The Major League Baseball channel, or MLB Channel will launch on January 1st, 2009. DIRECTV will carry the MLB channel, as well as several other cable TV companies. Currently, there is no indication that DISH Network will be carrying the MLB Channel.
The Major League Baseball Network has been in the works for a few years now. With the launch of the MLB Network, baseball fans will have an authoritative 24/7 source for all things related to America’s pastime. The MLB Network follows in the steps of other major sports networks. The NFL Network, NBA TV, and the NHL Network have all been around for a few years, but none have been able to build a substantial subscriber base, with the NFL Network continuing to battle cable TV companies like Comcast and Time Warner cable in an effort to find a spot on basic cable tiers.
It looks like the MLB Network has learned from the hardships experienced by the other major sport leagues. Instead of starting the Network, then looking to find cable and satellite TV companies to carry the channel, the MLB channel has already made agreements with DIRECTV and others. At the January 1, 2009 launch date, it is expected that the MLB channel will have about 50 million subscribers. Cable industry insiders estimate the MLB channel will be worth $1.2 billion dollars with that kind of subsriber base.
Major League Baseball was able to work out carriage agreements with DIRECTV and iN Demand during negotiations in 2007. MLB initially moved to strike an exclusive agreement with DIRECTV for the MLB Extra Innings package, similar to the NFL Sunday Ticket package carried by DIRECTV. That deal fell out of favor as fans, the media, and even congress began objected to the exclusivity of DIRECTV holding both the NFL Ticket and MLB Extra Innings package.
Eventually a deal was struck with DIRECTV and iN Demand, granting them a one-third ownership interest in the MLB Network to the satellite TV provider and the cable companies that own iN Demand. Major League Baseball retained a two-thirds ownership position. With all of the large players like DIRECTV, Comcast, Time Warner, and Cox Cable now partial owners, the MLB channel was guaranteed a slot on basic tiers, the place to be for any cable network. Thus the MLB Network was able to accomplish what the NFL Network has struggled for years to accomplish. That though is partially due to the absolute refusal of the NFL and its owners to grant any partial ownership position to the cable operators.
As far as content goes, the MLB Network will certainly have the bases covered when it comes to all things baseball. With more than 2,400 games played each season, its hard to image that fans want more coverage, but MLB is banking on their deals with DIRECTV and Comcast. The main feature of the channel will be 26 live games, which will be broadcast on Thursday evenings throughout the 2009 season. Playoff games though will remain on TBS and FOX for the time being, as contracts for playoff rights are currently in the middle of a seven year run.
DIRECTV has also confirmed that it will carry the MLB Channel in HD from the start of broadcasting. The MLB Channel HD will be a simulcast of the SD version, and will be in 720p. This was chosen over the 1080i version as the picture quality degrades less when cable TV operators compress the signal. Reportedly Verizon FIOS will also carry both the MLB Channel HD and SD version, though they have not announced if they will do so initially. No official statement has come from either Comcast or Time Warner as to if they will carry the MLB channel in HD.
DIRECTV is once again making life difficult for Dish Network with their latest sports league partnership. While DIRECTV has carried the MLB Extra Innings package for several years now, DISH Network has not carried the package at all. The agreement between MLB and DIRECTV granting partial ownership does leave the door open for DISH Network to get in on the action. However, language in the contract will force Dish Network to carry the MLB Network in order to have access the the out-of-market MLB Extra Innings package. Dish Network is notoriously known for driving hard bargains when it comes to carriage issues, so don’t be surprised if they simply walk away from MLB once again this year, leaving their subscribers out in the cold when it comes to both the MLB Extra Innings package and the new MLB Channel.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
I always watch baseball when I can’t sleep, does the job every time
dish network ripped me off to the tune of 1212.33$
525$ they said themselves took on christmas eve. i want the world to know not to do business with dish network stay with time warner cable. All that $ for only tv and dvr service, no internet , no phone .Now they are telling me that it never happed and i am not getting my $ back. they need to put back 457.67$ back into my account immediately. Until i will continue to put this information up on every site i can get. thanks for nothing cynthia shine !
I have been waiting for this MLB channel. And now that it is launch I can watch matches more regularly than before. The reception is great. I have been a long subscriber of direct TV and was waiting when they would launch the MLB channel.
I’m so glad I switched to Direct TV from Dish Network last fall. No MLB channel on Dish? C’mon these guys need to get with the program. Im impressed with the first year of the MLB channel, tons of coverage, but I do wish they had more live games on.