MLB Network press conference
ByThe guys from MLB Network are launching into their big press conference right now, but I’d say a solid 75% of the media guys are out to lunch/staking out the elevators. Harold Reynolds, Matt Vasgersian and Hazel May are on stage as part of the crew that will host MLB Tonight, a Baseball Tonight type show. I’ll update this post if they say anything exciting, it seems like they have their stuff together.
Update (1:40pm): The network is launching in July 2009. It’ll be the largest launch in television history, and it sounds like most cable providers have decided to carry it.
Update (1:45pm): My bad, it launches on January 1st. They’ll broadcast the original tape of Don Larsen’s perfect game on Day One, original commercials and all. Their facility is in Secaucus.
Update (1:50pm): This sounds like a very ambitious endeavor. They’re going to have a daily eight hour live highlight show (not the same broadcast crew for all eight hours, obviously) and have already enlisted a ton of high end TV talent, including Al Leiter.
Update (2:00pm): The PC is over. The Q&A was rather light since half the press is chowing down on the buffet.
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Ohhh Secaucus.
Hopefully this doesn’t turn into the NFL network fiasco that is currently going on
Sorry for being naive… But what’s going on with the NFL network?
Most people in this country dont get it as part of basic cable because the NFL tried to force it down the providers throats while charging more for the channel then almost any other basic cable channel.
Best comparison is YES Cablevision’s first year
On top of that NFL network used to be more available, especially when they didn’t have games, but then they decided to charge a bunch more for it assuming that cable providers would cave, especially since they have Thursday games, so far they haven’t, and I think NFL network doesnt want to be an HBO style premium channel, so it can’t even be purchased for extra if you want it, leaving most people in the country without even the option of having NFL network from their cable provider.
All that has happened is people don’t have the network, so people either have to go to bars or not watch the Thursday game if its not in their home region. Basically NFL network thus far is loosing the battle
Exactly. I don’t have the option for the NFL Network which pissed me off when I came to Mountain Home from Turkey. NBA TV even isn’t a part of the basic package.
I wonder if Mountain Home, ID will add this channel to my current plan. I’m already without the NFL Network. For reasons unknown, Time Warner doesn’t have the NFL Network channel here in Mountain Home. I wouldn’t be surprised if the MLB Network doesn’t broadcast here. Thank God for live streaming online!
They said they made the channel available to all television providers. Whether or not the individual carrier chose to carry the channel is a different story.
The individual carriers are what I’m afraid of. I guess I’ll find out three weeks.
Who’s your carrier?
Time Warner.
You’re all set.. they have ownership in the network, it will be available
Thanx!
Time Warner is a part owner of the network and has a carriage agreement in place for all of its systems nationwide. Whether they add it on a local level is a different story, but they have carriage rights to the channel so you should see it at some point. Most likely they will add the channel to all systems near launch.
Thank you!
MLB Network already has carriage agreements with DirecTV, Comcast, Cox and Time Warner as well as 32 other video providers. Negotiations for the channel were directly tied to MLB Extra Innings carriage when it looked like it would be exclusive to DirecTV. Don’t worry about the NFL Network fiasco happening here.
Forgot to add those 4 providers are minority owners in the network along with MLB.
Some info here on MLB Network:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLB_Network
meh, not an al leiter fan. now harold reynolds, i am
Harold likes the ladies.
I honestly can’t wait till this comes out. About time MLB made a channel. For you Direct TV people it will be channel 213, one channel above NFL network.
Will RCN carry it?
From what I read, if your provider carries the MLB Extra Innings package, then they are forced to carry the MLB Network.
I remember reading that during the negotiations, but I see no published reports specifically referring to MLB Network on RCN, simply Extra Innings. I’m surprised they don’t have some sort of channel finder on their website yet to help people know if they will be receiving the channel and steps to take if they will not.
Update (2:00pm): The PC is over. The Q&A was rather light since half the press is chowing down on the buffet.
Hopefully PeteAbe didn’t choke on his McRib. Those things are deathtraps, one of you guys should check on him.
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=.....#038;gl=us
Dunno the accuracy of the list, but the most complete I’ve seen on coverage
Here’s a list of the T.V. providers of MLB Network in the US, Canada, Mexico and Chile (Really?): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLB_Extra_Innings
That’s for Extra Innings, though. Will MLB network only be offered as part of EI, as well? That would kind of…suck.
Hmm, that’s a good question. Again, from what I personally read, the MLB Network would be made available to carriers that provided the MLB EI. I have no idea if it’s an either-or deal, or a packaged deal.
Its not a package you can get MLB network without Extra Innings
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