ESPN Deportes To Televise World Baseball Classic.

ESPN, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have reached an agreement that makes ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN Syndication the exclusive domestic English-language providers of the inaugural World Baseball Classic when it is held in March. ESPN Deportes, ESPN’s Spanish-language network in the U.S., will be the only network to televise all 39 games of the inaugural Classic.

ESPN Deportes will offer all 39 games, highlighted by the semifinals and finals live on ESPN Deportes March 18 and March 20.

In addition, ESPNdeportes.com, the company’s Spanish-language sports site, will also offer comprehensive coverage of the World Baseball Classic.

“This agreement is a grand slam for ESPN Deportes, as we solidify our leadership position in bringing Spanish-language baseball telecasts to Hispanic sports fans throughout the United States,” said Traug Keller, senior vice president, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Radio. “The World Baseball Classic adds an exclamation point to our year-round coverage of baseball which includes the Dominican League, Mexican Pacific League and MLB.”

“This announcement is cause to celebrate for a variety of reasons,” said Lino Garcia, general manager, ESPN Deportes. “By adding the World Baseball Classic to our already potent baseball line-up, we are demonstrating our commitment to serve our Latino fan base by offering programming that is tailored to their interests.”

In addition to the Word Baseball Classic, ESPN Deportes also televises extensive coverage of Mexican Winter League Baseball and Mexican Summer League Baseball, exclusive telecast of the Dominican Baseball League as well as comprehensive coverage of the Major League Baseball regular season games.

THE WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC

The World Baseball Classic (WBC) will match teams from 16 countries and territories playing in Tokyo, Puerto Rico and sites throughout the United States from March 3 to March 20, 2006.

The WBC will feature a bracket-style format with 16 teams competing in four groups; the 16 teams that have been invited to participate and potential pools follow: Pool A – China, Chinese Taipei (Taiwan), Japan, Korea; Pool B – Canada, Mexico, South Africa, United States; Pool C – Cuba, Netherlands, Panama, Puerto Rico; Pool D – Australia, Dominican Republic, Italy, Venezuela. The winner of Pools A/B will meet the winner of Pools C/D in the final from Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres.

WBC, Inc. has organized this first global baseball event in conjunction with the national organizing bodies of the 16 countries and territories.