Fans, if you have MLB Network, DIRECTV 213, like I do, get ready to see a lot more of baseball fan & Emmy-award sportscaster Bob Costas. According to CNBC.com's Darren Rovell & awfulannouncing.com, Costas has officially signed on with the new 24/7 baseball channel. The 19-time Sports Emmy-award winner will host original programming on the new MLBN, plus will be one of the play-by-play voices of actual games that will air on the new channel this spring & summer. Bob was the voice of baseball some 25 years ago when NBC Sports had the broadcast rights to the "Game of the Week", the Playoffs & World Series. Costas will part company with HBO Sports to accommodate his new multi-year contract with MLBN, but will still maintain ties with NBC as host of "Football Night in America" and its Olympic coverage.

Costas is a self-important prick.

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We all have private ails. The troublemakers are they who need public cures for their private ails.- Eric Hoffer

Seconded.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

I think this move is a long time coming involving Bob & MLBN. If you've heard Costas in interviews on sports talk radio shows for a long time, he's made no secret of his love for the game of baseball, and has also been an outspoken critic from time to time. Even before MLBN launched on New Year's Day, there were negotiations going on behind the scenes to get Costas on board. Part of what Bob will be doing for MLBN involved something that aired on Opening Night, Don Larsen's "Perfect Game" from 1956, which included segments involving interviews Bob had with Don & Yogi Berra from the MLBN studios in Secaucus, NJ.

Is AT&T going to carry this station?

I think they'll eventually sign on, even though some 50 million U.S. homes already have MLBN, including yours truly on DIRECTV 213. I know that ESPN has tried to intervene in getting a lot more access to NFL Network during football season, but I don't think they've had much success getting cable systems everywhere to add the channel & not necessarily stick Joe Consumer with the bill...

Bob Costas is the best IMO. Joe Buck was the heir apparent but Joe doesnt seem to think any game not involving the Yankees, Red Sox or Cards is worth preparing for as much (Sox/Astros WS). Its obvious he's mailing it in. Bob Costas loves the game and the tradition. It wouldnt matter if it were the Royals vs Padres. I still think he hates the expanded playoffs like I do. several of the last few World Series winners would NOT have made the playoffs in the old system. He and I agree that the old system was better with four divisions. It made the regular season worth something. He's arrogant yes but he's good. Who is better at what they do than Bob? Not just play by play but a spokesman as well. I dont think anyone's in his league.