MLB Network
Encyclopedia
MLB Network is an American television specialty channel
dedicated to professional baseball
. It is primarily owned by Major League Baseball
. Comcast
, DirecTV
, Time Warner Cable
and Cox Communications
have minority ownership of the new network, with MLB retaining a controlling two-thirds share. The channel's headquarters and studios are located in the Secaucus, New Jersey
facility which formerly housed MSNBC
's studios.Tony Petitti
, former executive producer of CBS Sports
, was named the network's first president.
n professional sports
league to launch its own 24-hour cable network. NBA TV
dates back to 1999, the NHL Network to 2001 (though not in the United States until 2007), and the NFL Network
to 2003. However, MLB Network is carried in the most households of these four networks, as it is available on all of the top ten video operators in the United States.
MLB Network soft-launched on December 16, 2008 with a rolling automated loop of archival programming and promotions for the network for cable systems that carried the network's transmissions leading up to the January 1 launch. The channel fully launched at 6 PM EST with the premiere of Hot Stove
.
, Dish Network
, Verizon FiOS
, Cablevision, Comcast
, Cox Communications
, Time Warner Cable
, Bright House Networks
, and AT&T Uverse. In a deal that was pioneered by other sports league owned channels, MLB tied carriage of the MLB Network to the ability to carry the popular out of market MLB Extra Innings
package. In return, cable and satellite providers were offered a minority share of the new network.
, home of the Toronto Blue Jays
. Network officials have been in contact with Blue Jays owner (and Canada's largest cable company) Rogers Communications
about making MLB Network available in Canada, but emphasized prior to the channel's launch that a deal was not imminent.
In August 2008, Rogers secured Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approval for a Canadian digital channel tentatively called "Baseball TV", which has not yet launched. This license could be used to launch a localized version of MLB Network with domestic advertising and additional Canadian content
, along the lines of NBA TV Canada, which is owned by the parent company of the Toronto Raptors
but uses much of the content of the league's U.S. channel NBA TV
. It appears Rogers would prefer this approach. An alternative would be for MLB and a sponsoring cable or satellite company (such as Rogers) to seek separate CRTC approval to import the U.S. channel directly; this was the approach taken with NFL Network.
high definition simulcast of MLB Network, which launched simultaneously to the regular channel. After much discussion, MLB Network decided to use the 720p format instead of 1080-line-interlace
because it believes 720p shows the motion of baseball more accurately and will degrade less when recompressed by cable operators to save bandwidth. As Mark Haden (VP of engineering and IT of MLB Network) says: “That's our best shot of maintaining quality to viewers.” All studio programs and original shows are shot in HD, as well as all self produced games such as those of the 2009 World Baseball Classic
and Thursday Night Baseball
, as well as simulcasted locally produced games on Saturday Night Baseball. The network is also currently remastering 30 World Series Films in high definition. Also during MLB Tonight the channel shows exclusive live HD look-ins to games in progress via its local channel. Programs not available in HD originally have unique stylized pillarboxes: brick walls reminiscent of an older baseball stadium, with the MLB Network logo in the middle. Beginning on March 27, 2009, pillarboxes with a more generic design were used with some programming: solid blue bars with the logo in the middle. The brick wall design pillarboxes continue to be used at times as well.
The 720p format is also used by affiliates of regional sports network
Fox Sports Net HD
, which holds the rights to local game coverage of several teams, Phillies broadcaster WPHL-TV
, and WWOR-TV
in Secaucus, New Jersey
/New York, which broadcasts a limited schedule of Yankees games. MLB national broadcast partners Fox and ESPN
also produce their programming in 720p.
MLB Network HD is available nationally on DirecTV
and Dish Network
and regionally on Verizon FiOS
, Cablevision, Comcast
, Cox Communications
, Time Warner Cable
, Bright House Networks
, and AT&T Uverse.
and the Caribbean Series.
games, simulcasted from one of the team's local TV rights holder's feed. These games are also subject to local blackouts.
and minor league
games. In August 2009, they aired youth baseball championships, including the RBI World Series and the Cal Ripken World Series. It also airs some games of the Arizona Fall League
including the championship.
, is a half-scale baseball field where demonstrations by the network's analysts take place and QuickPitch is presented, along with interview programs where an audience is needed for atmosphere. Studio 42 is also the home of the early rounds of the Major League Baseball Draft. The studio includes seating for over 125 people, along with elements such as a functioning manual scoreboard
and a standings wall for each league and division.
The network had planned to launch permanent studios from a new tower in Manhattan's Harlem neighborhood by 2011. However due to the 2008 financial crisis, the building project was scaled back and later canceled in late November 2008.
