JTBC lands exclusive rights to the 2013 WBC

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JTBC lands exclusive rights to the 2013 WBC

JTBC, the broadcasting channel of the JoongAng Media Network, has won exclusive rights to broadcast the 2013 World Baseball Classic in Korea, JTBC announced yesterday.

JTBC said it recently signed a contract with MP & Silva, the media rights agency for the WBC, to broadcast all 39 games of the International Baseball Federation tournament, including two remaining qualifiers to be held next month. Under the contract, JTBC has exclusive rights to broadcast the tournament on cable, satellite, terrestrial, IPTV, Internet and mobile platforms in Korea.

MP & Silva chose JTBC as its Korean partner because of the network’s potential for growth in the future and the variety of media in the portfolio of the JoongAng Media Network, according to a JTBC official who participated in the negotiations.

“They felt attracted to us because of the possibility of expanding media coverage of the event through multiple media outlets owned by the JoongAng Media Network, such as broadcasting channels, newspapers, magazines and Web sites,” the official said.

The World Baseball Classic is the baseball equivalent of the FIFA World Cup, featuring 28 baseball teams from around the world. It is the third Classic, following events in 2006 and 2009.

The top 12 teams from the 2009 Classic have automatically earned berths to the main tournament, which begins in March and will take place simultaneously in Japan, Taiwan, Puerto Rico and the continental United States.

Four other teams will also compete in March after a four-group, 16-team qualification round. Spain and Canada won their respective qualifying groups in September and will thus compete next year, while the two remaining spots will be decided in mid-November.

Korea, the 2009 runner-up, will compete in Group B in March against the Netherlands, Australia and the winner of the qualification round. Japan, which has won both tournaments; Venezuela, which finished third in 2009; and the United States, the fourth-place finisher in 2009, lead the other three groups. According to organizers, more than 1.5 million fans from around the world attended games during the two previous tournaments.

By Moon Gwang-lip [joe@joongang.co.kr]
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