Fox brings Major League Baseball to Europe
October 24, 2013
Fox International Channels (FIC), a division of 21st Century Fox, has announced an exclusive, multi-platform, long-term agreement with Major League Baseball International (MLBI) to televise an abundance of live MLB games in over 30 countries across Europe. FIC begins its new MLB partnership with the 2013 World Series, featuring the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals, airing live in multiple markets.
The new agreement grants FIC the rights to distribute all MLB games, including: the regular season; the All-Star Game and Home Run Derby; the Wild Card match ups; the Divisional Series; the League Championship Series; and the World Series. In addition, the deal gives FIC rights to a number of classic MLB games, as well as ancillary programming from both MLB and Fox. MLB games and programming will be distributed on FIC’s channels throughout the territory across its various television outlets and platforms.
“The relationship with Fox International Channels allows us to expand our relationship with Fox and is an exciting development for our business in Europe,” said Paul Archey, Senior Vice President of International Business Operations, Major League Baseball. “This deal exemplifies the growing popularity of baseball across Europe and will provide increased access to telecasts for our many passionate fans.”