Part 2/7:
The sports partnership, lasting almost 40 years, is dissolving, signaling changing times for both ESPN and MLB. Reports indicate that ESPN attempted to negotiate a reduced rights fee due to declining viewership. In response, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred stated unequivocally in a memo to team owners that given the value of its product, a reduction in fees was unwarranted. In essence, MLB declined to remain associated with what it perceives as a "shrinking platform" amidst falling linear distribution—down to approximately 53.6 million homes from double that figure in 2011.