Specialty channel
A specialty channel can be a commercial broadcasting or non-commercial television channel which consists of television programming focused on a single genre, subject or targeted television market at a specific demographic....
dedicated to professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
. It is primarily owned by Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
, Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
and Cox Communications
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
have minority ownership of the new network, with MLB retaining a controlling two-thirds share. The channel's headquarters and studios are located in the Secaucus, New Jersey
Secaucus, New Jersey
Secaucus is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 16,264. Located within the New Jersey Meadowlands, it is the most suburban of the county's municipalities, though large parts of the town are dedicated to light manufacturing, retail, and...
facility which formerly housed MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
's studios.Tony Petitti
Tony Petitti
Tony Petitti is President and Chief Executive Officer of the MLB Network, where he oversees all of the network's day-to-day operations.-Career:...
, former executive producer of CBS Sports
CBS Sports
CBS Sports is a division of CBS Broadcasting which airs sporting events on the American television network. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on West 52nd Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on West 57th Street.CBS...
, was named the network's first president.
History
Major League Baseball became the fourth major North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n professional sports
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
league to launch its own 24-hour cable network. NBA TV
NBA TV
NBA TV is a television specialty channel that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association , which also uses NBA TV as a way of advertising their out of market package NBA League Pass, and partner...
dates back to 1999, the NHL Network to 2001 (though not in the United States until 2007), and the NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
to 2003. However, MLB Network is carried in the most households of these four networks, as it is available on all of the top ten video operators in the United States.
MLB Network soft-launched on December 16, 2008 with a rolling automated loop of archival programming and promotions for the network for cable systems that carried the network's transmissions leading up to the January 1 launch. The channel fully launched at 6 PM EST with the premiere of Hot Stove
Hot Stove
Hot Stove is the signature offseason program that airs on MLB Network and is simulcast on MLB Network Radio. The show offers the coverage of offseason activities including trades, free agent signings, and rumors. It is taped live in Studio 3 of the MLB Network facility in Secaucus, New Jersey, but...
.
Carriage
The network has signed contracts with numerous cable and satellite carriers, including DirecTVDirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
, Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
, Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS is a bundled Internet access, telephone, and television service which operates over a fiber-optic communications network. It is offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon Communications. Verizon was one of the first major U.S...
, Cablevision, Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, Cox Communications
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
, Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
, Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
, and AT&T Uverse. In a deal that was pioneered by other sports league owned channels, MLB tied carriage of the MLB Network to the ability to carry the popular out of market MLB Extra Innings
MLB Extra Innings
MLB Extra Innings is an Out-of-Market Sports Package distributed in North America by satellite provider DirecTV since 1996 and by most cable providers since 2001. The package allows its subscribers to see up to 80 out-of-market Major League Baseball games a week using local over the air stations...
package. In return, cable and satellite providers were offered a minority share of the new network.
Satellite radio
On March 26, 2010, it was announced that satellite radio station MLB Home Plate will be rebranded to MLB Network Radio which will simulcast some MLB Network programs such as MLB Tonight and Hot Stove. The switchover began on April 4, the first day of the 2010 MLB season.Canadian carriage
To date, no announcements have been made about MLB Network availability in CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, home of the Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
. Network officials have been in contact with Blue Jays owner (and Canada's largest cable company) Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
about making MLB Network available in Canada, but emphasized prior to the channel's launch that a deal was not imminent.
In August 2008, Rogers secured Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approval for a Canadian digital channel tentatively called "Baseball TV", which has not yet launched. This license could be used to launch a localized version of MLB Network with domestic advertising and additional Canadian content
Canadian content
Canadian content refers to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission requirements that radio and television broadcasters must air a certain percentage of content that was at least partly written, produced, presented, or otherwise contributed to by persons from...
, along the lines of NBA TV Canada, which is owned by the parent company of the Toronto Raptors
Toronto Raptors
The Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's re-expansion...
but uses much of the content of the league's U.S. channel NBA TV
NBA TV
NBA TV is a television specialty channel that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association , which also uses NBA TV as a way of advertising their out of market package NBA League Pass, and partner...
. It appears Rogers would prefer this approach. An alternative would be for MLB and a sponsoring cable or satellite company (such as Rogers) to seek separate CRTC approval to import the U.S. channel directly; this was the approach taken with NFL Network.
