U.S. Senate Commerce Committee To Hold Extra Innings Hearing

Kerry To Chair Committee Hearing On MLB-DirecTV Deal

By Eric Fisher, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee has scheduled a March 27 hearing to examine MLB’s recently announced deal with DirecTV providing the satellite carrier with a potentially exclusive hold on the league’s Extra Innings out-of-market game package and planned channel. The hearing follows several weeks of public criticisms from Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) regarding the possible exclusion of cable customers from the Extra Innings package. The committee has not yet prepared a full list of those scheduled to appear during the hearing. “The senator all along has wanted to know more about this, so he’s going to be asking a number of questions,” said Vincent Morris, a spokesperson for Kerry, who will chair the hearing. “We’re going to be looking to hear from all interested parties: baseball, satellite carriers, probably the cable operators, possibly ordinary fans. We’re still putting it all together.” MLB President & COO Bob DuPuy said, “We look forward to answering the Senator’s questions.”