MLB Network will produce extensive coverage of the 2018 Baseball Winter Meetings in Las Vegas later this week, with insiders Peter Gammons, Jon Heyman, Ken Rosenthal, Joel Sherman and Tom Verducci reporting live across more than 45 hours of on-site programming.
For the first time, coverage of the Winter Meetings across all of MLB's media platforms will be presented by the advisory, assurance, and tax firm CohnReznick. As part of the collaboration, MLB Network will produce a new series, Business of Baseball, which will explore the strategic issues franchises tackle on and off the field, such as enhancing the fan experience or leveraging data and analytics. The series will begin with MLB's first-ever GM roundtable conversation with Alex Anthopoulos (Atlanta Braves), Rick Hahn (Chicago White Sox), Dayton Moore (Kansas City Royals) and Mike Rizzo (Washington Nationals), moderated by MLB Network host Brian Kenny and analyst and former GM Dan O'Dowd. Excerpts from the discussion will be featured across MLB Network programming this week, followed by a one-hour show on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 8:00 p.m. ET. "Baseball is more than a game, it's a business built on a foundation of strategy and leadership. That is why we are proud to support this unique content, taking fans behind the scenes to understand the business side of America's pastime," said Frank Longobardi, CEO of CohnReznick.
Interviews with club managers and general managers, insights into club strategy, and player analysis from MLB Network's Mark DeRosa, Kevin Millar, Dan Plesac and Harold Reynolds will be featured across programming and social content from Las Vegas, beginning with MLB Tonight on Sunday, Dec. 9 at 8:00 p.m. ET. Each of MLB Network's offseason studio shows will air live on-site from Monday, Dec. 10 through Thursday, Dec. 13, beginning with Hot Stove at 11:00 a.m. ET, followed by High Heat with Christopher Russo, MLB Now, Intentional Talk and MLB Tonight. In exclusive social-first content produced each day, MLB Network's on-air personalities will also offer their takes on player trades and signings, and provide a behind-the-scenes look at the Winter Meetings, including the PBEO Job Fair and the Baseball Trade Show.
MLB Network's coverage will also feature the Today's Game Era election results announcement from the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, Dec. 9 during MLB Tonight. Harold Baines, Albert Belle, Joe Carter, Will Clark, Orel Hershiser, Davey Johnson, Charlie Manuel, Lou Piniella, Lee Smith and George Steinbrenner were named last month as the candidates for the Today's Game Era Committee's consideration for the Class of 2019.
MLB Network's complete programming schedule and a link to its authenticated live stream are available at www.MLBNetwork.com.