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<October 3, 2006>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—October 3, 2006— Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo was notified today that ESPN has been granted the legal rights to televise Major League Baseball (MLB) games on Mr. Richard Bates, Vice President of Government Relations for The Walt Disney Company, which owns Disney Media Networks and ESPN, informed the Congresswoman’s Washington, D.C. office by telephone this morning that effective today the ESPN and ESPN2 signal to Marianas CableVision that carries MLB games will be restored. Mr. Bates was responding to a letter that Mr. George W. Bodenheimer, ESPN President, received from the Congresswoman. Congresswoman Bordallo had written to Mr. Bodenheimer and to Mr. Allan H. “Bud” Selig, MLB Commissioner, last week urging their resolution to the issue and the immediate restoration of the ESPN signal carrying MLB games to MCV. “Mr. Bates informed my office that ESPN had reviewed the issue with Major League Baseball and that Major League Baseball has decided to extend to ESPN the rights to televise baseball to Guam and the Virgin Islands,” Congresswoman Bordallo said. “Mr. Bates explained that ESPN wanted to do this, but that the hold up was a contractual matter that they have now clarified. We should now be able to watch the games,” said Bordallo. Congresswoman Bordallo said that Mr. Bates did not have specific details to share this morning about the current contract that ESPN has with MLB, but that he gave his assurances that the matter has been reviewed and resolved with respect to this year’s playoff games and World Series. “Unfortunately, we were not able to see hometown hero John Hattig play during the Toronto Blue Jays series against the Detroit Tigers last week,” Bordallo added. “I hope to continue working with ESPN, Major League Baseball and # # # Contact: Joseph E. Duenas in 671-477-4272/4. joseph.duenas@mail.house.gov or joy.james@mail.house.gov . |
