SPORTS ILLUSTRATED TV AND MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ANNOUNCE CONTENT AGREEMENT
(May 16, 2018 – NEW YORK) – Sports Illustrated TV (SI TV), Sports Illustrated’s SVOD network, and Major League Baseball (MLB) have announced a new licensing and original content agreement. The arrangement provides SI TV with access to MLB’s library of games, documentaries and shows, as well as includes a co-production deal for two original long-form documentaries.
“Baseball is one of the most beloved sports and forming this relationship with MLB to air acquired games and shows from their library, as well as make original compelling documentaries together, will allow SI TV to provide the most well-rounded experience for baseball fans,” said Josh Oshinsky, head of programming at SI TV.
In addition to shows and documentaries from MLB’s library, SI TV will also curate MLB games that range from iconic moments to recent classics. The first games to air on SI TV will be dubbed “Ace’s Choice,” a reference to top pitchers. Sports Illustrated asked four Hall-of-Fame pitchers — Nolan Ryan, Tom Glavine, Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson — to choose their favorite outings and their picks will be shown in their entirety on SI TV:
- Nolan Ryan: May 1, 1991: Arlington Stadium, Rangers 3, Blue Jays 0
- Tom Glavine: Oct. 28, 1995: Atlanta–Fulton County Stadium, Braves 1, Indians 0
- Pedro Martinez: May 28, 2000: Yankee Stadium, Red Sox 2, Yankees 0
- Randy Johnson: 2, 1995: The Kingdome, Mariners 9, Angels 1
The MLB/SI TV arrangement also includes a co-production deal that will partner MLB and SI TV on two original baseball documentaries. The first film, “14 Back,” is currently in production and will be helmed by 11-time Emmy award-winning director/producer Jonathan Hock.
“14 Back” will focus on the Red Sox-Yankees 1978 American League East tiebreaker game, which cemented baseball’s greatest rivalry and produced a pennant race by which all others are measured. Even 40 years after the Yankees and Red Sox vied for a chance to play in the ’78 Fall Classic, their battle both on and off the field during that summer and fall has arguably never been equaled.
The Hock-directed baseball film, which will debut on SI TV, will be part of “SI Films,” the long-form original sports documentary series on SI TV. The first film, “We Town,” debuted on SI TV in March 2017 and focused on arguably one of the best high school teams of all time, West Town High School, which produced likely NBA stars Mo Bamba and Cam Reddish just a year apart under coach Seth Berger.
Details of the second co-production will be announced at a later date.
ABOUT THE SPORTS ILLUSTRATED GROUP
Sports Illustrated is the preeminent journalistic enterprise covering the world of sports both on and off the field. Debuting in 1954, SI has garnered worldwide acclaim for its award-winning storytelling born from an independent voice and for its unparalleled access to the most popular athletes and newsmakers from the sports world. This is the underpinning of the franchise, which now boasts a group of best-in-class consumer products and platforms reaching more than 73 million. The Sports Illustrated Group features the most-read sports magazine, a top 10 sports digital network and marquee franchises—Sports Illustrated Films, TheMMQB.com, the FanSided Network of sites and apps, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, Sportsperson of the Year, Extra Mustard and Sports Illustrated Kids. For more information, visit SI.com and follow @SINow on Twitter, @SportsIllustrated on Instagram and Facebook and SI_mag on Snapchat.
ABOUT SPORTS ILLUSTRATED TV (SI TV)
Sports Illustrated TV (SI TV) is a subscription-video-on-demand OTT (over-the-top) streaming media network from Sports Illustrated. SI TV brings the iconic magazine to life with much of the original show content inspired by and complementary to the pages of the magazine. The network offers the most unique programming mix for sports lovers and is an unmatched mix of original documentary series, feature-length documentaries and weekly studio shows, along with acquired sports movies, documentaries, and TV shows that are regularly refreshed. SI TV is available on Amazon Channels, fuboTV’s “Sports Plus” tier, and as a direct-to-consumer service on Roku, web browsers, iOS and Android devices. The brand’s award-winning sports producers and editorial staff create original SI TV shows at Meredith’s world-class production facility in New York.
ABOUT MEREDITH CORPORATION
Meredith Corporation (NYSE:MDP) (www.meredith.com) has been committed to service journalism for 115 years. Today, Meredith uses multiple distribution platforms — including broadcast television, print, digital, mobile and video — to provide consumers with content they desire and to deliver the messages of its advertising and marketing partners.
Meredith’s National Media Group reaches nearly 175 million unduplicated American consumers every month, including 80 percent of U.S. millennial women. Meredith is a leader in creating content across media platforms and life stages in key consumer interest areas, such as celebrity, food, lifestyle, home, parenting, beauty and fashion. Meredith also features robust brand licensing activities, including more than 3,000 SKUs of branded products at 4,000 Walmart stores across the U.S., and The Foundry, the company’s state-of-the-art creative lab and content studio. Meredith’s Local Media Group includes 17 television stations reaching more than 11 percent of U.S. households.
ABOUT MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the most historic professional sports league in the United States and consists of 30 member clubs in the U.S. and Canada, representing the highest level of professional baseball. Led by Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr., MLB currently features record levels of labor peace, competitive balance and industry revenues, as well as the most comprehensive drug-testing program in American professional sports. MLB remains committed to making an impact in the communities of the U.S., Canada and throughout the world, perpetuating the sport’s larger role in society and permeating every facet of baseball’s business, marketing and community relations endeavors. With the continued success of MLB Advanced Media and MLB Network, MLB continues to find innovative ways for its fans to enjoy America’s National Pastime and a truly global game. For more information on Major League Baseball, visit www.MLB.com.
Kari Stephenson
Sports Illustrated
212.522.0836
Kari.Stephenson@meredith.com
Mary Kate Schulte
Sports Illustrated
212.522.8303
MaryKate.Schulte@meredith.com
Last modified: September 20, 2018
