Le Sports Chairman Fei Gao presents Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred with a base that was used in the first MLB baseball exhibition game in China during the announcement of a partnership between Major League Baseball and Chinese sports network Le Sports Thursday, Jan. 6, 2016, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Photo by Sam Morris
LAS VEGAS, NV. – The old ballgame is heading overseas with Major League Baseball announcing a new three year streaming deal with Le Sports China’s leading Internet-based eco-sports company. The deal will provide the first-ever rights to live stream up to 125 games per season in the mainland, Hong Kong, and Macau.
Four games per week during the regular season will be streamed for a total of 96. Then 20 postseason games, the All-Star Game, Home Run Derby, and all World Series games will be available on Le Sports in Mandarin-language programming to computers, mobile platforms, and streaming TV devices.
“China is a crucial frontier for the development of baseball,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, said when announcing the new deal at CES today in Las Vegas. “Our new, prominent place on Le Sports platforms both reaffirms and expands our commitment to growing the game in China.”
Additionally, Le Sports will work with the MLB to create online communities for all thirty MLB clubs which will create “a central portal for Chinese baseball fans to connect more deeply with their favorite teams, from supporting MLB live events to merchandise purchases.”
Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred speaks during the announcement of a partnership between MLB and Chinese sports network Le Sports Thursday, Jan. 6, 2016, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Photo by Sam Morris
This deal paves the way for MLBAM to continue to grow its massively successful video streaming operations to the most populated country in the world. It also sets up the League to not only grow its presence with Chinese fans but perhaps one day host games in China as well.
For Le Sports, the partnership with MLB is added to a recent line of deals with Wimbledon, the English Premier League in Hong Kong and a five-year global partnership with ATP.
Le Sports Chairman Fei Gao said, “Baseball is a sport of ‘coming home,’ which matches our traditional Chinese family values perfectly. MLB has focused on working through local education and communities to influence more youth to play baseball. We will provide an enhanced viewing experience to Chinese fans, and encourage more families and young people to play and enjoy this amazing sport. I am excited to join forces with MLB. We also will work with MLB to provide fans with events, merchandise and other opportunities to enhance their enjoyment of baseball.”
