The Miami Marlins on Monday announced the launch of their new platform, thanks to Major League Baseball, for direct-to-viewer streaming and local games.
The Miami Marlins is launching Marlins.TV for local coverage of its games this season across platforms produced and distributed by Major League Baseball, the team announced Monday.
The news follows reports from Jan. 11, when nine MLB teams, including the Marlins, terminated their contracts with FanDuel Sports Network, amid what they claim were numerous missed payments.
Eight of the teams -- the Reds, Tigers, Royals, Angels, Brewers, Cardinals and Rays -- are also reportedly working on shifting how local broadcasts will be delivered across their each of the clubs' viewing regions. Sports Business Journal's Tom Friend reported Monday that the ninth team, the Braves, are working on creating their own network to air on Amazon or Apple, or pairing with a different distributor to package their production and distribution.
The move had been expected for weeks, as Main Street Sports Group, FDSN's parent company, is facing financial difficulties, multiple sources confirm. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald on Monday reported the company will likely be shuttered within months.
Details regarding participating cable and satellite providers, including channel assignments, will be announced at a later date, the Marlins said in a press release Monday.
Streaming subscriptions for Marlins.TV will be available for purchase through MLB.com and the MLB App once packages go on sale. Currently, MLB.TV streaming services cost $99 or $20 per month.
Marlins chairman and principal owner Bruce Sherman said the decision to shift MLB's production and distribution services was an "important step" to the team's ability to expand viewership.
"MLB’s production and distribution capabilities allow us to deliver a high-quality broadcast experience across both traditional television and streaming while ensuring Marlins baseball remains widely accessible throughout Florida," Sherman said in a press release.
The team expects to retain most of its on-air talent in the transition, the Herald reported.
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