Fox Sports on Thursday announced its '14 MLB broadcast schedule for Fox and FS1. In what is the first year of a new eight-year media-rights deal, Fox Sports will have double the number of regular-season games, mostly on Saturdays. There will be a combined 52 MLB telecasts for Fox Sports, including 20 Saturday doubleheaders (10 exclusively on FS1 and 10 split between FS1 and Fox). FS1 also will televise two LDS series. The cable net makes its MLB debut on April 5 with a doubleheader of Twins-Indians (1:00pm ET) and Giants-Dodgers (4:00pm). Fox' broadcast network does not pick up MLB telecasts until May 24. The net will then have a string of eight primetime telecasts leading into the All-Star Game. After the ASG, Fox' next MLB telecast is not until Sept. 6 (four 1:00pm telecasts to finish out the season) (Fox Sports).
BIG EVENTS TO BE STREAMED LIVE: MLBAM announced late Thursday that it will offer live streaming of the ’14 All-Star Game and World Series to subscribers of its MLB.TV out-of-market package, a first-ever availability for those two events online. The new access is a function of the new MLB media rights contracts going into effect this year. MLBAM's effort runs parallel to Fox Sports’ availability of its nationally broadcast and FS1 games on its authenticated Fox Sports Go mobile app. Prior MLB postseason availability had been limited to Postseason.TV, an add-on subscription of raw footage and alternate angles from Turner Sports’ playoff coverage (Eric Fisher, Staff Writer).
FILLING OUT THE BOOTH: THE BIG LEAD's Jason McIntyre cited sources as saying that Fox has "quietly decided" that Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci "will join Joe Buck in the booth" this season. A Fox spokesperson had no comment. Sources said that Reynolds "was offered the role earlier this month, and accepted." Verducci in previous postseasons "has been a dugout reporter." Tim McCarver, who had been Buck's broadcast partner since '96, left Fox after last year's World Series (THEBIGLEAD.com, 2/27).
