MLB Network, baseball’s newly announced 24-hour cable network devoted, is going global with a multi-year contract with Intelsat.
The capacity, on Intelsat’s cable-serving Galaxy 17 satellite at 91 degrees West, will be used for HD and standard-definition programming.
MLB Network will launch in about 50 million cable and satellite homes in the United States on Jan. 1.
Galaxy 17 is a part of Intelsat’s North American Galaxy fleet, comprised of 16 other satellites serving North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
“It’s very important to us that MLB Network reach as many baseball fans as possible,” said Mark Haden, MLB Network vice president for engineering and IT. “We chose Intelsat for our launch based on its heritage of resilient service and strategic market presence. Through this partnership, our fans will receive the ultimate in baseball coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”
In September, Intelsat announced that Major League Baseball International signed a contract for international distribution of its season’s games and highlights to its broadcast rights-holders in Asia, Europe and Latin America. With the launch of the MLB Network via the Intelsat system, Intelsat’s platform will be transmitting baseball programming into four continents.
