ESPN, MLB Deal To Bring Baseball Coverage To Consoles

ESPN and MLB Advanced Media are extending their current digital rights agreement through 2013, and expanding it to allow Major League Baseball content delivery through video game console services. In addition to delivering live game streaming through ESPN properties ESPN360.com and ESPN Mobile TV, the cable television network's agreement expansion includes "alternative platforms," like Xbox Live via its Marketplace, along with other download services like the iTunes Store and portable devices like Microsoft's Zune. Microsoft and ESPN previously joined up to offer video content for download via Xbox Live Marketplace, including complete NCAA basketball and NFL football games, the X Games sports competitions and video game-related show Madden Nation. Says ESPN and ABC Sports president George Bodenheimer: "This agreement further solidifies the great relationship we have with Major League Baseball and together with our television deal, allows us to bring the game of baseball to more fans than ever before. Our goal is always to deliver sports to fans across any platform, and this is yet another agreement that fulfills that strategy."