Major League Baseball is reportedly having a hard time finding takers for the weeknight games currently broadcast by ESPN. Plus: four of this weekend’s six scheduled NFL Wild Card games would air on an over-the-top streaming service; the NCAA has officially announced its all-Indiana men’s basketball tournament; and more.
Report: MLB struggling to find takers for ESPN’s weekday games
Major League Baseball is struggling to find suitors for the non-exclusive weekday games that ESPN is set to relinquish in its next rights deal, Sports Business Journal reported Monday. Per the report, MLB approached both Fox and Turner about picking up the rights, but Fox “balked” at the price tag and Turner was not interested in additional weeknight rights (TBS will begin airing a Tuesday package in 2022).
MLB has since approached other outlets, including digital media companies, but is reportedly far from reaching any agreement. [SBD 1.4]
ESPN+ joins list of OTT outlets simulcasting NFL Wild Card games
ESPN has added its streaming service ESPN+ to the roster of networks carrying its annual NFL Wild Card Game (Ravens-Texans, 1 PM ET Sunday). The ESPN+ simulcast, titled “Between the Lines,” would feature the casts of ESPN’s NFL Live and Daily Wager providing “casual, conversational” commentary, including at least some betting-related discussions.
The game would be the first live NFL broadcast on ESPN+, part of an NFL Wild Card Weekend in which four of six games would be available without a cable subscription on an over-the-top service. CBS All-Access is set to air both of the weekend’s CBS games, while NBC’s Peacock is scheduled to air NBC’s Sunday night game. [ESPN PR 12.30]
NCAA officially announces all-Indiana men’s basketball tournament
The NCAA officially announced Monday that this year’s planned NCAA men’s basketball tournament will take place solely in the state of Indiana, with most of the games in the city of Indianapolis. Dates for the preliminary rounds have not been determined, but Selection Sunday (March 14) and the Final Four (April 3 and 5) are still scheduled for their original pre-hiatus dates. [NCAA 1.4]
Plus: UFC on ABC, Sciambi joins Cubs, SRX racing
ESPN announced Monday that the planned UFC Fight Night on January 16 is scheduled to air on ABC, marking the first UFC event ever on ABC, and the first on any broadcast network since FOX aired its final telecast in December 2018. … The Chicago Cubs have hired ESPN Major League Baseball broadcaster Jon “Boog” Sciambi as their new play-by-play voice, replacing White Sox-bound Len Kasper. Sciambi will reportedly continue in his national roles for ESPN. … The new “Superstar Racing Experience” series — which was announced last summer — is scheduled to debut June 12 with the first of six-straight primetime events on the CBS broadcast network. [ESPN PR 1.4, The Athletic 1.4, CBS Sports PR]
