FOX, MLB Reach New Seven-Year Deal

PITTSBURGH, July 12: FOX Sports and Major League Baseball
have inked a seven-year deal that keeps the World Series and All-Star Game
exclusively on the FOX network through 2013.

FOX Sports’ new agreement with MLB gives the network the
rights to up to 26 FOX Saturday Baseball Game of the Week regionalized
single-header broadcasts, up from 19;
exclusive coverage of the American
League Championship Series in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013; exclusive coverage of
the National League Championship Series in 2008, 2010 and 2012; exclusive
prime-time coverage of the World Series from 2007 through 2013; exclusive
prime-time coverage of the All-Star Game from 2007 through 2013; and the
youth-targeted magazine show This Week in Baseball.

Fox Networks Group’s president and CEO, Tony Vinciquerra,
noted, “Major League Baseball is as popular today as ever…with new young stars
and veteran players performing before hundreds of millions of fans in-person
and on TV each year. The schedule this agreement provides enables FOX to
combine the most-watched games of the year with the number-one prime-time
lineup in America.” 



“For some time now, Major League Baseball has been a key
component of FOX’s programming strategy,” added Peter Liguori, the president of
entertainment at FOX. “The games are an invaluable promotional
platform—for both our new series and returning hits such as House, 24, Prison
Break, Bones, The Simpsons and Family Guy.