The NBA’s media shake-up is official—and NBC is back in the game. Starting in 2025, NBC and Peacock will air up to 100 regular-season games a year, including Sunday and Tuesday night matchups, plus Opening Night and MLK Day specials. They’re betting big—$2.45 billion a year big—on hoops powering Peacock’s streaming future. And the icing? Michael Jordan has joined the team as a “special contributor.” Talk about a slam dunk. But for Comcast’s NBC, even MJ isn’t the whole story—this is about expanding reach, boosting viewership, and doubling down on live sports as the ultimate driver.

Meanwhile, another major sports partnership is winding down. ESPN and MLB have been linked since 1990, but that decades-long relationship will officially end after the 2025 season. Though the current seven-year deal was only signed in 2021, the two sides “mutually agreed” to walk away early. MLB wasn’t thrilled with the network’s limited coverage outside of game broadcasts, while ESPN wanted to slash its rights fees, pointing to cheaper deals Apple and Roku had struck. MLB pushed back, saying ESPN’s exclusives—like Sunday Night Baseball and the Home Run Derby—are in a different league. The breakup is official—and it just so happens to open the door wider for NBC’s re-entry.

Comcast’s NBCUniversal has stepped up with an offer to take over the regular-season and postseason MLB games that ESPN is giving up after their long run together. Since ESPN decided to opt out of the last three years of its $550 million-a-year deal, MLB’s rights have been up for grabs—and NBC is looking to swoop in, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. The plan? Air Sunday night games on NBC, the same slot ESPN held since 1990, plus stream some games on Peacock. They’re also eyeing ESPN’s rights to the first round of the playoffs and the ever-popular Home Run Derby. 

Here’s the twist: NBC’s offer is significantly less than what ESPN currently pays. That’s partly because NBC isn’t after the international or radio rights ESPN holds, nor the rights to highlight clips. ESPN reportedly tried to renegotiate at $200 million a year, but MLB wasn’t interested. NBC is already juggling big sports properties like the NFL and, starting soon, NBA games on Sundays, so some baseball games would air on NBC’s broadcast network while others show up on Peacock, especially when NBC is busy with other sports. Meanwhile, Versant—the cable channel group under NBCUniversal, including USA Network—is also looking to grab a baseball package but isn’t involved in these current MLB talks.

The 2025 MLB season is in full swing, and the numbers are already turning heads. The May 18 Yankees-Mets showdown drew 2.54 million viewers on ESPN, marking the most-watched Sunday Night Baseball game since 2018. Just a day earlier, Fox’s May 17 primetime window—headlined by Braves vs. Red Sox—averaged 1.91 million viewers, a massive 74% jump from the same slot last year.

For ESPN, this surge in baseball’s popularity might feel like a double-edged sword. On one hand, higher viewership means more eyeballs and advertising potential, but on the other, the network’s current contract is up, and they’re looking to pay less for the rights. Meanwhile, NBC could see this as a golden opportunity—jumping into a sport that’s clearly on the rise, ready to capitalize on the growing audience and boost their streaming and broadcast platforms. Either way, MLB’s rising star is shaking things up for everyone involved.

Michael Jordan joins NBC as “special contributor”

Big news hitting the court: Michael Jordan is officially joining NBC’s NBA coverage this coming October! The six-time NBA champ announced his excitement on May 12, stepping in as a “special contributor” as NBC returns to broadcasting NBA games for the first time since 2002. It’s a full-circle moment — Jordan’s iconic years with the Chicago Bulls coincided with NBC’s last NBA run, and now he’s back to help bring that magic to a whole new generation, sharing the spotlight with fellow Hall of Famers Carmelo Anthony and Reggie Miller.

Now, here’s the kicker: Jordan’s deal with NBC reportedly clocks in at a jaw-dropping $40 million a year, making him the highest-paid sports analyst ever — even beating Tom Brady’s $37.5 million contract with Fox Sports. But it’s not just about the money. NBC’s massive 11-year, $76 billion NBA rights deal means they’re making a big bet on Jordan’s star power to boost ratings and make NBA on NBC an event again. He won’t be on air every night but will drop in for special segments and high-profile games — turning every appearance into must-watch TV.

NBC Sports President Rick Cordella put it best: “Michael’s legacy both on and off the court speaks for itself. We’re incredibly proud to have him join our coverage.” With NBA viewership dipping recently—like the 2% drop to 1.53 million average viewers in the 2024-25 season—Jordan’s return is seen as a real game-changer, ready to draw in both die-hard fans and casual viewers alike.

After all, the last time Jordan played, his final 1998 NBA Finals Game 6 drew nearly 36 million viewers, making it the most-watched NBA game in history. Now, as NBA on NBC and Peacock prepare to kick off a new era, Jordan’s return to the broadcast world feels like the perfect slam dunk to revive and energize NBA viewership.

With Michael Jordan joining to help boost NBA viewership, NBC isn’t stopping there. Their move to go after MLB rights shows they’re serious about offering fans a full lineup of top sports. By investing in both basketball and baseball, NBCUniversal is setting itself up to change the way we watch live games.