TORONTO—Sportsnet will continue to be Canada’s primary home for baseball under a new eight-year multiplatform broadcast rights extension through 2021 between Rogers Communications and Major League Baseball, headlined by the launch of MLB Network in Canada.
MLB Network launches Jan. 7, marking the first time the network is available in Canada. The 24-hour channel features year-round programming including live games, news, highlights, and some of the game’s top analysts, including former Blue Jays players Mark DeRosa, Al Leiter, Kevin Millar and Dan Plesac. The channel will be available to Rogers digital TV customers in Ontario on channel 415, and will be available in a free preview today through the end of April.
The eight-year extension with MLB complements Sportsnet’s rights package with the Toronto Blue Jays for exclusive Canadian coverage of all 162 regular season Blue Jays games.
“This agreement furthers Sportsnet’s commitment to providing Canadians with premium sports content all year long,” said Scott Moore, president of broadcast, Rogers Media. “With MLB secured long-term, combined with our world-class sports content throughout the winter months, Sportsnet is well-positioned to become Canada’s No. 1 sports destination for many years to come.”
As part of the new package, Sportsnet will continue to deliver more than 240 MLB regular season games each year, the MLB All-Star Game, the Home Run Derby and the MLB Playoffs including the World Series.
“Baseball’s popularity throughout Canada continues to grow, and this deal is a reflection of the demand we hear from fans across the country for more baseball content,” said Tim Brosnan, executive vice president, business, Major League Baseball.