MLB Network HD
MLB Network HD is a 720p720p
720p is the shorthand name for 1280x720, a category of High-definition television video modes having a resolution of 1080 or 720p and a progressive scan...
high definition simulcast of MLB Network, which launched simultaneously to the regular channel. After much discussion, MLB Network decided to use the 720p format instead of 1080-line-interlace
1080i
1080i is the shorthand name for a high-definition television mode. The i means interlaced video; 1080i differs from 1080p, in which the p stands for progressive scan. The term 1080i assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a frame size of 1920×1080 pixels...
because it believes 720p shows the motion of baseball more accurately and will degrade less when recompressed by cable operators to save bandwidth. As Mark Haden (VP of engineering and IT of MLB Network) says: “That's our best shot of maintaining quality to viewers.” All studio programs and original shows are shot in HD, as well as all self produced games such as those of the 2009 World Baseball Classic
2009 World Baseball Classic
The 2009 World Baseball Classic was an international baseball competition. It is the only international baseball tournament to feature a large number of players from the major leagues of North America and Asia. It began on March 5, 2009, and finished March 23, 2009.Japan emerged victorious for the...
and Thursday Night Baseball
Thursday Night Baseball
Thursday Night Baseball is the title of a presentation of Major League Baseball on cable and satellite channel MLB Network, that premiered on April 9, 2009. Longtime NBC Sports broadcaster Bob Costas is one of the play-by-play voices of the broadcasts. Matt Vasgersian also does play-by-play on some...
, as well as simulcasted locally produced games on Saturday Night Baseball. The network is also currently remastering 30 World Series Films in high definition. Also during MLB Tonight the channel shows exclusive live HD look-ins to games in progress via its local channel. Programs not available in HD originally have unique stylized pillarboxes: brick walls reminiscent of an older baseball stadium, with the MLB Network logo in the middle. Beginning on March 27, 2009, pillarboxes with a more generic design were used with some programming: solid blue bars with the logo in the middle. The brick wall design pillarboxes continue to be used at times as well.
The 720p format is also used by affiliates of regional sports network
Regional sports network
In the United States of America and Canada, a regional sports network, or RSN, is a cable television station that presents sports programming to a local market. The most important programming on an RSN consists of live broadcasts of professional and college sporting events, as those games generate...
Fox Sports Net HD
Fox Sports Net
The Fox Sports Regional Networks, or simply Fox Sports Net , are a collection of cable TV regional sports networks in the United States owned and operated by News Corporation.- Beginnings :...
, which holds the rights to local game coverage of several teams, Phillies broadcaster WPHL-TV
WPHL-TV
WPHL-TV, channel 17, is a television station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, owned by the Tribune Company and currently affiliated with the News Corporation-owned MyNetworkTV television network. This makes it the largest non-O&O station of the network...
, and WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV
WWOR-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the flagship station of the MyNetworkTV programming service, licensed to Secaucus, New Jersey and serving the Tri-State metropolitan area. WWOR is owned by Fox Television Stations, a division of the News Corporation, and is a sister station to Fox network flagship...
in Secaucus, New Jersey
Secaucus, New Jersey
Secaucus is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 16,264. Located within the New Jersey Meadowlands, it is the most suburban of the county's municipalities, though large parts of the town are dedicated to light manufacturing, retail, and...
/New York, which broadcasts a limited schedule of Yankees games. MLB national broadcast partners Fox and ESPN
ESPN Major League Baseball
ESPN Major League Baseball is a promotion of Major League Baseball on ESPN and ESPN2, with simulcasts on ESPNHD or ESPN2HD. ESPN's MLB coverage debuted on April 9, 1990 with three Opening Day telecasts. ESPN Major League Baseball is guaranteed to remain on air until 2013.The title is derived from...
also produce their programming in 720p.
MLB Network HD is available nationally on DirecTV
DirecTV
DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
and Dish Network
Dish Network
Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
and regionally on Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS
Verizon FiOS is a bundled Internet access, telephone, and television service which operates over a fiber-optic communications network. It is offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon Communications. Verizon was one of the first major U.S...
, Cablevision, Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, Cox Communications
Cox Communications
Cox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
, Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable
Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions...
, Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks
Bright House Networks is a cable television company, the seventh largest cable operator and the sixth largest traditional multiple system operator in the United States owned by Advance/Newhouse, headquartered in Syracuse, New York...
, and AT&T Uverse.
Hosts
- Greg AmsingerGreg AmsingerGreg Amsinger is an American sportscaster and currently a studio host for MLB Network.-Career:Prior to arriving at CSTV in 2003, Amsinger was Sports Director at WTHI-TV in Terre Haute, IN. A 2001 graduate of Lindenwood University Greg Amsinger (b. May 24, 1979, St. Louis, MO) is an American...
: (2009–present) Hot Stove and MLB Tonight. - Bob CostasBob CostasRobert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
: (2009–present) Hot Stove, MLB Tonight, Studio 42 with Bob Costas and Thursday Night Baseball. - Matt VasgersianMatt VasgersianMatt Vasgersian is an American sportscaster and television host. Vasgersian is a host for the MLB Network and has served as an announcer for NBC Sports' coverage of the Olympics, and on Fox Sports' MLB coverage...
