From next year ESPN will show the semi-finals and final, scheduled for March at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, as well as select other games domestically, whilst the MLB Network will broadcast much of the action from the first and second rounds.
Sport Business Journal reports that the although specific financial terms were not disclosed and documents have not yet been signed, industry sources said the pacts mark a tripling over total domestic TV rights for the 2006 event. Overall, domestic and international rights for the 2009 edition are expected to garner between $40 million and $50 million.
It is thought that ESPN has picked up a broad swath of international rights, and the event will include a significant digital profile, as well, with games streamed on ESPN360.com and MLB.com.
MLB president, Bob DuPuy, told the journal: “The [TV] deals are [essentially] done, and this is going to be a phenomenal event. We are well-positioned to build significantly off the results we saw in 2006”.
