MLB Advanced Media

MLB Advanced Media, commonly known as MLBAM, is the digital media and interactive technology organization established by Major League Baseball in 2000. It was created to centralize the league’s online publishing, electronic commerce, ticketing, and digital distribution activities at a time when individual clubs were developing separate and often inconsistent internet operations. The organization is owned by the Major League Baseball club owners and is based in New York City. MLBAM’s core public-facing role has been the operation of MLB.com and the official websites of the league’s 30 clubs. These services combine news, schedules, standings, statistics, video, audio, team information, editorial coverage, and subscription products. MLBAM also developed and operated MLB.TV, a direct-to-consumer service offering live and archived baseball broadcasts subject to blackout and rights restrictions, and MLB At Bat, a mobile application providing scores, play-by-play information, news, audio, video, and other game-related features. MLB Radio and BaseballChannel.tv were also among its digital media properties. The company’s early development was difficult. An externally commissioned website project failed to meet expectations, leading MLBAM to build more of its own technology and production capabilities. After experimenting with an Ichiro Suzuki-centered streaming package in 2002, the company used an advance from Ticketmaster to fund a renewed effort in live online video. It produced an online broadcast of a Texas Rangers–New York Yankees game in August 2002, followed by limited postseason packages and the commercial launch of MLB.TV during 2003 spring training. The service attracted approximately 100,000 subscribers in its first season and helped establish the league as an early major adopter of paid sports streaming. MLBAM expanded beyond publishing into ticketing, advertising, video production, mobile applications, data delivery, and enterprise streaming infrastructure. Its acquisition of Tickets.com in 2005 strengthened online ticket sales and fan-commerce capabilities. The organization also entered commercial and technology arrangements involving other sports and media properties. It operated or supported digital services connected with the National Hockey League, Minor League Baseball, the YES Network, SportsNet New York, WWE Network, WatchESPN, ESPN3, HBO Now, and PGA Tour Live, among others. These activities positioned MLBAM as both a league-owned media company and a technology provider for third parties. A major strategic development was the separation of MLBAM’s broader streaming-technology operations into BAMTech. The spinout was approved in 2015, while MLB-specific digital properties remained associated with Major League Baseball. BAMTech subsequently became a significant streaming-technology business, while MLBAM continued to be identified with MLB’s own digital media and interactive operations. MLBAM has also participated in sports gaming and intellectual-property initiatives. After 2K did not continue its license for a 2015 Major League Baseball console game, MLBAM helped bring back the R.B.I. Baseball series, initially through external development partners and later with an internal development team. The company has held patents relating to digital sports presentation, location-based access controls, ticket allocation, and venue communications. It also acquired rights connected with the DDB Technologies patent portfolio following litigation concerning the simulation and presentation of live sporting events. The organization has faced legal and governance challenges. Its effort to control online fantasy-baseball rights led to litigation by CBC Distribution and Marketing, whose use of player names and statistics was ultimately protected by federal court decisions. In 2017, chief executive Robert Bowman left the company after allegations concerning workplace conduct. MLBAM’s history therefore combines the commercializa…

