IndyCar is hitting the open market. In other news, ESPN’s new over-the-top service will air nightly MLB games, and the NBA is taking measures to avoid teams resting players for nationally televised games.
IndyCar Rights Hit Open Market
- IndyCar has let its exclusive negotiating period with ESPN/ABC and NBC Sports expire, Sports Business Daily reported Friday, allowing the circuit to enter the open market. IndyCar CEO Mark Miles has been open about his desire to work with only one broadcast partner, rather than splitting the season between ABC and NBCSN. [Sports Business Daily 8.11]
ESPN OTT Service to Air Nightly MLB Game
- ESPN will broadcast one Major League Baseball game per night on its new over-the-top streaming service, NBC Sports reported Wednesday. The games are not part of ESPN’s existing MLB TV package and will command a separate and reportedly “significant” fee. Nor will the games be exclusive to the ESPN OTT service, with viewers able to watch on their local RSNs or through MLB.TV. [NBC Sports via Sports Business Daily 8.10]
NBA Taking Measures to Protect National Games From Rest
- The NBA will no longer schedule teams for “key” nationally televised games on the second night of a back-to-back, ESPN reported this week, part of a league effort to avoid teams sitting star players for high-profile games. In back-to-back weeks last season, the eventual champion Warriors and defending champion Cavaliers sat their best players for ABC games, with a Cavaliers-Clippers matchup tying the lowest NBA rating ever on broadcast television at the time. [ESPN 8.8]
