World Baseball Network

What World Baseball Network does

World Baseball Network is a private digital media company providing coverage of global baseball, spanning MLB, the World Baseball Classic, NCAA, Minor League Baseball, and international professional leagues across the Americas (Mexico, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, El Salvador), Asia (Japan, South Korea), Europe (Italy, Germany), and Oceania (Australia). The company operates the worldbaseball.com content platform, the Baseball Without Borders podcast, and an active social media presence across X, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Its core product is a four-tier membership program (Global Fan free, All-Star Fan $4.99/mo, Hall of Fame $9.99/mo, MVP Fan $19.99/mo) that bundles exclusive editorial content, merchandise discounts, event access, and live game chats, supported by an e-commerce store selling branded apparel.

The company's go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer content and subscriptions with a channel-partnership model in which it acquires exclusive English-language media rights from national baseball federations, most recently FIBS Italy (February 2026) and RFEBS Spain (April 2026), both running through 2028. Additional revenue streams include display advertising on the website and merchandise sales. The technology stack integrates the third-party GameRun IQ AI tool for player performance analytics and scout reports, differentiated as a domain-specialized feature rather than core platform infrastructure. The company is registered as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and is a member of NaVOBA and SABR.

Founded by Matthew Tallarini, World Baseball Network is a small operating team (11-50 employees) headquartered in White Plains, New York. The business is privately held with no disclosed venture or private equity funding, and its monetization model has only recently been formalized through the 2026 launch of the tiered membership program and AI-enhanced subscription tiers.

Name

World Baseball Network

Legal name

World Baseball Network LLC

Website

https://WorldBaseball.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

World Baseball Network is a private digital media platform covering global baseball across MLB, NCAA, and international leagues, offering tiered membership subscriptions, exclusive federation content partnerships, e-commerce merchandise, and an AI-powered performance analytics tool to baseball fans worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Media

NAICS

Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPABAJAE

International Sports Broadcasters & Rights Networks

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Sports Broadcasting & Rights Networks

SECONDARYMPABAHAJ

Sports OTT & League Pass Streaming Channels

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/OTT/FAST Streaming Channels & Virtual MVPDs

Keywords

• Baseball news coverage
• Sports media platform
• Baseball membership subscriptions
• International baseball leagues
• Baseball merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Subscription Memberships: Tiered membership program with four levels: Global Fan (free), All-Star Fan ($4.99/month), Hall of Fame ($9.99/month), and MVP Fan ($19.99/month). Higher tiers unlock exclusive content, merchandise discounts up to 25%, early access to stories, archived content, and live game chats.
2. E-commerce / Merchandise Sales: Online store selling apparel including snapback hats in various colors (black, red, gold, white, navy blue). Merchandise discounts offered to membership subscribers ranging from 20-25% based on tier.
3. Advertising: Website advertising placements and sponsorship opportunities for brands targeting global baseball audiences across MLB, international leagues, and amateur baseball coverage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

World Baseball Network operates a global digital baseball media platform delivering English-language news, editorial coverage, video, and podcasts across MLB, the World Baseball Classic, NCAA, and more than 30 international and amateur leagues. It monetizes this content through a four-tier subscription membership program (free to $19.99/month), a branded e-commerce merchandise store, and advertising, and supplements it with AI-powered GameRun IQ performance analytics and official federation media partnerships.

Product overview

World Baseball Network is a media company building the largest ecosystem for baseball fans, leagues, teams, players, and sponsors worldwide. The core offering is a content platform providing coverage of baseball leagues globally including MLB, World Baseball Classic, international leagues (Mexico, Japan, Korea, Italy, Australia, Caribbean, Venezuela), NCAA, Minor League Baseball, and Independent Baseball Leagues. The company operates a tiered membership program (Global Fan free, All-Star Fan $4.99/mo, Hall of Fame $9.99/mo, MVP Fan $19.99/mo) that provides access to premium content, merchandise discounts, live chats, and exclusive AI-powered tools like GameRun IQ. Additional revenue streams include e-commerce store and advertising. The product integrates a news platform, video content, league coverage pages, and social media presence across multiple channels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Baseball Without Borders: The company's strategy focused on emerging markets and the global growth of baseball
• GameRun IQ
• Global Fan
• All-Star Fan
• Hall of Fame
• MVP Fan

