MLB Drops Deadline In Extra Innings Talks With Cable, Dish

By Eric Fisher & John Ourand

MLB’s negotiations with InDemand and Dish Network over the Extra Innings package and planned MLB Channel are now operating without a set calendar deadline. MLB President & COO Bob DuPuy said late yesterday, “We will continue discussions until we reach a deal or it becomes apparent we cannot.” That statement would appear to conflict with him saying last week that the league’s deal with DirecTV for the TV programming prevented him from extending negotiations with cable and Dish beyond March 31. But DuPuy added, “No deal is possible without the agreement of DirecTV. We have a contract with them and they have been fully engaged in the process, including any extensions.” He did not characterize the discussions, only saying he did not know whether a deal was within sight. One of the holdups for EchoStar is the lack of a firm proposal on equity ownership of the MLB Channel, one Dish Network source said. It’s not clear how much ownership of the channel MLB and DirecTV is willing to give, or whether DirecTV's 20% stake would be diluted.

KERRY: Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), who chaired last week’s Senate Commerce Committee meeting addressing the issue, released a statement yesterday saying in part, “The baseball season has begun and we’re still waiting for the business guys to get the show on the road and meet their obligation to the fans. Many fans are now denied access to their favorite team because executives haven’t resolved relatively minor business differences. That is wrong.”