DirecTV, Major League Baseball sign deal

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Major League Baseball said on Thursday it reached a deal with satellite television provider DirecTV Group Inc. to air its out-of-market package of games, known as "Extra Innings," for the next seven years.

Terms were not disclosed.

DirecTV and MLB also said on a conference call that DirecTV will distribute a TV network MLB plans to start in 2009.

Fans previously had watched "Extra Innings" on either DirecTV's satellite rival EchoStar Communications Corp.'s Dish network or on cable services.

The MLB also said it will allow "Extra Innings" to be offered to other existing carriers like iN DEMAND Networks and Dish at consistent rates and carriage requirements, with deals to be concluded this month, before the baseball season begins.

If they do not match DirecTV's terms, the "Extra Innings" package will be exclusive to DirecTV, the company and MLB said in a statement.