For MLB Network, ALDS is the World Series

Source: www.cablefax.com --- Wednesday, October 04, 2017
Baseball’s playoffs just got under way Tuesday night, but MLB Network is ready for its own World Series. Under MLB’s current media rights agreements, which run through 2021, the league-controlled cable channel (which counts AT&T, Comcast and Charter as minority owners) has exclusive rights to two Division Series games each year. Those games alternate between the American League and National League each year; this year it’s the ALDS. For MLBN, these games are kind of a big deal. “These two Division Series games in many ways are our World Series,” said MLBN pres Rob McGlarry. “They’re the most premium content we’re going to air this year.” Many businesses opt to reserve their most valuable product for paying customers, but MLBN’s approach is the opposite. For the second straight postseason, the net is partnering with many of its distributors to offer a week-long free preview. McGlarry said the logic behind the trial is twofold. “One is the obvious,” he said. “It makes the games available to more viewers and subscribers.” With 15 MVPDs and one virtual MVPD (DirecTV Now) participating, MLBN estimates that the trial will expand its reach for the games from its usual 62.4mln homes (per Nielsen) to more than 90mln homes. Naturally, it behooves the league to make its product as accessible to fans as possible, particularly during the playoffs, when avidity is at its highest. In addition, McGlarry believes the trials drive at least some v ...

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