MLB interested in expanding streaming availability of games

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke with Fox Business Network on Tuesday and hinted that the league is working on ways to make live game streaming available to more fans.Manfred noted how long MLB has been active in the streaming media space, and indeed, MLB.TV has been available for more than 16 years. But he said the current opportunity in streaming for MLB relates to the existing cable model and the 22 regional sports networks that are for sale—Disney is selling them off as a condition of its $71.3 billion 21st Century Fox acquisition.“Obviously they are a creature of the cable model, but our ownership of the digital rights presents a real opportunity for the industry,” Manfred said.“These regional sports networks are really valuable, valuable assets and we think that the combination of that traditional mode of delivery and the digital rights that we control is an opportunity for the game,” he said.