This just in to the Fang’s Bites Newsroom (there is no newsroom, but it sounds nice), MLB Network has announced a full slate of Saturday night games. When MLB Network was announced, it originally was going to do games on Saturdays, but then it took Thursday night games. Now here’s the press release of the entire 26 game schedule. It now means MLB Network will have 52 games this season. This I like.
Unlike the Thursday games which are produced by MLB Network, the Saturday games will be simulcasts of the local feeds with the local announcers.
MLB NETWORK ADDS PACKAGE OF LIVE
SATURDAY NIGHT GAMES TO BROADCAST SCHEDULE
New Schedule Will Double Live Regular Season Game Broadcasts to 52
MLB Network to Showcase 24 of 30 MLB Clubs in First Seven Weeks
Secaucus, N.J. – MLB Network today announced the addition of a package of weekly live national game broadcasts on Saturday evenings, as well as the schedule of games for April and May. Combined with its Thursday Night Baseball package that begins tonight, MLB Network will now carry 52 live regular season games in its first year. The first Saturday night game will air this week, on April 11 at 8:00 p.m. ET with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the Arizona Diamondbacks. With the addition of the Saturday night games, MLB Network will now feature 24 of the 30 MLB clubs within the first seven weeks of the season.
In addition to the Diamondbacks, the Saturday games will also mark the first regular season national appearances on MLB Network by the Cincinnati Reds, Colorado Rockies, Florida Marlins, Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. MLB Network will announce future Saturday night games coinciding with its selection windows. The Saturday night games will primarily be simulcasts of local broadcasts, including local announcers. On Saturdays, MLB Tonight will provide in-game updates on developments throughout MLB as well as news, analysis and highlights following the game telecast.
Games will be blacked out in each team’s home television territory. Viewers in areas subject to blackouts will be provided with an alternate game telecast or other programming.
“Adding these Saturday night games will allow us to further our commitment to showcase all 30 Major League clubs at the national level,” said Tony Petitti, President and Chief Executive Officer of MLB Network. “Having two national games each week will also help us augment our already robust MLB Tonight studio programming.”
MLB Network’s complete broadcast schedule for April and May, including Thursday Night Baseball as well as the new Saturday night games, appears below.
MLB NETWORK LIVE GAME SCHEDULE
Thursday, April 9 7:00 p.m. Milwaukee Brewers @ San Francisco Giants
Saturday, April 11 8:00 p.m. Los Angeles Dodgers @ Arizona Diamondbacks
Thursday, April 16 1:00 p.m. Cleveland Indians @ New York Yankees
Thursday, April 16 8:00 p.m. Toronto Blue Jays @ Minnesota Twins
Saturday, April 18 7:00 p.m. San Diego Padres @ Philadelphia Phillies
Thursday, April 23 8:00 p.m. Los Angeles Dodgers @ Houston Astros
Saturday, April 25 7:00 p.m. Philadelphia Phillies @ Florida Marlins
Thursday, April 30 7:00 p.m. Boston Red Sox @ Tampa Bay Rays
Saturday, May 2 9:00 p.m. Oakland Athletics @ Seattle Mariners
Thursday, May 7 7:00 p.m. Philadelphia Phillies @ New York Mets
Saturday, May 9 7:00 p.m. St. Louis Cardinals @ Cincinnati Reds
Thursday, May 14 8:00 p.m. Baltimore Orioles @ Kansas City Royals
Saturday, May 16 7:00 p.m. Colorado Rockies @ Pittsburgh Pirates
Thursday, May 21 8:00 p.m. Chicago Cubs @ St. Louis Cardinals
Saturday, May 23 7:00 p.m. New York Mets @ Boston Red Sox
MLB Tonight, the signature program of MLB Network during the regular season, airs live beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET until the final MLB game of the night ends each Monday through Friday, featuring live look-ins of games in progress, updates, highlights, reporting and analysis. On Saturday nights, the show will provide in-game updates and then air after the game’s conclusion, while on Thursday nights, the show will lead in to Thursday Night Baseball, providing viewers with highlights and analysis after the game as well as live studio updates during the game broadcast.
Good stuff.