: (2009–present) Hot Stove, MLB Tonight and Thursday Night Baseball - Matt YallofMatt YallofMatt Yallof is an American sportscaster for MLB Network, where he debuted June 3, 2009 as an update analyst.Previously, he was the lead host of the New York Mets pre- and post-game show as well as a fill-in host for The WheelHouse and Geico SportsNite on SportsNet New York...
(2009-present) The Rundown, MLB Tonight, Hot Stove - Chris RoseChris RoseChristopher Rose is an American sportscaster.-Early life and career:Rose attended University School in Hunting Valley during high school. Rose attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and graduated in 1993...
(2010-present) Hot Stove, MLB Tonight, Intentional Talk - Paul SeverinoPaul SeverinoPaul Severino is an sportscaster and studio host for MLB Network. He joined MLB Network in 2011 after working for ESPN from 2005 until 2010.He hosts shows such as Hot Stove, MLB Tonight, Front Burner, and Quick Pitch....
(2011-present) Hot Stove, MLB Tonight, Quick Pitch and Front Burner - Ahmed FareedAhmed Fareed-Early life:Fareed is a native of Sparta, Michigan. He is a graduate of Syracuse University S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications with a degree in Broadcast Journalism.-Career:...
(2011-present) Hot Stove, MLB Tonight, Quick Pitch and Front Burner - Lisa Kerney (2011-present) Quick Pitch, The Rundown
- Brian KennyBrian KennyBrian Kenny may refer to:*Brian Kenny , MLB Network personality and journalist*Brian Kenny , Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick*Brian Kenny , British Army General...
(2011-present) MLB Tonight, Quick Pitch, Hot Stove, and Front Burner, Clubhouse Confidential
Analysts
- Larry BowaLarry BowaLawrence Robert Bowa is a former middle infielder, playing mainly as a shortstop, and manager in Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
(2011–present) Hot Stove and MLB Tonight - Eric ByrnesEric ByrnesEric James Byrnes , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, the Colorado Rockies, the Baltimore Orioles, the Arizona Diamondbacks, and the Seattle Mariners...
(2010–present) MLB Tonight - Sean Casey (2009–present) Hot Stove and MLB Tonight
- Ron GantRon GantRonald Edwin "Ron" Gant is a former American Major League outfielder and second baseman earlier on who played for the Atlanta Braves , Cincinnati Reds , St...
(2011-present) MLB Tonight, Hot Stove' - John HartJohn Hart (baseball)John Henry Hart is an American Major League Baseball executive. In addition, he is the former general manager of the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers; now he currently serves as senior adviser, baseball operations, for the Rangers...
: (2009–present) 30 Clubs in 30 Days; 30 Teams, 30 Report Cards; Hot Stove and MLB Tonight - Jim KaatJim KaatJames Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
: (2009–present) Thursday Night Baseball - Al LeiterAl LeiterAlois Terry "Al" Leiter is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. He is now a studio analyst for MLB Network, and a color commentator for the YES Network.-Early career :Leiter attended Central Regional High School....
: (2009–present) Hot Stove, MLB Tonight and Thursday Night Baseball - Joe MagraneJoe MagraneJoseph David Magrane is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and is currently a color commentary broadcaster for the MLB Network. He was teamed with play-by-play announcer Dewayne Staats from 1998 to 2008 as part of the Tampa Bay Rays television team.Magrane served as an analyst for NBC Sports'...
: (2009–present) Hot Stove, MLB Tonight and Thursday Night Baseball - Kevin MillarKevin MillarKevin Charles Millar is an American former professional baseball first baseman and current analyst for MLB Network and New England Sports Network. Millar played college baseball at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, where he continues to reside in the off-season. Millar is the nephew of former...
(2010–present) MLB Tonight, Intentional Talk - Dan PlesacDan PlesacDaniel Thomas Plesac is a former Major League Baseball pitcher with an 18-year career from to . He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Philadelphia Phillies...
: (2009–present) Hot Stove, MLB Tonight and Thursday Night Baseball - Harold ReynoldsHarold ReynoldsHarold Craig Reynolds is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He played from 1983–1994, primarily for the Seattle Mariners.-High school:...
: (2009–present) Hot Stove, MLB Tonight and Thursday Night Baseball - Billy RipkenBilly RipkenWilliam Oliver Ripken is an American radio personality for XM Satellite Radio, a studio analyst for MLB Network's "MLB Tonight," and is a former infielder in Major League Baseball from –...
