With the Major League Baseball season still in its first month, CNBC has issued its first ever list of the most valuable MLB franchises, with the New York Yankees topping the list at $8 billion, followed by the L.A. Dodgers who are valued at $5.6 billion.

The valuations were calculated by sports valuation expert and CNBC’s senior sports reporter Michael Ozanian. After adjusting for revenue sharing, he noted in an article that “the Yankees posted an MLB-high $705 million in revenue during the 2024 season.”

The Dodgers, who are the reigning World Series champions, generated $701 in revenue, according to CNBC’s calculations. The Yankees and the Dodgers were the only two teams to rack up more than $600 million in revenue according to CNBC.

Ozanian also reported that the Yankees, valued as the MLB’s most valuable team at $8 billion, were the third most valuable sports franchise in the U.S., trailing the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys (worth $11 billion) and the NBA’s Golden State Warriors ($9.4 billion). The NFL’s L.A. Rams were also valued at $8 billion.

While the MLB teams had eye-watering valuations, Ozanian also reported that the “MLB has been facing revenue headwinds from the decline of the regional sports network model and concerns about national TV rights, particularly since February, when ESPN announced it would opt out of its agreement with MLB after this season. A lack of a salary cap in the league has also hurt the bottom line. The NBA, NFL and NHL, all of which have salary caps, boast margins for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, of about 20%. In contrast, MLB, which does not have a salary cap, has an EBITDA margin of 5%, according to CNBC’s calculations.”

The full rankings along with details of each team can be found here.

The full CNBC clip of Ozanian discussing the rankings can be viewed here.

NEW YORK—Fox Sports is reporting large audience numbers for the 2024 World Series and its coverage of the postseason, as 18.6 million viewers across Fox, Fox Deportes and Fox Sports streaming platforms watched Game 5 of the World Series, making it the most-watched Game 5 of the fall classic since 2017.

It was also the most-streamed World Series in the network’s history, Fox reported.

On Fox, the conclusion to the Los Angeles Dodgers-New York Yankees matchup delivered an average audience of 18,152,000 viewers and peaked at 21,268,000 from 11:15-11:30 p.m. (ET), delivering the most-watched Game 5 of the World Series since 2017 (Dodgers vs. Houston Astros, with 18,959,000 viewers).

The Dodgers’ second World Series clinch in four years was up 58% over last year’s World Series Game 5 (Texas Rangers-Arizona Diamondbacks, which tallied 11,483,000 viewers).

Across all networks, the 120th World Series dominated the television landscape with an average of 15,808,000 viewers, the best combined figure for the Fall Classic since 2017, Fox said.

Through five games on Fox alone, the World Series averaged 15,204,000 viewers, up 67% over last year’s five-game average (9,108,000), delivering the best five-game average of the World Series since 2017 (16,416,000).

In addition, the complete 2024 MLB postseason on Fox and FS1 averaged 7,485,000 viewers, up 42% from last year’s average (5,265,000) and Fox Sports’ best baseball postseason through Game 5 of the World Series since 2017.

Game 5 was also the most-streamed World Series game in Fox Sports history, with a total average minute audience (AMA) of 487,386.

Overall, the five-game series was the most-streamed fall classic in network history with a total AMA of 368,808. That figure is up 123% over last year and up 59% from the previous all-time high in 2022.

On Fox, Game 5 drew a 21.1/55 rating in Los Angeles and a 14.8/39 in New York.

Top available markets for the entire World Series include:

• Los Angeles (18.9/53)
• San Diego (12.4/41)
• New York (12.2/33)
• Hartford, Conn. (11.1/30)
• Las Vegas (9.3/28)
• Kansas City (8.7/25)
• Phoenix (8.2/25)
• St. Louis (8.2/24)
• West Palm Beach, Fla. (8.2/21)
• Portland, Ore. (8.0/30)

Fox Deportes’ coverage of Game 5 averaged 447,000 viewers, making it the network’s most-watched MLB game this season as well as the most-watched World Series Game 5 since 2018 (Boston Red Sox-Los Angeles Dodgers, with 577,000 viewers). Game 5 was up 174% over last year (166,000) and peaked at 540,000 from 11:45 p.m. to midnight (ET), the company reported.

The 2024 World Series averaged 504,000 viewers on Fox Deportes, doubling last year’s average (181,000) and making it the most-watched in Spanish-language television history.

The complete 2024 MLB Postseason on Fox Deportes averaged 281,000 viewers, the highest-performing postseason ever for the network.

NEW YORK—The New York Yankees have found a streaming home on Amazon Prime Video, as YES Network has announced a deal that will put 21 Yankees games on the streaming platform for no additional cost to subscribers throughout the Yankees' home-team footprint. The first Yankees game available on Amazon Prime will be an April 18 game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The home-team footprint covers New York state, Connecticut, northeast Pennsylvania and north and central New Jersey. The games will be simulcasts of games produced by YES Network. The games will be available on any Amazon Prime Video compatible devices.

