Why live baseball is a power play for local advertisers

Your strategy for the 2026 MLB season

Kicking off the new year, football continues to dominate screens and chatter as we head toward that fated Sunday in February– the Big Game. While we don’t know who will be facing off just yet, we do know that advertisers had to cough up around $7 million per 30-second ad for the 2026 Super Bowl.

While your media budget might not be in the 7-figure range, if your audiences are watching live sports, you should be planning for a different highly-anticipated season– professional baseball.

With spring training starting in late February, the season runs for about six months, providing a long-term storytelling canvas for brands who want to engage fans. 
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Let’s break down the opportunities and strategies recommended for advertising during the 2026 MLB season.

‍When does the season start?

Spring Training starts Feb 26, 2026, and the Regular season begins March 27, 2026.
Between these dates, the World Baseball Classic airs March 5-17, 2026. 

‍How do I access inventory across these games?

Madhive helps local advertisers access MLB inventory through direct partnerships with premium networks.

- Regional networks including FanDuel Sports Network, YES, NESN, MASN, and Marquee Sports Network.
- Streamers & MVPDS including Hulu, mlb.tv, directv, and Fubo.
- National networks including ESPN, Fox, FS1, and MLB Network.

‍What if I only want to target specific regions?

Madhive’s local-first precision targeting ensures that every ad dollar spent is reaching the markets you specify.

‍How often are the games airing?

With games happening almost every day, the MLB season offers a high-frequency, low-risk environment to optimize your campaigns. Advertisers can test different creatives or messaging and learn what resonates.
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Live sports are one of the last appointment-viewing experiences remaining in our current screen culture. Fans plan their days around game times, and will watch wherever they can– on their phones during a commute, on their desktop at work, or a TV at their local bar or restaurant.

Live baseball delivers moments that are emotionally charged and buzzworthy, providing opportunities for brand messaging to stick. Madhive helps local advertisers own these premium moments in their own markets, without needing a national-level budget.

The 2026 season will be here before you know it. Contact Madhive today to start building your strategy and ensure your brand is part of the action from the very first pitch.