MLB Postseason and World Series Broadcasts and Promotions

The Major League Baseball (MLB) Postseason is underway, and the World Series will start on October 24, 2025. Radio and television stations may want to conduct or participate in promotions that are tied to the baseball postseason. These promotions can be successful, but they can also present serious legal issues if MLB’s intellectual property rights are not respected.

Use of MLB Trademarks

MLB licenses its protected trademarks, symbols, and terminology to third parties for substantial fees, and it strictly limits the use of these marks only to authorized parties. MLB strongly protects its marks and will take legal action to prevent their unauthorized use.

Activities and promotions that give the appearance of a relationship between MLB (including the playoff games and the World Series) and broadcast stations or their advertisers are extremely risky and even unlawful. Activities like unlicensed use of MLB’s marks in connection with the sale or promotion of products or services offered through stations can expose stations and their advertisers to claims of trademark infringement, unfair competition, false advertising, and misappropriation of goodwill. The use of a disclaimer like “not an official sponsor of the World Series” usually provides no protection.

MLB owns the exclusive right to its marks, which include “World Series,” “MLB,” any team name or nickname, and related symbols, designations, and logos. Without permission from MLB, radio and television stations cannot say or print any of these protected marks or logos in station marketing or promotions. These include but are not limited to:

• • “Major League Baseball” or “MLB”
  • “American League Wild Card Series” or “National League Wild Card Series”
  • “American League Division Series (ALDS)” or “National League Division Series (NLDS)”
  • “American League Championship Series (ALCS)” or “National League Championship Series (NLCS)”
  • “World Series”
  • Any team name (such as “Yankees” or “Dodgers”)
  • Any MLB or team logo

Stations can, however, say or print the following:

• • “The professional baseball championship”
  • “The baseball playoffs”
  • The dates of the games
  • The names of the cities of the competing teams in the games, but not the team names

Unauthorized Distribution of Game Tickets

MLB and its authorized agents are the only legal sources for distribution of tickets. Broadcast stations cannot conduct promotions giving away tickets to postseason games, even if they validly purchased the tickets. The only exceptions are if a station conducts a promotion with an official sponsor that has written permission from MLB to conduct the promotion, or if MLB provides written permission directly to the station.

News Reporting on Postseason Games and the World Series

MLB holds property rights in the accounts and descriptions of the playoff, championship, and World Series games and related events, and licenses their broadcast rights. Unless broadcast stations have obtained official press credentials, they are not permitted to report on postseason games from the venue while the event is taking place. After the game has ended, stations can report the “news” of the event such as the winner and the score of the game.

MLB has the right to charge fees for use of game and event highlights. Radio and television stations need to obtain consent from MLB or local rights holders before using any highlights in newscasts.

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If you have questions about broadcasts or marketing promotions related to the MLB Postseason, contact Scott Pippin in our Media Practice Group.