As part of the streams, Amazon will provide its X-Ray technology, which allows fans streaming on Android, iOS mobile and FireTV to access live in-game stats, teams and player details and real-time play-by-play information while they watch. Prime Video will also offer a 15-minute pre-game show ahead of every stream, featuring YES Network on-air talent.

Here is the full schedule of Yankees games that will be available on Prime Video for the 2021 MLB season:

• April 18 vs. Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. ET 
• April 23 at Cleveland, 7 p.m. ET 
• April 27 at Baltimore, 6:30 p.m. ET 
• May 14 at Baltimore, 7 p.m. ET 
• May 21 vs. Chicago White Sox, 7 p.m. ET 
• May 29 at Detroit, 4 p.m. ET 
• May 30 at Detroit, 1 p.m. ET 
• June 12 at Philadelphia, 4 p.m. ET 
• June 20 vs. Oakland, 1 p.m. ET 
• July 2 vs. New York Mets, 7 p.m. ET 
• July 11 at Houston, 2 p.m. ET 
• July 23 at Boston, 7 p.m. ET 
• July 27 at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m. ET 
• July 30 at Miami, 7 p.m. ET 
• Aug. 15 at Chicago White Sox, 2 p.m. ET 
• Aug. 17 vs. Boston, 7 p.m. ET 
• Aug. 22 vs. Minnesota, TBD 
• Aug. 28 at Oakland, 4 p.m. ET 
• Sept. 17 vs. Cleveland, 7 p.m. ET 
• Sept. 24 at Boston, 7 p.m. ET 
• Sept. 29 at Toronto, 7 p.m ET 

This is Amazon Prime Video’s latest entry into sports. The streaming platform recently secured exclusive rights to the NFL’s “Thursday Night Football” games. 

NEW YORK—New York Yankees fans will have the chance to live stream 21 games of the 2020 MLB season via Amazon Prime Video thanks to a new partnership the streaming service has established with the team and YES Network.

The live streams will be simulcasts of games produced by YES Network. However, Prime Video will provide Amazon exclusive technology for the live streams, including X-Ray technology that enables fans streaming on Android, iOS mobile and Fire TV to access live in-game stats, team and player details and real-time play-by-play information.

“We understand that fans are consuming content in a variety of different ways, and we believe our unique partnership with Amazon represents an exciting development in the realm of live sports,” said Hal Steinbrenner, CEO, Yankee Global Enterprises.

Prime members in New York state, Connecticut, northeast Pennsylvania and north and central New Jersey will have access to the games through Prime Video, at no additional cost. 

The first Yankee that will be livestreamed on Amazon Prime Video will be on April 17 against the Cincinnati Reds.

Here is the full schedule of games for 2020:

•  April 17 - Cincinnati, 7:05 p.m. 
•  April 21 - at Detroit, 6:40 p.m. 
•  April 25 - Cleveland, 1:05 p.m. 
•  May 8 - Boston, 7:05 p.m. 
•  May 15 - at Houston, 8:10 p.m. 
•  May 22 - Seattle, 7:05 p.m. 
•  May 23 - Seattle, 1:05 p.m. 
•  May 27 - Minnesota, 7:05 p.m. 
•  June 21 - at Minnesota, 2:10 p.m. 
•  June 24 - Baltimore, 7:05 p.m. 
•  June 30 - at Baltimore, 7:05 p.m. 
•  July 22 - Los Angeles (AL), 7:05 p.m. 
•  July 24 - Boston, 7:05 p.m. 
•  July 29 - at New York (NL), 7:10 p.m. 
•  Aug. 10 - at Kansas City, 8:05 p.m. 
•  Aug. 21 - Toronto, 7:05 p.m. 
•  Aug. 28 - at Cleveland, 7:10 p.m. 
•  Sept. 10 - Boston, 7:05 p.m. 
•  Sept. 20 - Toronto, 1:07 p.m. 
•  Sept. 23 - Houston, 7:05 p.m. 
•  Sept. 25 - Tampa Bay, 7:05 p.m. 

NEW YORK—YES Network is trading in mouse ears for pinstripes, as the regional sports network has been purchased by Yankee Global Enterprises—the owners of the New York Yankees—from the Walt Disney Company. With the help of strategic partners Sinclair Broadcast Group and Amazon, Yankee Global Enterprises is acquiring the 80% of YES Network it did not previously own for a value of $3.47 billion.

Disney was required to divest a number of its regional sport networks as a condition of its acquisition of Fox earlier this year.

YES Network is an RSN that broadcasts games, programs and specialty content for the Yankees, Brooklyn Nets, Major League Soccer’s New York City FC and the WNBA’s New York Liberty.

