Sunday, June 7, 2026

ESPN to Air Korean Baseball Games

  • ESPN will exclusively televise six live games per week in the U.S., starting with Opening Day on Tuesday.
  • Karl Ravech and Eduardo Perez will call the Samsung Lions vs. NC Dinos season-opener, as well as the May 6 and May 7 games.
Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Photo Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Live sports are coming back to TV, starting very early Tuesday morning. ESPN has reached an agreement to be the exclusive English-language broadcast partner for the KBO, South Korea’s top-flight baseball league.

ESPN will broadcast the league’s Opening Day at 1 a.m. ET and will air one game per day, Tuesday through Sunday. The deal includes postseason play as well. The network’s baseball commentators will contribute to the coverage, including Karl Ravech, Jon Sciambi, Eduardo Perez, Jessica Mendoza and Kyle Peterson. Ravech and Perez will call the first game between the NC Dinos vs. Samsung Lions.

The 10-team Korean baseball league is one of the first major professional sports leagues to return to action and could provide a blueprint for U.S. leagues looking to return to normal.

With the live-action on ESPN, sportsbooks could also see some relief if bettors see an opportunity in the KBO – the league has been approved for live betting in some states, including New Jersey and Indiana. American sports fans itching to watch some competitive action can brush up on the KBO with these tip sheets from ESPN and Yahoo Sports.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) dribbles the ball past San Antonio Spurs guard Stephon Castle (5) in the first half during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center.

NBA Finals Game 1 Viewership Is Highest Since 2019

Game 3 between the Knicks and Spurs is Monday.
Apr 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; ESPN analysts Richard Jefferson (left) and Tim Legler (center) and play-by-play announcer Mike Breen during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena.

ESPN’s Tim Legler: ‘I Don’t Think About Coaching Anymore’

Legler is making his NBA Finals broadcasting debut.

Aaron Judge Injury Deals Major Blow to Yankees—and MLB

The Yankees megastar will miss the heart of the season.
Feb 5, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; The ESPN logo at the Super Bowl LIX media center at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

ESPN Braces for More Layoffs

The cuts are expected to affect both talents and non-camera-facing employees.

Featured Today

Ai sports slop

How Sports Became Ground Zero for AI Slop

The category is the perfect breeding ground for AI content churn.
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group A - Germany v Luxembourg - Rhein-Neckar-Arena, Sinsheim, Germany - October 10, 2025 Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann
June 4, 2026

‘Weird Corners of the World’: How to Find a World Cup Coach

National associations look for a winning record—and also hope for serendipity.
June 3, 2026

The Elite High Schools Hosting World Cup Teams

Spain, Morocco, Croatia, and Switzerland chose schools as their tournament base camps.
Frances Cabral-Delaney
May 29, 2026

How Arsenal Fandom Went ‘Manic’

“People do not become Arsenal fans because it’s easy,” says Zohran Mamdani.

Stanley Cup Final Viewership for Game 1 Nearly Doubles on ABC

The Vegas win was the most-watched Stanley Cup Final opener since 2019.
June 4, 2026

Duke-Michigan Hoops Moving to MLB Ballpark to Skirt Rights Issue

The crux of the move is due to media-rights complications.
exclusive
June 4, 2026

ESPN Evaluating AI Promos After Tony Parker Backlash

The network says it used AI for portraits of Parker and others.
Sponsored

Landon Donovan: What Soccer in America Still Needs

Landon Donovan discusses the evolution of soccer in America and investing in the NWSL.
June 3, 2026

Spurs-Thunder Outdraws Last Year’s NBA Finals 

The 2025 NBA Finals drew 10.27 million viewers.
June 2, 2026

NHL Set to Enter Rights Talks With ESPN, TNT As Ratings Climb

The league’s recent run of heady viewership gives it greater bargaining power.
June 2, 2026

Knicks Keep Mitchell Robinson Away From Media Amid Mystery Injury

Robinson is the longest-tenured Knick. 
June 2, 2026

CFP Tweaks Schedule to Avoid More Head-to-Head NFL Clashes

The CFP is taking new measures to avoid competition with the NFL.