SOUTH KOREA – The Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) has reached an agreement with two major cable sports networks to televise league games this season. Due to a weak advertising market due to a lackluster economy, both networks demanded a lower price than a year ago.

In 2008, KBS N Sports, MBC ESPN, SBS Sports and Xports each paid 1.6 billion won ($1.27 million) for the rights to televise KBO games. However, the cable networks offered 1 billion won ($797,000) this season, while the league sought 1.5 billion won ($1.19 million) from each company for the broadcasting rights.

Eclat Entertainment, the agency representing the KBO, told The Korea Times yesterday that the league had come to terms with two cable networks – KBS N Sports and MBC ESPN.

“We signed with the two companies on Tuesday. We agreed that the KBO would have the right to resell the programs instead of giving the cable networks the fee,” said an Eclat Entertainment representative. The agency also expects an agreement with a third network shortly. “We will sign with the Xports soon,” the representative added. Fees for the rights to resell programs to IPTV were also reached.

Negotiations with a fourth cable network – SBS Sports – has not fared as well but league officials are hopeful of coming to terms.

“We hope that SBS Sports will accept the condition that the baseball games be aired on the sports channel,” the agency representative said.

Photo courtesy of kpculture.wordpress.com

Tags: South Korea