: (2009–present) MLB Tonight - John SmoltzJohn SmoltzJohn Andrew Smoltz is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher and active sportscaster. He is best known for his prolific career of more than two decades with the Atlanta Braves, in which he garnered eight All-Star selections and received the Cy Young Award in 1996...
(2010–present) Thursday Night Baseball and MLB Tonight - Dave ValleDave ValleDavid Valle is an American former professional baseball player and current television and radio sports commentator. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, and Texas Rangers from to ....
: (2009–present) MLB Tonight - Mitch Williams: (2009–present) The Pen, Thursday Night Baseball, Hot Stove and MLB Tonight *
Reporters
- Lisa Kerney: (2010–present)
- Sam Ryan: (2011–present)
- Matt YallofMatt YallofMatt Yallof is an American sportscaster for MLB Network, where he debuted June 3, 2009 as an update analyst.Previously, he was the lead host of the New York Mets pre- and post-game show as well as a fill-in host for The WheelHouse and Geico SportsNite on SportsNet New York...
: (2009–present) Quick Pitch , MLB Tonight (Sunday nights), The Rundown
Insiders
- Peter GammonsPeter GammonsPeter Gammons is an American sportswriter, media personality, and a recipient of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award for outstanding baseball writing, given by the BBWAA.-Education:...
: (2010–present), MLB.comMLB.comMLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...
writer, appears on Hot Stove and MLB Tonight - Jon HeymanJon HeymanJon Heyman is a sportswriter for Sports Illustrated and its website SI.com. He writes primarily about baseball. Heyman is also a baseball insider for MLB Network.-Early years:...
: (2009–present), Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
writer, appears on Hot Stove and MLB Tonight - Tracy RingolsbyTracy RingolsbyTracy Ringolsby is a columnist with Baseball America and foxsports.com, who also handles pre-game and post-game shows for Root Sports telecasts of the Colorado Rockies, and is an occasional analyst on MLB Network. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News in Denver, Colorado, until its closure during...
: (2009–present), Baseball AmericaBaseball AmericaBaseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
writer, appears on Hot Stove and MLB Tonight - Ken RosenthalKen RosenthalKenneth H. Rosenthal is an American sportswriter and reporter.Rosenthal has served as lead field reporter for Major League Baseball on Fox since 2005...
: (2009–present), Major League Baseball on Fox reporter, appears on Hot Stove and MLB Tonight - Tom VerducciTom VerducciTom Verducci is an American sportswriter who is currently writing for Sports Illustrated and its online magazine SI.com. He writes primarily about baseball. He is also a field reporter for the MLB postseason on TBS...
: (2009–present), Sports IllustratedSports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
senior writer, appears on Hot Stove and MLB Tonight
Former
- Barry LarkinBarry LarkinBarry Louis Larkin is a retired Major League Baseball player. Larkin played shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds from 1986 to 2004 and was one of the pivotal players on the 1990 Reds' World Series championship team...
: (2009–2011) Hot Stove and MLB Tonight (now with ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
) - Victor RojasVictor RojasVictor Rojas is an American baseball broadcaster, currently the TV voice of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. -Playing career:Rojas is the son of former major-league player and manager Cookie Rojas...
: (2009–2010) Hot Stove, MLB Tonight, Quick Pitch and Thursday Night Baseball (now Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim TV play-by-play) - Tony ClarkTony ClarkAnthony Christopher Clark, known as Tony , is a former Major League Baseball first baseman and current MLB Network studio analyst....
: (2009) MLB Tonight - Trenni KusnierekTrenni KusnierekTrenni Kusnierek is a sports anchor for WTMJ_ since April 4, 2011.She is a graduate of Muskego High School and Marquette University...
: (2009–2010) Hot Stove and MLB Tonight - Hazel MaeHazel MaeHazel Mae is a sportscaster in Canada. She was the former lead anchor for the New England Sports Network's SportsDesk news program and most recently the anchor on MLB Network. She is the current anchor for Rogers Sportsnet's 6PM broadcast of Sportsnet Connected. Mae worked for Sportsnet until...
: (2009–2011) All Time Games, Hot Stove, MLB Tonight, Quick Pitch, and The Rundown
Regular season
MLB Network airs several live games a week. All games are subject to local blackouts and therefore two games are offered each day.- Thursday Night BaseballThursday Night BaseballThursday Night Baseball is the title of a presentation of Major League Baseball on cable and satellite channel MLB Network, that premiered on April 9, 2009. Longtime NBC Sports broadcaster Bob Costas is one of the play-by-play voices of the broadcasts. Matt Vasgersian also does play-by-play on some...
