Fox Sports Unveils 2010 MLB Slate; Ups Saturday Primetime Games to Eight

Fox Sports Media Group has unveiled it’s the schedule for this season’s Fox Saturday Baseball Game of the Week, highlighted by eight consecutive primetime dates, the most ever scheduled during the regular-season. During the stretch, all US-based teams appear at least twice beginning in May and continuing until the All-Star break.

“We’re pleased that we were able work with our partners at Major League Baseball to develop our most extensive primetime schedule yet,” said FOX Sports Co-President and COO Eric Shanks. “Our hope is to increase viewership and by featuring so many teams, create additional exposure for the game’s many stars so they become more familiar to a broader fan base.”

Returning to the MLB on Fox production team this year will be coordinating producer Pete Macheska, lead director Bill Webb, and pregame producer Don Bui. David Hill and Shanks are the Executive Producers of FOX Sports.

Primetime coverage begins on Saturday, May 19 with five Interleague matchups including Red Sox-Phillies and the White Sox-Cubs crosstown classic. The primetime schedule, which includes four Interleague dates, continues into June and culminates on Saturday, July 7 with a Yankees-Red Sox matchup in Fenway, as well as Braves-Phillies and Twins-Rangers.

MLB on FOX’s Opening Day schedule begins at 3:30 PM ET on Saturday, April 7, as the Cardinals head to Milwaukee to face the Brewers in an NLCS rematch, and the visiting Giants take on the NL West champion Diamondbacks. In addition, the new-look Angels host the Royals and the Red Sox take on the Tigers.

Over the first 24 weeks of the MLB season, the Red Sox, Cubs, Yankees and Giants are each scheduled to make a maximum nine appearances on FOX in 2012. The Rangers along with the Angels, Braves, Mets and are scheduled to appear eight times. The World Champion Cardinals and the Phillies appear seven times.

The final two Saturdays of the regular season are designated as “wild card” dates, allowing FOX Sports and MLB to choose games of postseason significance each Saturday.

In addition to 24 weeks of regular season coverage, FOX Sports airs the 83rd MLB All-Star Game from Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO, the National League Championship Series, and the World Series. During the first 16 years the FOX has been the primary broadcast network home of MLB, FOX Sports has aired 14 World Series, 22 League Championship Series, and 13 All-Star Games.