Major League Baseball on TBS

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This article or section contains information about scheduled or expected future events. It may contain information of a tentative nature and the content may change dramatically as the event approaches and more information becomes available.

Major League Baseball on TBS is a broadcasting agreement between Major League Baseball and the Turner Broadcasting System to broadcast baseball via cable television nationwide, beginning in 2007.

Contents 1 The Agreement 2 Announcers 3 See also 4 References

[edit] The Agreement

Under an agreement signed on July 11, 2006, TBS earned exclusive rights to all Division Series playoff games, a national Sunday afternoon baseball package, as well as rights to the All-Star Selection Show held in late June or early July, beginning in 2007.

TBS will also be able to air any tiebreaker games for divisional or wild card championships, beginning in the 2006 playoffs. Should multiple tiebreaking games be played, those additional games would air on TBS’ sister station, TNT.

TBS currently airs baseball nationwide as a broadcast partner of the Atlanta Braves, which they have been since 1977. TBS will continue to air Atlanta Braves games through the 2007 season nationally, where their current local television deal with the Braves and the national television deal with Major League Baseball will co-exist. TBS will also air local Atlanta Braves telecasts for the Atlanta baseball market through the 2013 season, with several of those broadcasts eligible for the Sunday national package.

On October 17, 2006, TBS agreed to a seven year agreement with Major League Baseball to broadcast the National League Championship Series and American League Championship Series in alternating years from 2007 to 2013. TBS will have the NLCS in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013 and the ALCS in 2008, 2010 and 2012. As part of another deal reached earlier this summer, FOX will continue to broadcast the ALCS, in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013, and the NLCS, in 2008, 2010 and 2012.

TBS joins FOX and ESPN as national broadcast partners of Major League Baseball. Any potential one-game playoffs in 2006 would have been called by Chip Caray, Joe Simpson and Don Sutton, all Braves broadcasters.

[edit] Announcers

No broadcasters have been announced for the new TBS broadcasts. However, Chip Caray is expected to be TBS' lead play-by-play announcer for the games. [1] It is also rumored that the network is in talks with Cal Ripken Jr. and Mark Grace on being part of the broadcast team whether in studio or in the booth. [2]. Same with Don Sutton only if he agrees on the playoff only contract.

[edit] See also

• Major League Baseball on FOX
• ESPN Major League Baseball
• Braves TBS Baseball

[edit] References

• Press Release: MLB, FOX, and Turner reach new television agreements
• Press Release: TBS signs on to air LCS games

Major League Baseball on national television
Contract history: Sports television broadcast contracts | Major League Baseball television contracts
Broadcast partners: ABC | CBS | ESPN | FOX | NBC | TBS | USA | The Baseball Network
General media: World Series television ratings | Major League Baseball Game of the Week | Cable television | Monday Night Baseball | Wednesday Night Baseball | Thursday Night Baseball |Sunday Night Baseball | Broadcasting firsts | Telecasts technology
Broadcasters by event: World Series | American League Championship Series | National League Championship Series | All-Star Game | American League Division Series | National League Division Series