MLB Network To Air Hall of Fame Announcements

Another reason why the MLB Network is quickly becoming the place to turn to for all things baseball. This Monday, MLB Network will air the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2009 Announcements. I remember when WFAN would have them live. Then ESPNews aired the announcements over the past few years.

Now, MLB Network is making an entire show around the announcement. Here’s the press release.

MLB NETWORK, MLB.COM TO BROADCAST BASEBALL HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCEMENT LIVE ON MONDAY, JANUARY 12 BEGINNING AT 1:30 PM ET

First Time Announcement Will Be Made on Television

Baseball Hall of Fame President Jeff Idelson Live in MLB Network Studio Joined by MLB Network’s Barry Larkin, Harold Reynolds, Victor Rojas and Tom Verducci

SECAUCUS, N.J. and NEW YORK, N.Y. – The official announcement of the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2009 election results, live from MLB Network’s Secaucus-based studios, will air exclusively on MLB Network and online at MLB.com on Monday, January 12, with coverage beginning live at 1:30 p.m. ET. The live program on MLB Network marks the first time this announcement will be made on television.

Jeff Idelson, the President of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, will appear in studio to reveal the results of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America 2009 Hall of Fame election, as part of a live special beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET, hosted by Victor Rojas and also featuring Barry Larkin, Harold Reynolds and Tom Verducci. MLB Network launched on January 1 in approximately 50 million homes as the largest network debut in cable history.

MLB Network’s special coverage of the Hall of Fame announcement includes two live specials in addition to its regular Hot Stove show that airs at 7:00 p.m. ET, including a third live show at 9:00 p.m. ET expected to include interviews with those elected, analysis and a look ahead at the 2010 Hall of Fame ballot, in which Larkin will appear for the first time.

In addition to streaming the results announcement live for the sixth straight year, MLB.com will provide fans with complete coverage of the results, including a collection of print and multimedia retrospectives of the electee(s) career(s), a peek into the ballots of its 13 honorary BBWAA reporters to find out who they voted for and why and on-demand video of the Hall of Fame Class of 2009’s introductory press conference from New York on Tuesday, January 13.

Top returning vote-getters on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot included Jim Rice, Andre Dawson and Bert Blyleven, while newcomers to the ballot included Rickey Henderson and Matt Williams. Any candidates elected by the BBWAA will be enshrined along with Veterans Committee electee Joe Gordon on July 26 in Cooperstown, N.Y. Admission to the Induction Ceremony is free.

MLB Network also will air classic games featuring Henderson. MLB Network’s special Hall of Fame programming includes:

Sunday, January 11

• 1:30 p.m. ET – 1989 ALCS Game 2, TOR @ OAK (Henderson stole four bases in a 6-3 Oakland victory)
• 4:30 p.m. ET – 1989 ALCS Game 4, OAK @ TOR (Henderson hit two home runs in a 6-5 Oakland victory)

Monday, January 12

• 12:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. ET – 1989 ALCS Game 2 (repeat)
• 1:30 p.m. ET – LIVE Hall of Fame Special, featuring Jeff Idelson, joined by Barry Larkin, Harold Reynolds, Victor Rojas and Tom Verducci
• 2:30 p.m. ET – 1989 ALCS Game 4 (repeat)
• 7:00 p.m. ET – Hot Stove (live)
• 9:00 p.m. ET – LIVE Hall of Fame Special, featuring interviews with inductees, analysis and a look ahead at the 2010 ballot

“We’re very excited about this opportunity to be a part of baseball history in only our second week,” said Tony Petitti, President and Chief Executive Officer of MLB Network. “As we continue to look for new content, fans should expect to see programming like this on a consistent basis from MLB Network.”

I’ll be checking this out online on Monday. If things go well at work, I’ll try to live blog this.