MLB Advanced Media was created by Major League Baseball in 2000 to consolidate the league’s online rights, ticket sales, and digital operations. The structure was funded by contributions from the 30 clubs and was intended to replace fragmented club-by-club internet development with a common platform. The initial website project, developed with outside assistance, did not perform adequately. MLBAM consequently began building more of its technology internally, an early decision that shaped its later identity as a technology company as well as a media publisher. In 2002, MLBAM tested an online streaming package centered on Seattle Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki, but the experiment produced limited results. The organization then obtained an advance from Ticketmaster using its ticketing rights. That financing supported payroll and a renewed push into live video. On August 26, 2002, MLBAM produced and streamed a Texas Rangers–New York Yankees game. It followed with a limited package of pennant-race games and a paid postseason offering. During 2003 spring training, MLB.TV launched as a season subscription product and reportedly obtained about 100,000 subscribers. The early service helped demonstrate that a professional sports league could distribute live games directly to consumers over the internet. MLBAM developed MLB.com into the central digital destination for the league and its clubs. The platform combined editorial reporting, game schedules, standings, statistics, audio, video, and subscription access. MLBAM also created or operated MLB Radio, BaseballChannel.tv, and the MLB At Bat mobile application. At Bat became a major mobile extension of the league’s digital service, offering live scores, notifications, news, audio, video, and related content across Apple and Android devices. Product packaging evolved over time, including the integration of mobile access with MLB.TV subscriptions and the introduction of monthly subscription options. The company expanded its commercial capabilities through ticketing and advertising. In 2005, it acquired Tickets.com, strengthening online purchase and distribution functions for fans attending major- and minor-league games. In 2007, MLBAM entered a five-year arrangement with StubHub. It also entered a three-year advertising-sales relationship with Yahoo in 2008 and later replaced Yahoo with Auditude in a multiyear arrangement announced in 2011. These activities broadened MLBAM from a web publisher into a digital commerce and monetization platform. MLBAM’s technology was increasingly used outside Major League Baseball. It operated or supported digital services associated with the NHL, Minor League Baseball, the YES Network, and SportsNet New York. It also supplied or operated backend streaming infrastructure for services including WWE Network, WatchESPN, ESPN3, HBO Now, and PGA Tour Live. In 2014, MLBAM became an operating partner for WWE Network. The same period saw the announcement of 120 Sports, a streaming sports-video service backed by MLBAM, the NHL, and Silver Chalice. In 2014, after 2K declined to continue publishing a 2015 MLB game for Xbox, MLBAM helped develop R.B.I. Baseball 14 from the ground up in a short period with a small programming team. Reviews were unfavorable, but MLBAM continued the franchise through subsequent releases. By 2018, it had moved more development work in-house and had a team of more than 30 employees associated with R.B.I. Baseball 18. This made MLBAM an unusual example of a professional sports league organization participating directly in console-game development, publishing, and production oversight. The organization’s streaming expertise led to a major structural change in 2015. MLBAM planned and approved the creation of BAMTech as a separately organized streaming-technology business, with investment from MLB and other minority partners. MLB-specific properties such as MLB.com remained under league control, while BAMTech pursued technology and distribution work for a wider set of media clients. The NHL’s 2015 agreement with MLBAM included digital operations, applications, streaming distribution, and migration of NHL Network facilities, while also giving the NHL an equity interest in BAMTech. MLBAM has been involved in several intellectual-property disputes. In 2005, it signed a five-year interactive-rights agreement with the MLB Players Association covering much of the players’ online rights, including fantasy sports. The arrangement contributed to a dispute with CBC Distribution and Marketing, parent of CDM Sports, after MLBAM declined to license the company. Courts ruled that player names and publicly available playing statistics used in fantasy games were not protected in the way MLBAM argued. The Eighth Circuit affirmed the decision in 2007, and the Supreme Court declined to review it in 2008. MLBAM also faced patent litigation involving technology for sports simulation and mobile video delivery. Its dispute with DDB Technologies ended with an acquisition of rights to DDB’s patent portfolio, while a separate lawsuit involved patents asserted by Front Row Technologies. Governance became a significant issue in 2017 when chief executive Robert Bowman was forced out following allegations about workplace conduct. Despite such controversies, MLBAM remains historically important as one of the earliest large-scale league-owned digital sports organizations and as the technological foundation for Major League Baseball’s direct-to-consumer media business.

1. 2018R.B.I. Baseball development moves further in-house

   MLBAM expands its internal team for R.B.I. Baseball 18 after earlier releases relied more heavily on external studios.

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2. 2017Robert Bowman leaves as chief executive

   Bowman is removed from his leadership role following workplace-conduct allegations.

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3. 2015BAMTech spinout is approved

   MLBAM’s board approves the separation of its broader streaming-technology division into BAMTech.