: MLB Network's weekly presentation of self-produced non-exclusive games on Thursday nights. Bob CostasBob CostasRobert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
or Matt VasgersianMatt VasgersianMatt Vasgersian is an American sportscaster and television host. Vasgersian is a host for the MLB Network and has served as an announcer for NBC Sports' coverage of the Olympics, and on Fox Sports' MLB coverage...
do play-by-play. Al LeiterAl LeiterAlois Terry "Al" Leiter is a former Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher. He is now a studio analyst for MLB Network, and a color commentator for the YES Network.-Early career :Leiter attended Central Regional High School....
, Joe MagraneJoe MagraneJoseph David Magrane is a former Major League Baseball pitcher and is currently a color commentary broadcaster for the MLB Network. He was teamed with play-by-play announcer Dewayne Staats from 1998 to 2008 as part of the Tampa Bay Rays television team.Magrane served as an analyst for NBC Sports'...
, Dan PlesacDan PlesacDaniel Thomas Plesac is a former Major League Baseball pitcher with an 18-year career from to . He played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Philadelphia Phillies...
, Mitch Williams, Harold ReynoldsHarold ReynoldsHarold Craig Reynolds is a former Major League Baseball second baseman. He played from 1983–1994, primarily for the Seattle Mariners.-High school:...
or Jim KaatJim KaatJames Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
provide color commentary.
- Other night games: MLB Network airs games on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights, simulcast from one team's local rights holder. On Tuesday nights, MLB Network features doubleheaderDoubleheader (television)Doubleheader is used by network television to refer to two games in any sport aired back-to-back on the same network, even though they do not involve the same two teams . A doubleheader purposely coincides with a league's scheduling of "early" and "late" games...
coverage, with an early East Coast game followed by a later West Coast one.
- MLB Matinee: MLB Network airs a series of weekday afternoon games throughout the regular season. As with night games, these matinee games feature simulcasts of one team's local telecast.
- Minor League Baseball: MLB Network will occasionally pick up Minor League BaseballMinor league baseballMinor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
games being broadcast by its cable TV partners. This has included Triple-A and Double-A games along with some Minor League's All-Star Games.
International
International live game coverage self-produced by MLB Network includes the World Baseball ClassicWorld Baseball Classic
The World Baseball Classic is an international baseball tournament sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation and created by Major League Baseball , the Major League Baseball Players Association , and other professional baseball leagues and their players associations around the world...
and the Caribbean Series.
Spring training
The channel also airs live and tape delayed Spring trainingSpring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
games, simulcasted from one of the team's local TV rights holder's feed. These games are also subject to local blackouts.
Other games
The channel also carries live development league games, and occasionally live collegeCollege baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
and minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
games. In August 2009, they aired youth baseball championships, including the RBI World Series and the Cal Ripken World Series. It also airs some games of the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
including the championship.
Daily shows
- MLB TonightMLB TonightMLB Tonight is the signature program that airs on MLB Network and is simulcast on MLB Network Radio. The show offers complete coverage of all Major League Baseball games from 6pm ET till 1am ET during the regular season. It is taped live in Studio 3 of the MLB Network facility in Secaucus, New...
: The signature show of MLB Network, which debuted at the start of 2009 Spring Training in a 60-minute format; as of 2011, the show airs seven days a week during the regular season. The show has updates, highlights, news, and analysis. The original plan was also to feature exclusive live look-ins using their own permanent HD cameras with shots not available on any of the channels covering the game; however, MLBN has decided to use "ballpark cam" only before and after games. Live cut-ins simulcast from the station covering the game. In 2011, MLB TonightMLB TonightMLB Tonight is the signature program that airs on MLB Network and is simulcast on MLB Network Radio. The show offers complete coverage of all Major League Baseball games from 6pm ET till 1am ET during the regular season. It is taped live in Studio 3 of the MLB Network facility in Secaucus, New...
won a Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Studio Show - Daily. - Hot StoveHot StoveHot Stove is the signature offseason program that airs on MLB Network and is simulcast on MLB Network Radio. The show offers the coverage of offseason activities including trades, free agent signings, and rumors. It is taped live in Studio 3 of the MLB Network facility in Secaucus, New Jersey, but...
: During the offseason, Hot Stove is the signature program on MLB Network, airing at 7:00 PM EST Monday through Friday. It features news reports and analysis of all offseason moves as teams prepare for the upcoming season. It gets its name from the baseball term Hot stove leagueHot stove leagueThe "Hot Stove League" is a baseball-related term, referring to the sport's off-season. The phrase does not denote an actual league "league", but instead calls up images of baseball fans, anxious for the start of the new season, gathering around a hot stove during the cold winter months discussing...
. - Quick Pitch: A 60-minute daily fast-paced show of highlights from that day's games. Premiered April 12. Currently, it airs live at the conclusion of MLB Tonight or the last live game of the night and then repeats throughout the overnight and morning hours until 1 P.M. ET. Airs seven days a week during the MLB regular season.
