Cincinnati Reds to be part of first Facebook game broadcast Friday

Major League Baseball is hoping to use Facebook to reach more fans, and the Cincinnati Reds will be part of their first try.

Facebook announced Thursday the Reds-Rockies game at 7:10 p.m. Friday at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati will be the first of 20 live game broadcasts on the social media network this summer.

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“It’s really important for us in terms of experimenting with a new partner in this area,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said.

“Baseball games are uniquely engaging community experiences, as the chatter and rituals in the stands are often as meaningful to fans as the action on the diamond,” Facebook head of global sports partnerships Dan Reed said in a news release. “By distributing a live game per week on Facebook, Major League Baseball can re-imagine this social experience on a national scale.”

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Facebook will pick up a feed from one of the teams’ local broadcast rights holders and stream that for fans across the country with no blackout restrictions.

“We’re thrilled to work with MLB to enable baseball fans on Facebook to watch live games and connect with friends and fellow fans around the action, no matter where they live in the U.S.,” Reed added, “and are excited to help the league continue to reach new audiences on our platform.”

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