The new multi-year, internet only, deal comes in the aftermath of the end of Real’s three-year deal with Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) – the new media arm of the league.
Since ending the original deal, relations between Real and MLBAM have chilled to the extent that Real has filed suit against MLBAM claiming it has contravened an agreement signed earlier this year over the format its online content is delivered in.
That RealNetworks’ application was switched to Microsoft’s Media Player alerted many to the likelihood of a deal in the pipeline.
Major League Baseball video highlights, plays of the week, news stories and more are now available on MSN.com – Microsoft’s web portal.
In addition, all services included in the MLB.com All Access service, the all-encompassing product offering live, archived and condensed games, are now available to subscribers of MSN Premium, MSN’s broadband service.
Several individual MLB.com subscription products, including MLB.TV, the live-game, out-of-market video service produced by MLB.com, will also be promoted on MSN.com.
There are also plans to work together to provide content for consumers to access action on portable media centre devices.
Said MLB commissioner Bud Selig: “MSN's global reach, significant subscriber base and software innovation enable us to bring Major League Baseball to the most far-reaching audience in the most exciting way possible."
As part of the deal, MSN will manage and sell all advertising on MLB.TV, the MLB.com Gameday Audio service, MSN Video and other areas on MSN.com. The deal also includes extensive co-branding, marketing and promotional activities from both MSN and MLB.com. In addition, the deal does not limit MLB.com's ability to use formats or technology other than Windows Media. Finally, with this deal, MSN will link to MLB.com's pitch-by-pitch service and that service will be co-branded.
Terms of the deal were not revealed. MLBAM’s previous deal with RealNetworks was worth $20m over three-years.
As expected, Major League Baseball has replaced RealNetworks as its primary internet partner with Microsoft - and given the giant the job of building on some of the web's most innovative sports content.
