NBC and MLB Network Set Broadcast Schedule for 2026 Draft in Philadelphia

Major League Baseball has finalized the broadcast plans for the 2026 First-Year Player Draft, which will be held in Philadelphia during All-Star Week. The two-day event is scheduled for Saturday, July 11, and Sunday, July 12, featuring a multi-platform distribution strategy across linear television and streaming services.

The Chicago White Sox hold the No. 1 overall selection, followed by the Tampa Bay Rays and Minnesota Twins. The first 10 picks will air exclusively on NBC and its streaming service Peacock from 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. ET on July 11. Coverage then shifts to MLB Network for selections 11 through 40, running from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.

The viewing audience will be split across several major media properties. For cord-cutters, the first 40 picks will be available on YouTube TV, DIRECTV, and Fubo. Later rounds and additional coverage will be carried exclusively on MLB’s digital platforms, including MLB.com, MLB.TV, and MLB+.

The event is a notable component of the summer programming slate for Comcast Corporation, which owns NBCUniversal and Peacock. Broadcasting the draft helps bolster Peacock’s live sports portfolio, though specific viewership targets for the event have not been disclosed. Comcast’s media segment relies on high-profile events to drive engagement across its cable and streaming assets. Currently, Comcast trades with a market capitalization of approximately $83.5 billion.

The draft schedule concludes with rounds 5 through 20 on Sunday, July 12, streaming exclusively on MLB digital properties from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. ET.

What to watch

• Look for quarterly earnings reports from Comcast Corporation to assess Peacock subscriber growth and live sports retention rates.
• Upcoming NFL and college football seasons will provide context for the competitive sports media landscape.

Source: original release