Decorated broadcaster Bob Costas is returning to NBC Sports as the host of the Sunday Night Baseball pregame show leading into games on NBC.
NBC and Peacock previously agreed to a new MLB media rights contract for 2026, which gives the broadcast company the rights to “Sunday Night Baseball,” the return of Sunday Leadoff on Peacock and all four Wild Card Series of the postseason.
The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Opening Day game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 26 will also be broadcast on NBC.
Bringing Costas out of retirement is part of their efforts to increase the prestige of their program as they prepare to broadcast their first MLB season since 2000. That effort also includes reports that Clayton Kershaw is nearing a deal with NBCUniversal to become a studio analyst for its MLB coverage this season.
“We’re excited that Bob has agreed to come home to NBC Sports, where he helped make baseball an iconic brand earlier in his career for so many years,” NBC Sports president Rick Cordella said. “There is no more knowledgeable, authoritative and passionate voice on baseball than Bob Costas.”
Costas spent nearly four decades with NBC, including 15 seasons as a play-by-play voice and host for NBC Sports’ MLB coverage. His contributions earned him the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Ford Frick Award for excellence in baseball broadcasting in 2018.
Additionally, he is a 29-time Sports Emmy winner and his critically acclaimed tenure with NBC Sports included hosting 12 Olympic Games (with a U.S. TV-record 11 primetime assignments) and seven Super Bowls, covering 10 NBA Finals and seven World Series. He also served as host for marquee events including the Kentucky Derby, the U.S. Open, and the historic 2015 Belmont Stakes.
“As appreciative as I am of other aspects of my career, especially HBO and the MLB Network, for 40 years, my true broadcasting home was NBC,” Costas said. “So many great moments, memories, and friendships. Now, I am very grateful to Rick Cordella and Sam Flood for inviting me back in an emeritus role to conclude my career where so much of it played out.”
Costas will make his return as the host of NBC’s new primetime MLB package during the Opening Day game between the Dodgers and Diamondbacks.
MLB’s new media rights deals with ESPN, NBC & Netflix
As part of the new agreements, ESPN will receive a national midweek game package each season while also acquiring the rights to sell MLB.TV, the league’s out-of-market streaming service.
NBC gained the rights to Sunday Night Baseball, the Wild Card Series and reacquired the rights to MLB Sunday Leadoff games.
Netflix will now air the Home Run Derby, an Opening Night exclusive and other special events, such as the Field of Dreams game.
While MLB has several new broadcasting partners, a portion of their national TV rights remain unchanged.
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