Scott Boras, the prominent baseball agent known for securing record-breaking contracts, recently criticized Major League Baseball (MLB) for failing to maximize its media rights revenue, a misstep he says could worsen labor tensions ahead of the 2026 season. Boras, who secured a $765 million deal for Juan Soto in 2024, highlighted MLB’s current media rights situation as a key factor in ongoing disputes between owners and players.
Speaking on Foul Territory earlier this week, Boras argued that increasing MLB media rights revenue could resolve many of the economic conflicts between the union and owners without labor disruption.
The NBA’s Media Rights Deal as a Benchmark for MLB’s Challenges
Boras drew attention to the NBA’s recent 11-year, $76 billion media agreement to illustrate MLB’s failure to tap into the full value of its broadcasting rights. He pointed out that the NBA negotiated a national media package worth $8 billion, whereas MLB currently earns roughly half that amount—around $4 billion—due in part to its focus on regional deals rather than national ones.
“Our media rights were exposed. Our inability to acquire the true valuation of our media rights was exposed by the NBA contract,”
Boras said, referencing the disparity in deal structures.
“They got $8 billion because they offered the league. We offer regional. And so consequently, we’re getting half at $4 billion. And yet our content is double, and yet our ratings are there.”
Boras contends that MLB’s lower media rights revenue contributes significantly to the labor issues confronting the sport.
Why MLB’s Media Rights Aren’t Valued Like the NBA’s
While Boras’s comparison with the NBA underscores MLB’s shortfall, experts note the difference stems largely from the nature of the media packages themselves. The NBA sells substantial national packages, while MLB’s broadcasts are predominantly regional. This factor explains why MLB’s media rights do not command the same fees as the NBA’s nationally televised games.
This dynamic was evident when ESPN exited its Sunday Night Baseball rights. ESPN previously paid $550 million annually for this marquee national deal, but when MLB resold it to NBC for the following three years, the annual revenue dropped to $200 million. This steep decline signals broadcasters’ reluctance to pay top dollar for regular-season nationally televised MLB games.
MLB’s Global Reach and Future Media Strategy
Boras also touched on MLB’s potential for increasing revenue through global media rights, implying there is untapped value beyond regional broadcasts. Despite the league’s strong content and ratings, the current media strategy appears to undervalue MLB’s offerings, limiting its ability to generate higher revenue that could ease labor tensions.
As MLB approaches possible labor strife in 2026, addressing media rights valuations could play a crucial role in bridging financial gaps between players and owners, potentially averting work stoppages.
Scott Boras uses the NBA's media rights deal to explain how MLB's inability to acquire its true valuation is playing into labor issues.
"They offered the league, and we offer regional. Consequently, we're getting half. If we have $20B to deal with versus $4B, all the ills of… pic.twitter.com/HuYpGUb4ma
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 10, 2026
Scott Boras uses the NBA's media rights deal to explain how MLB's inability to acquire its true valuation is playing into labor issues.
"They offered the league, and we offer regional. Consequently, we're getting half. If we have $20B to deal with versus $4B, all the ills of… pic.twitter.com/HuYpGUb4ma
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 10, 2026