- World Baseball Classic Tonight: A show similar to MLB Tonight, World Baseball Classic Tonight featured highlights, analysis and special reports on the tournament.
- The Rundown: A two-hour show that premiered in 2011, hosted by Hazel Mae and Matt Yallof, provides looks at day games in progress, batting practice, recaps of the previous day's action and previews of the upcoming contests.
- Intentional Talk: Another new show for 2011, features a casual conversation between Chris Rose and Kevin Millar about the events of the day. Hazel Mae acts as host between segments.
Other
- All Time Games: Classic baseball games, shown in their original televised form. The premiere episode on January 1 was a kinescopeKinescopeKinescope , shortened to kine , also known as telerecording in Britain, is a recording of a television program made by filming the picture from a video monitor...
of NBC's coverage of Game 5 of the 1956 World Series in which Don LarsenDon LarsenDonald James Larsen is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. During a 15-year baseball career, he pitched from 1953-67 for seven different teams. Larsen is best known for pitching the sixth perfect game in baseball history, doing so in game 5 of the 1956 World Series...
hurled the Fall Classic's only perfect game, framed by a sit-down interview with Larsen and Yogi BerraYogi BerraLawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
, who caughtCatcherCatcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
the game, by Bob CostasBob CostasRobert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
, and included all original Gillette advertisements from the NBC coverage. - 30 Clubs in 30 Days: In February, the network embarked on a month-long tour of spring trainingSpring trainingIn Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
camps with John HartJohn Hart (baseball)John Henry Hart is an American Major League Baseball executive. In addition, he is the former general manager of the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers; now he currently serves as senior adviser, baseball operations, for the Rangers...
as host, coming from a different facility each day. Season 2 premiered on March 3, 2010. - 30 Clubs, 30 Report Cards: A sequel to 30 Teams in 30 Days, in July, host John HartJohn Hart (baseball)John Henry Hart is an American Major League Baseball executive. In addition, he is the former general manager of the Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers; now he currently serves as senior adviser, baseball operations, for the Rangers...
looks back at predictions made during the spring and grades each team's performance thus far through the season. - 30 Clubs, 30 Recaps: The offseason version of the above which airs during Hot Stove, premiered December 7, 2009, recaps each team's season and looks ahead to next season.
- 30 Games, 30 Clubs, 30 Days: In 2010 and 2011, MLB Network aired 30 live regular season games, featuring all 30 teams, during the month of April.
- Diamond Demos: An instructional show featuring an expert in a certain aspect of baseball. Episodes have included infielding with Ozzie SmithOzzie SmithOsborne Earl "Ozzie" Smith is an American former baseball shortstop who played in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals from 1978 to 1996...
, catching with Joe GirardiJoe GirardiJoseph Elliott Girardi is a former Major League Baseball catcher and current manager of the New York Yankees. During a 15-year playing career, he played from 1989–2003 for the Chicago Cubs, the Colorado Rockies, the New York Yankees, and St. Louis Cardinals...
, outfielding with Torii HunterTorii HunterTorii Kedar Hunter is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.Hunter has taken away many home runs throughout his 13-year major league career by "climbing the fence" in the outfield. He has won nine consecutive Gold Glove Awards as an outfielder.Hunter resides...
, pitching with Jeff Brantley, and coaching with Buck ShowalterBuck ShowalterWilliam Nathaniel "Buck" Showalter III is an American Major League Baseball manager for the Baltimore Orioles. He has previously served in a similar capacity with the New York Yankees , Arizona Diamondbacks , and Texas Rangers...
. Premiered April 6. - October Classics is re-airings of World Series in their entirety. Each week a different series has been featured.
- Prime 9: A series devoted to the topic of the nine greatest in anything involved with baseball.
- Studio 42 with Bob Costas is an interview show with prominent baseball figures. The premiere episode on February 5 was with Joe TorreJoe TorreJoseph Paul Torre is a former American professional baseball player and manager who currently serves as Major League Baseball’s Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations. A nine-time All-Star, he played in Major League Baseball as a catcher, first baseman and a third baseman for the...
about his new tell-all book The Yankee YearsThe Yankee YearsThe Yankee Years is a book written by Tom Verducci and Joe Torre. The book chronicles Torre's years as manager of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees from 1996 to 2007. It goes into great detail on Torre's relationship with the players, general manager Brian Cashman, team owner George...
, which has been regarded as controversial among Yankees players, especially Alex RodriguezAlex RodriguezAlexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
. Another famous episode featured an interview with Frick Award winning announcer Ernie HarwellErnie HarwellWilliam Earnest "Ernie" Harwell was an American sportscaster, known for his long career calling play-by-play of Major League Baseball games. For 55 years, 42 of them with the Detroit Tigers, Harwell called the action on radio and/or television...
