(via MLB.com)
Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that YouTube TV would be the presenting sponsor of this month’s World Series.
The partnership is not a streaming deal, per se, as this does not extend the inventory of baseball playoff games that will be available on the internet-based, live-TV service. Fox and FS1 are available channels on YouTube TV, so all World Series games will be streamed, but TBS and MLB Network are not yet part of the package. YouTube TV, which launched in April, is currently available in 49 television markets spanning two-thirds of the U.S.
The aim of this sponsorship is to elevate the profile of the new skinny bundle for cord-cutters and is a natural fit for MLB, which has been at the forefront of streaming TV and progressive tech. MLB At Bat is No. 1 all-time among sports apps; its YouTube channel received more than 1 billion views this season; and BAM Tech, a spinoff of MLB Advanced Media, has been valued at $3.75 billion after Disney acquired a majority stake this summer (Of note, Disney CEO Bob Iger said at Vanity Fair’s New Establishment Summit on Tuesday that his company had considered purchasing Twitter before opting for BAM Tech instead, citing its distribution).
MLB’s deal with YouTube TV will include some crossover marketing, with ballplayers and social YouTube creators collaborating on World Series-themed content with behind-the-scenes looks at playoff ballparks.
Sports remains the lone bastion of appointment television, with that live content driving advertiser appeal. Amazon, for instance, recently began its streaming deal with the NFL, and this new MLB partnership will highlight the fact that YouTube TV will stream the World Series through its pre-existing inclusion of Fox and Fox Sports 1 in its package.
”We built a cable-free service that makes it easier than ever for fans to get access to their favorite live TV programming — including amazing live sporting events like the World Series on Fox,” Kelly Merryman, managing director of YouTube’s content partnerships in the Americas, said in a statement. “When we were thinking about partnerships to showcase the power of YouTube TV, Major League Baseball and the World Series was the perfect fit. It’s a great next step in our long-term relationship with the league.”