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4. 2015NHL digital partnership begins

   The NHL selects MLBAM to manage digital properties, applications, streaming distribution, and related infrastructure.

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5. 2014MLBAM supports WWE Network

   MLBAM becomes an operating technology partner for WWE’s streaming service.

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6. 2014R.B.I. Baseball returns

   MLBAM develops and publishes R.B.I. Baseball 14 after the prior licensed console-game arrangement ends.

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7. 2012MLB At Bat passes three million downloads

   The mobile application reaches three million downloads early in the regular season.

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8. 2011Auditude replaces Yahoo in advertising sales

   MLBAM announces a multiyear advertising relationship with Auditude.

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9. 2008Yahoo takes on advertising sales

   MLBAM signs a three-year arrangement with Yahoo for digital advertising sales.

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10. 2007StubHub agreement is signed

    MLBAM enters a five-year agreement with StubHub involving baseball ticket resale and distribution.

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11. 2005Tickets.com is acquired

    MLBAM acquires Tickets.com to strengthen ticketing and fan-commerce capabilities.

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12. 2003MLB.TV launches

    The league launches a paid full-season internet streaming package during spring training, attracting approximately 100,000 subscribers in its first season.

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13. 2002MLBAM begins producing live online games

    After an unsuccessful early streaming experiment, MLBAM finances a new video effort and streams a Rangers–Yankees game in August.

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14. 2000MLB Advanced Media is established

    Major League Baseball creates MLBAM to consolidate online rights, digital publishing, and ticket sales for the league and its clubs.

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League-owned digital sports media, streaming, ticketing, and technology infrastructure

• MLB.comOfficial league and club website network2000

  MLBAM operates the official MLB website and the websites of the league’s 30 clubs. The network combines editorial reporting, schedules, standings, statistics, team information, audio, video, and links to ticketing and subscription services. It became the primary digital publishing infrastructure for Major League Baseball and a central channel for direct fan engagement.

• MLB.TVSports streaming service2003

  MLB.TV is MLBAM’s direct-to-consumer game-streaming service. It offers live and archived baseball broadcasts through internet-connected devices, subject to local-market blackout and other rights restrictions. Its early commercial launch in 2003 was one of the notable examples of a major sports league distributing live games through a paid online subscription.

• MLB At BatMobile sports application

  MLB At Bat is the league’s mobile application for scores, schedules, news, play-by-play information, notifications, audio, and selected video features. It was made available for Apple and Android devices and became a major component of MLBAM’s mobile strategy. MLBAM experimented with subscription bundling, universal device access, and monthly pricing to increase adoption and paid-content engagement.

• MLB RadioDigital audio service

  MLB Radio is a digital audio outlet associated with MLBAM. It provides baseball-related programming and complements the league’s written coverage, live-game audio, and video products.

• BaseballChannel.tvDigital video property

  BaseballChannel.tv was a baseball-focused digital video property operated by MLBAM as part of its broader effort to package league-related video content for online audiences.

• R.B.I. BaseballSports video game2014

  R.B.I. Baseball is a console and digital baseball-game franchise revived and published by MLBAM beginning in 2014. MLBAM initially used outside development support, then expanded its internal game-production capabilities for later releases. The franchise made MLBAM an unusual example of a professional sports league organization directly involved in developing and publishing its own console game.

• Tickets.comOnline ticketing platform

  Tickets.com became part of MLBAM in 2005. Its ticketing technology supported online purchasing and distribution for fans attending major- and minor-league events, extending MLBAM’s role beyond media into event commerce.

• 2014120 Sports

  United States

  MLBAM joined the NHL and Silver Chalice in backing 120 Sports, a streaming sports-video service announced by Sports Illustrated.

  Outcome. Created a cross-league digital sports-video initiative.

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• 2012MLB At Bat subscription and packaging expansion

  United States · International

  MLBAM made At Bat universal across iPhone and iPad, bundled it with MLB.TV, and introduced a monthly subscription option to reduce entry barriers.

