XM to air World Baseball Classic

XM Satellite Radio will air every game of the World Baseball Classic, the company said Tuesday.

The inaugural World Baseball Classic, featuring 16 teams of baseball superstars representing their home countries, will be broadcast live across the United States on XM Satellite Radio.

XM is the official satellite radio network of Major League Baseball.

The company said that XM will carry all 39 games of the World Baseball Classic, from the first round to the final championship game, on XM's Major League Baseball play-by-play channels 176 to 189. XM will provide complete play-by-play coverage and in-depth analysis of the historic competition, which will open play at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on March 3 and conclude with the two semi-final games and final game at PETCO Park in San Diego on March 18 and 20, respectively.

"XM will air every single game of the World Baseball Classic, offering the most comprehensive coverage of the Classic that you will hear anywhere on the radio," said Eric Logan, executive vice president of programming, XM Satellite Radio. "The World Baseball Classic is the latest example of XM's standing as the sports leader in satellite radio, with more than 5000 live sporting events on XM in 2006."

Tim Brosnan, executive vice president of business for Major League Baseball, added, "It is only appropriate that XM's large, growing audience of baseball fans would have the opportunity to tune in to the excitement of the first-ever World Baseball Classic. This highly-anticipated global event provides XM with an unprecedented introduction to their coverage of the upcoming 2006 season."

Copyright 2006 by United Press International