Products and services

• Global Fan Membership Free entry-level membership tier providing a weekly newsletter, 20% off the first merchandise purchase, early access to discounts and pre-sales, and access to the Baseball Without Borders Podcast, aimed at casual global baseball fans.
• All-Star Fan Membership Mid-tier monthly subscription at $4.99/month granting exclusive premium articles and a 20% merchandise discount up to $300 per year on top of the Global Fan benefits, targeted at engaged baseball fans.
• Hall of Fame Membership Premium monthly subscription at $9.99/month bundling a free exclusive hat, access to the GameRun AI performance and scouting tool, exclusive WBN content and premium articles, a weekly newsletter, 25% merchandise discount up to $800 per year, access to events and drops, and the Baseball Without Borders Podcast.
• MVP Fan Membership Top-tier monthly subscription at $19.99/month providing archived content access, early access to stories, a 20% merchandise discount up to $600 per year, live game chats at $2 per chat, and a welcome free gift, aimed at the most engaged hardcore baseball fans.
• World Baseball Network Store Proprietary e-commerce storefront selling branded World Baseball Network apparel and accessories, including snapback hats in black, red, gold, white, and navy blue, with membership-tier discount integration.
• GameRun IQ AI-powered tool that rates baseball player performance and generates scout reports, offered to World Baseball Network members through the Hall of Fame tier via a partnership with GameRun.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Real Federación Española de Béisbol y Sófbol (RFEBS)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 April 2026WBN named official English-language media partner through 2028, providing in-depth reporting on Spain's national baseball and softball teams and international competitions including All-Star Games, Spain Softball Week, and Premier 12 Qualifier. Partnership reinforces WBN's mission to expand global baseball coverage while highlighting Spain's growing influence in international baseball.
• Federazione Italiana Baseball Softball (FIBS)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 February 2026WBN named official English-language media partner through 2028, providing in-depth coverage of Italy's national baseball and softball teams starting with the World Baseball Classic where Italy is led by manager Francisco Cervelli. Partnership expands WBN's international baseball media ecosystem covering leagues in Africa, Australia, Europe, Korea, Japan, and the Caribbean.
• Society of American Baseball Research (SABR)minorOthersWBN is a member of SABR, dedicated to baseball history and statistics research.
• National Veteran-Owned Business Association (NaVOBA)minorOthersWBN is a member of NaVOBA as part of its Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) certification.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ESPN: Dominant US sports media company with baseball editorial, video, and digital subscription products (ESPN+). Comparable as a multi-channel baseball content and subscription platform, though with vastly greater scale and rights access.
• Bleacher Report: Large digital sports media outlet with heavy social distribution and team-specific content verticals. Comparable as a multi-league digital baseball publisher competing for the same advertising and audience dollars.
• Sports Illustrated: Legacy sports media brand with digital subscription products and broad coverage including baseball. Comparable in subscription-based sports journalism monetization, though much broader scope.
• MLB.com: Official media arm of Major League Baseball and the dominant English-language baseball content destination globally. Directly comparable as a baseball-focused digital media and content platform, though significantly larger and league-owned.

Direct peers

• FanGraphs: Baseball analytics and editorial site focused on advanced statistics and writing. Comparable in baseball-specific audience and analytics-adjacent editorial positioning, though primarily US-league focused.
• Baseball America: Long-standing baseball-focused media company covering MLB, minor leagues, and amateur/draft content. Closest niche analog in editorial depth on baseball-specific topics including international and amateur play.
• The Athletic: Subscription-based sports journalism outlet with deep baseball coverage. Comparable as a paid-membership sports media business targeting engaged fans, though much larger and broader across multiple sports.
• Baseball Reference: Baseball statistics and reference site with deep historical and player data. Comparable as a baseball-vertical digital destination with advertising/subscription revenue, especially given WBN's GameRun AI analytics ambitions.

Emerging players

• Perfect Game: Amateur and youth baseball scouting/media platform with subscription and event revenue. Comparable as a baseball-vertical subscription and content business serving an engaged niche audience segment.

Regional players

• 日本経済新聞 スポーツ (Nikkan Sports): Major Japanese sports daily with extensive NPB coverage. Comparable as a federation-league-aligned baseball media partner serving a specific national baseball market, though operating primarily in Japanese rather than English.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WorldBaseball_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9UbsuEYje6vGjOVwCpfZqg
• Facebookfacebook.com/WorldBaseballNetwork
• Instagraminstagram.com/worldbaseball_com
• TikToktiktok.com/@worldbaseballnetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/world-baseball-network

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about World Baseball Network