MLB Network is Live! - JohnDoe8865's Blog

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MLB Network is Live! Stuck

Posted on January 6, 2009 at 02:16 AM.

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Major League Baseball finally caught up to the NFL, NHL, NBA, and even College Sports when MLB Network was launched on January 1, 2009 in approximately 50 million homes as the largest network debut in cable history.

MLB Network promises to air live games, original programming, highlights, classic games, and coverage of baseball events. The Network also has secured the rights to air Ken Burns's 'Baseball'. That is a huge plus to me.

MLB Network has a really strong cast of personalities such as Matt Vasgersian, Al Leiter, Joe Magrane, Harold Reynolds, and occasionally Bob Costas.

MLB Network plans to air 26 live games throughout the season. While that might not seem like much, remember that the NFL Network, the strongest of the dedicated sports networks, aired ZERO live games until the last couple years and upon launch in 2003 was mainly just a studio show.

Now I've been watching a lot of MLBN since it launched on January 1st, and I have to say that so far I'm impressed. The selection of shows seems to be adequate, especially for such a new network, and I must say it looks great in high-definition. The MLBN looks very professional and comes off as a good promotion for the game of baseball.

I've enjoyed the ''Cathedrals of the Game' series, the 'Hot Stove' studio show, and the re-airing of games so far. I'm looking forward to watching the Ken Burns's 'Baseball' as well. I missed it's original airing on PBS and haven't bought the DVD set yet.

So far I like what I see from MLBN. I have been thinking for a while now; that with the very eventful off season in baseball, and wealth of knowledgeable voices in baseball available, that having a dedicated channel was a natural fit.

I'm excited to see this trend because I'm a fan of the dedicated sports network with the ESPN family airing more original programs and entertainment and not as much sports and scores as you would get 10 years ago. I could write a whole other blog entry about that, but I won't - for now.

With NFLN, NBAN, NHLN, CBS College Sports (formerly CSTV), and now MLBN - fans of each of the above mentioned sports can now get 24/7 access to programming that is geared to that sport. It's a good thing and I think it is a boon for the hardcore sports fan.

Comments

# 1 DTX3 @ Jan 6

I'm only missing NBAN(no DirecTV deal?

), but I'm LOVING MLBN. I also recently got NHLN, haven't followed Hockey but since I just bought NHL 09, I'll be checking it out.

# 2 JohnDoe8865 @ Jan 6

I really like how, so far, they are letting the guys speak their opinion. For example, Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams. He spoke pretty freely on the Hot Stove show that I just watched and he and Joe Magrane were allowed to disagree on the air. Nothing special, but it sounded natural, like two regular guys talking about something.

# 3 JohnDoe8865 @ Jan 6

I get NBA Network on DirecTV, but I have to pay for the extended sports package, the one with all of the regional sports networks. It's cool though, I get to see a lot of regional college and sometimes HS sports. Not so much pro sports due to blackouts. I'll occasionally get a baseball game that I probably wouldn't normally get. I think it's like an extra $8.00? I'm not sure, maybe it's more but it's worth it to me.

# 4 ChaseB @ Jan 6

How unwatchable was that one game that has been on a few times though? The camera angle is sooooo bad in that old game.

# 5 JohnDoe8865 @ Jan 6

Yeah the old games, the way they were taped, I guess they didn't really think about them ever being re-aired. If they did and still had that bad of an angle, than just ... wow.

# 6 DTX3 @ Jan 6

I have the sports package, but for some reason I have no NBA TV.

# 7 JohnDoe8865 @ Jan 6

That is strange DTX. I get it on channel 601.