, his last television appearance before his death six months later. - Front Burner: The channel's insiders have a round table discussion about the off-season, and take questions and comments from viewers via phone calls, emails, FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
.
Documentaries
- Baseball's SeasonsBaseball's SeasonsBaseball's Seasons is a documentary series on MLB Network. Each episode takes a look at a season in the history of Major League Baseball. It first aired January 7, 2009 in the first week of the network's existence. Like a lot of the network's other original programming, Baseball's Seasons airs...
: A documentary series set against the events of a certain baseball season. - Inside the Moments: A series premiering January 2 that features memorable moments and the stories behind them. The first five episodes are: "Aura of the Home Run", "Icons of the Game", "Unforgettable Feats", "Magic on the Mound" and "Fall Classic Finales". This show was originally produced by ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
during the 2002 season as part of a promotion sponsored by MasterCardMasterCardMastercard Incorporated or MasterCard Worldwide is an American multinational financial services corporation with its headquarters in the MasterCard International Global Headquarters, Purchase, Harrison, New York, United States...
in which fans voted to determine the best moment in MLB history. - Pride and Perseverance: The Story of the Negro Leagues: A one-hour special narrated by Hall of Famer Dave WinfieldDave WinfieldDavid Mark Winfield is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is currently Executive Vice President/Senior Advisor of the San Diego Padres and an analyst for the ESPN program Baseball Tonight...
on the history of Negro League Baseball prior to Jackie RobinsonJackie RobinsonJack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
's debut on April 15, . - Rising Sons: A documentary on how JapaneseJapanese baseballNippon Professional Baseball or NPB is the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning Professional Baseball. Outside of Japan, it is often just referred to as "Japanese baseball." The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation of the in 1934 and the...
players have adjusted to life in America. - We Are Young, a story about Dmitri YoungDmitri YoungDmitri Dell Young is a former Major League Baseball first baseman. Young is 6'2" and 275 pounds...
, Delmon YoungDelmon YoungDelmon Damarcus Young is an American professional baseball outfielder with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He is the younger brother of former major league outfielder and first baseman Dmitri Young. He was born in Montgomery, Alabama.Young is known for having a strong and accurate...
, and their father, Larry Young. - Josh Hamilton: Resurrecting the Dream: chronicles the life of Josh Hamilton.
- The Pen: followed the bullpen of the 2009 Philadelphia Phillies2009 Philadelphia Phillies seasonThe Philadelphia Phillies' 2009 season was the 127th season in the history of the franchise. The team, managed by Charlie Manuel, began their sixth season at Citizens Bank Park and defense of their 2008 World Series championship on April 5...
. - The Club: followed the 2010 Chicago White Sox2010 Chicago White Sox seasonThe 2010 Chicago White Sox Season is the organization's 111th season in Chicago and 110th in the American League. The Sox opened the 2010 season against the Cleveland Indians at home on April 5. They closed the season also against the Cleveland Indians at home on October 3...
.
Repeats
- Baseball: A Film by Ken Burns: The Emmy AwardEmmy AwardAn Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning documentary mini-series, which originally aired on PBS in 1994, was aired on MLB Network in 2009. - Cathedrals of the Game: takes viewers on tours of MLB stadiums and explores the history of the team and city (originally produced by iNHDINHDMOJO HD is an American VOD television channel, owned by iN Demand Networks. As a linear television channel, it replaced INHD on May 1, 2007. iN Demand, the owner of MOJO HD, canceled its MOJO HD regularly scheduled programming on December 1, 2008, but will continue to provide On Demand programs.-...
in 2005).
Studios
The Secaucus-based studios have two main sets, named after famous players. "Studio 3", named in honor of Babe Ruth, serves as the home plate for all studio programs, while "Studio 42", honoring Jackie RobinsonJackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
, is a half-scale baseball field where demonstrations by the network's analysts take place and QuickPitch is presented, along with interview programs where an audience is needed for atmosphere. Studio 42 is also the home of the early rounds of the Major League Baseball Draft. The studio includes seating for over 125 people, along with elements such as a functioning manual scoreboard
Scoreboard
A scoreboard is a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. Most levels of sport from high school and above use at least one scoreboard for keeping score, measuring time, and displaying statistics. Scoreboards in the past used a mechanical clock and numeral cards to...
and a standings wall for each league and division.
The network had planned to launch permanent studios from a new tower in Manhattan's Harlem neighborhood by 2011. However due to the 2008 financial crisis, the building project was scaled back and later canceled in late November 2008.