Major League Baseball is heading to China - digitally.
On Wednesday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, NV, the MLB announced a "wide-ranging partnership" with China's largest sports network, Le Sports. The agreement will live stream 125 MLB games per year to China (for the first time ever), including the All-Star Game, Home Run Derby and World Series from 2016-2018.
1st mass market MLB media agreement in China includes games, orig. programming, reality show, local events & online fan community. #LeFuture
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) January 7, 2016
"This historic partnership with Le Sports exemplifies Major League Baseball's diversified approach to serving international communities," MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. "We are delighted to showcase Major League games in Mandarin throughout the distinctive, ever-growing ecosystem of Le Sports devices and apps. China is a crucial frontier for the development of baseball. Our new, prominent place on Le Sports platforms both reaffirms and expands our commitment to growing the game in China."
The agreement is for three years and Le Sports will possess exclusive media rights in China to broadcast the games, which include four HD games per week during the regular season (96 games in total) and 20 HD Postseason games, according to the MLB's press release.
Le Sports will also create an online community for the 30 MLB teams in order to help Chinese fans become more engaged, providing them with the opportunity to watch games/other baseball-related programs and purchase merchandise.
"We will provide an enhanced viewing experience to Chinese fans, and encourage more families and young people to play and enjoy this amazing sport," Le Sports Chairman Fei Gao said. "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."
The addition of the MLB to Le Sports' is just one of many lucrative deals they've closed recently. The company has a five-year contract with the Association of Tennis Professionals, a three-year deal with Wimbledon and a four-year deal with the English Premier League.
The Chinese company now owns the media rights to over 200 sports events covering 10,000 matches.
The MLB's endeavors in China are just the latest in terms of their international expansion goals. Manfred hopes to continue facilitating such business during his reign as commissioner.
