Baseball’s TV Deal Near Completion

Baseball’s national television deals neared completion Thursday, and baseball officials said the contracts will total about $1.5 billion and generate more than $10 million per season for each club.

TNT Network withdrew from the talks and ESPN stepped in, agreeing to televise two games per day during the first playoff round.

Liberty Media, which operates 15 regional networks (including Prime Sports), completed a package in which it will televise two games a week during the 1997, 1998 and 1999 seasons.

Fox will pay about $575 million over five years for the rights to three World Series, two All-Star games, one game a day during the first playoff round and the league championship series and a Saturday afternoon game of the week during the regular season.

NBC will pay about $400 million over five years for the rights to two World Series, three All-Star games, one game a day during the first-round of the playoffs and LCS.

ESPN will extend its regular-season package of Wednesday night doubleheaders and Sunday night games for one year through 2000 and televise two games a day during the first-round of the playoffs: early afternoon and late night Eastern time. ESPN will pay $390 million.

Liberty intends to form a cable network with Fox. It will get two nonexclusive games each week for three seasons for about $132 million.