  Outcome. The company reported a record year in paid content while accepting some short-term subscription trade-offs.

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• 2003MLB.TV direct-to-consumer launch

  United States · International

  MLBAM marketed a paid full-season online video package during spring training, establishing MLB.TV as a central direct subscription product.

  Outcome. Approximately 100,000 subscribers were reported in the first season.

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• 2018Move R.B.I. Baseball development further in-houseGeneration change

  Earlier R.B.I. Baseball releases relied on external development studios and a small MLBAM oversight group.

  What changed. MLBAM expanded an internal team to develop R.B.I. Baseball 18.

  Aftermath. MLBAM took a more direct role as game developer, producer, and publisher.

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• 2015Separate streaming technology into BAMTechStrategy

  MLBAM’s streaming infrastructure had developed into a potentially independent technology business serving multiple sports and media clients.

  What changed. The board approved a spinout of the streaming-technology division as BAMTech while retaining MLB-specific properties under league control.

  Aftermath. The separation enabled the technology business to pursue external clients and investment independently from MLB’s consumer-facing digital properties.

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• 2015Take over NHL digital operationsStrategy

  The NHL sought a large-scale digital partner for websites, applications, streaming distribution, and related network infrastructure.

  What changed. MLBAM agreed to operate NHL digital properties and distribute the league’s streaming service, with related infrastructure migration.

  Aftermath. The agreement extended MLBAM’s league-technology model beyond baseball and gave the NHL an equity interest in BAMTech.

  Reported contract value. $600 million over six years (2015 agreement)

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• 2014Revive R.B.I. BaseballProduct launch

  2K chose not to exercise its license to publish a 2015 MLB game for Xbox.

  What changed. MLBAM developed R.B.I. Baseball 14 from scratch and published the game.

  Aftermath. Although the initial game received poor critical reviews, MLBAM continued the franchise and later expanded internal development.

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• 2005Acquire Tickets.comM&A

  Growing attendance and the need to make ticket purchases easier created demand for integrated online ticketing.

  What changed. MLBAM acquired Tickets.com.

  Aftermath. The acquisition expanded MLBAM’s role in ticket sales and fan commerce.

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• 2003Launch MLB.TVProduct launch

  Early streaming experiments in 2002 showed that online game distribution could be developed into a paid service.

  What changed. MLBAM launched a full-season paid internet streaming package during spring training.

  Aftermath. The product attracted approximately 100,000 first-season subscribers and helped establish MLBAM’s streaming business.

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• 2000Centralize MLB’s online operationsStrategy

  Major League Baseball clubs were developing separate internet operations and needed a unified approach to digital rights, publishing, and ticketing.

  What changed. MLB created MLB Advanced Media as a league-owned interactive and internet branch.

  Aftermath. The organization became the common digital platform for MLB and its clubs.

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• 2017Robert Bowman workplace-conduct allegationsControversy

  Chief executive Robert Bowman was forced out after allegations concerning workplace conduct. The episode became the most prominent reported governance and leadership controversy associated with MLBAM.

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• 2018MLB Advanced Media expands development of R.B.I. Baseball

  MLBAM was reported to have expanded its internal game-development team for R.B.I. Baseball 18 after earlier entries had been produced with outside studios.

  Product generationProduct launch
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• 2015MLB Advanced Media forms a streaming technology spinout

  MLBAM’s board approved the creation of BAMTech to separate the organization’s broader streaming-technology activities from MLB-specific digital properties.

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• 2015NHL selects MLB Advanced Media for digital operations

  The NHL announced a multiyear arrangement under which MLBAM would operate and distribute NHL digital properties and streaming services, with the agreement also providing the NHL an equity interest in BAMTech.

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• 2012MLB At Bat exceeds three million downloads during the 2012 season

  The MLB At Bat application passed three million downloads shortly after the start of the 2012 regular season, reflecting the rapid growth of MLBAM’s mobile product.

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1. MLB Advanced Media