TV talks go into Extra Innings

Despite a baseball-imposed deadline of Saturday, negotiations regarding the Extra Innings out-of-market pay package are continuing, a spokesperson for In Demand said.

In Demand, which is negotiating on behalf of cable television, and EchoStar, the parent company for the Dish Network, are trying to retain the package. If they are unsuccessful, the package will belong to DirecTV exclusively.

According to Sports Business Daily, the discussions with Major League Baseball now include some senior-level dealmakers from Comcast to supplement In Demand’s presence. According to the publication, both sides are now characterizing the talks as extremely serious and baseball sources say chances of a deal are 50-50, although cable sources are slightly more pessimistic.

-- Larry Stewart