Facebook and Major League Baseball have signed a deal in which 25 baseball games will only be broadcast in the U.S. on the social network.
The two groups said Friday that the deal is an extension from a previous partnership last year in which Facebook 20 Baseball game. Facebook and MLB declined to comment on how much the new deal was worth, but Bloomberg News said its value between $30 million to $35 million.
Unlike last year’s deal in which both Facebook and regional television broadcasters showed the same Friday night baseball games, the new deal only allows Facebook to stream the games through its Facebook Watch Video Service. This also means that people who subscribe to the league’s online streaming service MLB.tv will have to watch the 25 baseball games on Facebook, a spokesperson for the social network said.
Last year’s deal also let Facebook stream Friday night baseball games, a typically popular time for people to watch the sport. The new deal includes only afternoon weekday games, which while a less popular time, suits people who want to watch while at work.
While the new deal is exclusive to Facebook in the U.S., some of the 25 baseball games will also air on television broadcasters in other countries, the spokesperson said.
MLB will produce each broadcast and create undetermined interactive features using the free Facebook Watch streaming service, the spokesperson said. Presumably, these features would include some variation of live chatting or a way for viewers to comment with each other or producers during the game.
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