticket prices 15% amidst a losing season with plummeting attendance. How much will the Twins raise season ticket prices?

[The Great Hambino]

47 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

The Cardinals are raising season ticket prices 15% amidst a losing season with plummeting attendance. How much will the Twins raise season ticket prices?

I don't know why they would be having attendance issues with the BeSt FaNs In BaSeBaLl (they are so smug)

I don't know where I heard it, maybe a podcast where Dan Hayes was a guest, but someone said they had info that the Twins season tickets were going to increase 5%.  I guess we'll find out by the end of the month

[DJL44]

49 minutes ago, The Great Hambino said:

someone said they had info that the Twins season tickets were going to increase 5%.  

Unbelievable. This group couldn't run a lemonade stand.

Is there some sort of collusion among owners to make sure prices stay high even when nobody is buying the tickets?

[farmerguychris]

I'm pretty confident that no matter how much extra they charge us and in turn - pass onto the teams in new tv revenues - none of that will be used (by the Pohlads) to improve the team on the field.  They don't care.

[Ski U Mah Gopher]

If you get your TV from Hulu Live, You Tube TV, Fubo, etc.; ESPN whatever is already included in your monthly fee.

[Rhyno006]

1 hour ago, farmerguychris said:

I'm pretty confident that no matter how much extra they charge us and in turn - pass onto the teams in new tv revenues - none of that will be used (by the Pohlads) to improve the team on the field.  They don't care.

Almost all of their actions (and the FO/management's) make it look like that will be the case... just as it's always been. Sheesh, it's like the Twins and MLB are stumbling over themselves to poop the bed.

Meanwhile over at The Shield (NFL) they are continually expanding worldwide and still raking in the cold hard cash. I still don't fully understand why MLB hasn't figured out how to mimic that business model better.  

[farmerguychris]

15 minutes ago, Rhyno006 said:

Almost all of their actions (and the FO/management's) make it look like that will be the case... just as it's always been. Sheesh, it's like the Twins and MLB are stumbling over themselves to poop the bed.

Meanwhile over at The Shield (NFL) they are continually expanding worldwide and still raking in the cold hard cash. I still don't fully understand why MLB hasn't figured out how to mimic that business model better.  

I think they want to - but the player's union won't let them.  Salary floor + salary cap = anyone can win, any given year.  Makes it exciting for the fans which leads to a successful league.

Somehow they need to get the players to understand that perhaps a cap may lead to a few lower superstar salaries - overall they will get more money in the players pockets by implementing a floor as well.

[USAFChief]

14 minutes ago, farmerguychris said:

I think they want to - but the player's union won't let them.  Salary floor + salary cap 

Just implement it 

MLBPA can get on board or go away. If the union is neutered so much the better.

Start the 2027 season on time with whatever players show up. The current MLB players will tuck their tails between their legs and report within a month. $800K minimum wage jobs are tough to find.

[The Great Hambino]

38 minutes ago, USAFChief said:

Just implement it 

MLBPA can get on board or go away. If the union is neutered so much the better.

Start the 2027 season on time with whatever players show up. The current MLB players will tuck their tails between their legs and report within a month. $800K minimum wage jobs are tough to find.

You must not be old enough to remember 1995.

MLB tried that, then got their clocks cleaned in court for negotiating in bad faith (which they were) and the strike ended up resolving nothing

[LA Vikes Fan]

2 hours ago, Ski U Mah Gopher said:

If you get your TV from Hulu Live, You Tube TV, Fubo, etc.; ESPN whatever is already included in your monthly fee.

Is that also true or those of us who still get cable (what!) that has ESPN?

[LA Vikes Fan]

36 minutes ago, The Great Hambino said:

You must not be old enough to remember 1995.

MLB tried that, then got their clocks cleaned in court for negotiating in bad faith (which they were) and the strike ended up resolving nothing

You're right there, brother. 

[The Great Hambino]

1 minute ago, LA VIkes Fan said:

Is that also true or those of us who still get cable (what!) that has ESPN?

It varies carrier by carrier depending on their agreement with ESPN.  I believe Xfinity is a no, Directv is a yes at this time.  I'd start by searching "[cable provider] espn direct to consumer" in Google

I have Youtube TV, which does not have an agreement yet with ESPN.  I tested the app out, and I still watch channels that are part of my package with my authentication.  I'm only blacked out of things designated as part of "ESPN unlimited" (I separately have a subscription to ESPN+, so I get that stuff but not from my TV provider).  As far as I can tell, ESPN Unlimited is currently just a handful of preseason NFL games and WWE pay-per-view shows.  My understanding is that MLB TV would fall under this ESPN Unlimited category, but that hasn't been made official yet

[Thumbs Down Guy]

Lots of comments about how this is going to cost them more. It will only cost you more if you choose to let it cost you more. Just like fresh fruit in the produce section. I can pay more and get what I want, or I can buy canned fruit. Myself, I like fresh fruit!

[LA Vikes Fan]

34 minutes ago, The Great Hambino said:

It varies carrier by carrier depending on their agreement with ESPN.  I believe Xfinity is a no, Directv is a yes at this time.  I'd start by searching "[cable provider] espn direct to consumer" in Google

I have Youtube TV, which does not have an agreement yet with ESPN.  I tested the app out, and I still watch channels that are part of my package with my authentication.  I'm only blacked out of things designated as part of "ESPN unlimited" (I separately have a subscription to ESPN+, so I get that stuff but not from my TV provider).  As far as I can tell, ESPN Unlimited is currently just a handful of preseason NFL games and WWE pay-per-view shows.  My understanding is that MLB TV would fall under this ESPN Unlimited category, but that hasn't been made official yet

Thanks. I live in LA and have been watching on MLB.tv. Works well and is very inexpensive, but I do get games with the Angels and Dodgers blacked out. Curious as to what will work best next season.  

[Deadfan]

Ha! This is a big fat hard pass. Im not spending one red cent on this hot mess express. 

Ill find other avenues to watch the games if I decide I want to, which remains to be seen.  

[Chembry]

8 hours ago, DJL44 said:

The Cardinals are raising season ticket prices 15% amidst a losing season with plummeting attendance. How much will the Twins raise season ticket prices?

 

7 hours ago, The Great Hambino said:

I don't know why they would be having attendance issues with the BeSt FaNs In BaSeBaLl (they are so smug)

I don't know where I heard it, maybe a podcast where Dan Hayes was a guest, but someone said they had info that the Twins season tickets were going to increase 5%.  I guess we'll find out by the end of the month

My season ticket prices didn't go up...they stayed the same price.