The trio of Yankee Global Enterprises, Sinclair and Amazon will work together to enhance the network and position it as a leader in sports broadcasting across all forms of distribution, per the official announcement. Jon Litner will remain in his existing role of the YES Network.

“This transaction brings the YES Network and all of its popular programming even closer to the organization that inspired its very development,” said Hal Steinbrenner, CEO of Yankee Global Enterprises. “Along with our partners, we look forward to greatly expanding the way that sports content is delivered and consumed by fans everywhere.”

In addition to Sinclair and Amazon, additional equity investments for the deal were provided by RedBird Capital, and funds were managed by Blackstone’s Tactical Opportunities business and Mubadala Capital.

ORLANDO, Fla.—Fox Sports will stream 4K coverage of the MLS All-Star Game July 31 from Orlando, Fla., as part of its expanded use of the high-res format online and made available on its apps.

“Fox is looking at how we get into 4K in a really exciting way,” says Steven Thorpe, VP, video platforms, for Fox. “The question is, how can we start getting 4K out to our audience? The best way to do that is through our digital products.”

Streaming 4K from Orlando (broadcast coverage begins at 8 p.m. EDT on FS1) follows Fox Sports’ 4K stream this summer of the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup made available on its website and coverage of the July 27 game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox from Fenway Park.

Fox will also stream 4K coverage of the Aug. 3 contest between the Yankees and Red Sox from Yankee Stadium (broadcast begins at 1 p.m. EDT on FS1).

The 4K all-star soccer coverage, available on the Fox Sports App and Fox Now as well as Apple TV and Roku devices and via select MVPDs offering TV Everywhere services and pay-TV providers, will not make use of high dynamic range (HDR), which the broadcaster is experimenting with at the moment, says Thorpe.

For distribution, FOX has partnered with satellite service provider SES. Coverage from Orlando City Stadium will be uplinked to an SES satellite and downlinked to an SES facility where basic bugs and slates will be added before being re-uplinked for distribution to Fox’ distribution partners, says Thorpe.

One destination will be Verizon Digital Media Services where Thorpe’s team and Verizon will rely on the Verizon Slicer ecosystem for transcoding into HLS video, which will be transited out via Verizon’s EdgeCast CDN and ultimately to consumer devices, he explains.

For consumers, the goal is to make accessing the 4K stream fast and easy. “We are trying to make sure we surprise and delight our audience by making content available in 4K,” says Thorpe. “We will give them some simple badging that lets them know a feed is available in that higher quality. We want to make sure that when people go into the Fox Sports app or Fox Now, 4K content is treated just like anything else.”

The approach Fox Sports is taking to 4K production harkens back to the early days of HD production, says Michael Davies, Fox Sports SVP, Field & Technical Operations. “The way to go about it [4K production] is to produce in that highest common denominator format and downconvert,” he says.

While resolution is important, it is HDR that will make the most noticeable impact. “I would go as far as to say that the colorimetry of a broadcast is more important than the resolution. It’s nice when you have both. But overall, the HDR is the moneymaker,” says Davies.

During these early days of HDR, Fox Sports has zeroed in on Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) for high dynamic range, “mainly because of what the manufacturers support at the moment,” says Davies.

There is even an incremental increase in the quality of standard dynamic range video that begins as HDR and is downconverted, another benefit of starting in the higher resolution and downconverting, he adds.

However, challenges remain from a production point of view. Small, specialty cameras, such as those used in pylons, aren’t available with 4K support. Nor are the RF cameras that play a critical role in sports production, he says.

Additionally, high frame rate cameras and graphical treatments viewers expect, like the yellow line on a football field, are in short supply, says Davies.

As a consequence, the availability of upconverters on production trucks takes on added importance. “There is a fair amount of conversion that is always needed, and sometimes you find that sort of left out,” he says, adding the dearth of upconverters makes renting additional resources common.

An often overlooked aspect of 4K production—until it’s needed—is monitoring. “All well and good if you are producing 4K, but unless—let’s say your video person—has an HDR monitor to actually see what he is doing, you will need to make sure one is added,” says Davies.

As Fox Sports expands its 4K sports coverage, however, it’s important not to lose sight of the fact that the vast majority of viewers still watch in HD.

“Let’s be honest, there are not a lot of people watching HDR at the moment, so it is important to make sure at the end of the day that you are protecting the show that 99% of the people are watching,” says Davies. “They won’t understand if the colors are wrong because you are doing HDR for a small segment of the audience.”

The BBC is reportedly in talks with Major League Baseball to air matches due to take place in London next year.

According to Sportcal, the pair have been holding talks since June, with a deal expected to be announced soon.

The MLB is also said to be close to renewing its long-term rights deal with BT Sport.

It's thought the deal with the BBC will resemble the NFL's deal with the broadcaster, which broadcasts UK games on free-to-air TV.