ESPN, and Major League Baseball extended their digital rights partnership for what they describe as most comprehensive multiplatform collection of baseball rights ever, until 2013.
Under the deal, ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV will simulcast all Sunday Night Baseball, Monday Night Baseball and Wednesday Night Baseball telecasts. In addition ESPN digital media platforms will be able to stream the Home Run Derby and other special MLB events for which ESPN has television rights.
The deal also includes expanded online and mobile highlights, with ESPN’s mobile platforms (ESPN Mobile TV and ESPN MVP) acquiring the rights to newly expanded rights to deliver video highlights by themselves and as part of original shows. In addition, ESPN will be able to deliver MLB content as part of its offerings on alternative platforms, such as the Apple iTunes Store and game consoles (e.g. Xbox Live), as well as on platforms that might be developed during the term of the agreement. ESPN will also have the rights to syndicate to its various syndication partners some of the MLB content–including video and data–that it presents on ESPN digital media platforms.
