Fox Sports Named Television Home of Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game
May 2, 2019 - Pacific Coast League (PCL1) News Release
Triple-A Baseball (International and Pacific Coast Leagues) announced today that FOX Sports will be the new exclusive television home of the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game Presented by Ephesus Sports Lighting. The annual event determines the overall champion of Minor League Baseball's highest classification in a one-game, winner-take-all showdown between the teams that emerge victorious from the IL and PCL playoffs.
This year's contest takes place at 8pm ET/7pm CT on Tuesday, September 17 at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tennessee, home of the defending Triple-A National Champion Memphis Redbirds. The game will be televised live nationally on FS1 and available for live streaming on the FOX Sports app, as well as to MiLB.TV subscribers via MiLB.com and the MiLB First Pitch mobile app for supported devices.
Bringing the action to a national television audience will once again be broadcasting legends George Grande and Jim Kaat, who combined have been a part of twelve Triple-A National Championship Game telecasts. Grande, the veteran MLB broadcaster who has served as the play-by-play voice of the Yankees, Cardinals, and Reds, will be in a familiar position working alongside Kaat, the former big league All-Star pitcher and Emmy- award winning commentator. George and Jim will be joined in the booth by MLB.com's Jim Callis, a familiar contributor on MLB Network and a veteran of several Triple-A All-Star Game and National Championship Game telecasts.
International League President Randy Mobley said, "As home for the Major League Baseball World Series for more than two decades it is only fitting that Minor League Baseball's highest classification align itself with FOX Sports as the exclusive national broadcaster for its pinnacle event, the annual Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game presented by Ephesis Sports Lighting. This relationship is one that we look forward to nurturing and growing in the years to come."
"FOX Sports and Major League Baseball have an exceptional track record of capturing the sport's most brilliant moments," FOX Sports Vice President of Programming Acquisitions and League Operations Josh Oakley said. "When the opportunity arose to broadcast the Triple-A Baseball National Championship Game, we jumped at the chance to showcase baseball's rising stars."
"Baseball fans know the quality coverage that FOX provides," Pacific Coast League President Branch Rickey said. "Continuing to broadcast our Triple-A National Championship Game on this network is a winning formula and provides tremendous exposure for the culminating event of our season. Moreover, the Memphis Redbirds have a proven record of being a wonderful host for big games and can be counted on to make AutoZone Park a great site for this 2019 event."
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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
