Several publications late yesterday reported that the satcaster and the league had reached an exclusive arrangement for DIRECTV to carry the baseball package, which is called 'MLB Extra Innings.'
The reports were based on a seven-page letter DIRECTV submitted to the Federal Communications Commission that referred to the MLB package as "DIRECTV's agreement."
However, DIRECTV spokesman Robert Mercer told the Associated Press that the letter used the wrong language.
"The letter should have said proposed agreement. There is no agreement as yet," Mercer told the wire service.
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The Extra Innings package could be a large part of DIRECTV's plan to expand its high-def programming over the next few years. If the satcaster lands the exclusive deal, it might air a large number of the games in HDTV.
DIRECTV's FCC letter, which was written by CEO Chase Carey, was an effort to convince the agency that the DIRECTV-MLB exclusive would be good for consumers. The proposed deal has been criticized by lawmakers and media critics because it would take the 'Extra Innings' package away from cable and EchoStar viewers.
Responding to the criticism, the FCC recently told Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) that it would seek more information on the deal before reporting on whether it would be anti-consumer.
But Carey wrote: "Consumers will receive a better product, with more content and more features."
According to AP, Carey argued that only 5,000 current (cable and EchoStar) subscribers to the Extra Innings package would not be able to subscribe to DIRECTV.
As part of its proposal to land the Extra Innings deal, DIRECTV has promised to carry MLB's new Baseball Channel in 2009. However, Carey said the channel would be available to cable and other TV providers as well.
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