However, in a hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee, MLB President and COO Bob DuPuy made no other concession and it appears more likely than ever that DIRECTV will get the package exclusively.
MLB and DIRECTV signed an agreement this month that said the satcaster could have Extra Innings exclusively if other TV providers did not match the offer. The satcaster plans to show most of the games in High-Definition by 2008.
The deal has sparked outrage from lawmakers such as Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass) and newspaper columnists who say cable viewers will be denied access to the package, which includes up to 60 out of market games a week.
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In Demand CEO Rob Jacobson, who represents cable TV operators, says he matched DIRECTV's offer but was rejected by MLB.
According to Multichannel News, Sen. Kerry today urged DuPuy in the hearing to meet face-to-face with Jacobson to iron out a deal. He said Major League Baseball was "driving for the best deal that you can get (but) that may not be the best deal for baseball, frankly, or the fans."
However, despite DuPuy's promise to meet Jacobson, it appears unlikely that a deal will be reached for two reasons:
1. Under the DIRECTV deal, a cable TV operator (or EchoStar) would have to accept the identical terms by March 31.
2. The DIRECTV terms would require a TV provider to offer MLB's new Baseball Channel, slated for launch in 2009, to most of its subscribers. That would require a cable operator to pay MLB a large fee to carry the channel, something cable providers are loathe to do.
Dupuy told Kerry that the DIRECTV deal was best for the fans because the satcaster promised to offer the Baseball Channel to a wider audience.
Swanni Sez:
Despite a lot of yelling and hand waving prior to the hearing, Sen. Kerry was unable to extract any significant concession from Major League Baseball in the hearing. DuPuy's promise to meet Jacobson was merely a political gesture, designed to allow Kerry to save face by appearing to get something for his trouble.
But unless something quite unforeseen occurs between now and Opening Day, DIRECTV will have the exclusive rights to the Extra Innings package.
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Phillip Swann is president and publisher of
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