Star Sports is set to broadcast Major League Baseball (MLB). As per the deal, Star Sports will broadcast three new weekly baseball shows for the Indian audiences. This deal will focus on growing baseball’s popularity in India after MLB opened its first Indian office in New Delhi last year.
The Broadcast deal covers the North American baseball league’s title-deciding 2020 World Series and rights for the regular season from 2021. The new feature MLB Weekly aims to educate fans about the sport, while MLB Extra features extended highlights of the three selected games per week. Meanwhile, MLB’s best will be a show for audiences that have been consistently following the league.
The League launched MLB First Pitch in India, a grassroots programme for 300 primary schools in New Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai. This programme offers workshops conducted by international MLB coaches.
Jim Small, Senior Vice-President at MLB, said, “Every market is different, every culture is different. The league has a ‘long-term opportunity’ in India and will be making ‘some smart investments’ in the market. For India, the opportunity is bat and ball. There are very few sports in the world where you throw a ball, catch a ball, and hit a ball. It’s cricket, baseball, and softball.”