MLB’s BAMTech expanding to Europe through partnership with Discovery Communications

BAMTech, MLB’s digital media company that grew from MLB Advanced Media, will be expanding to Europe. MLB has announced a new joint venture with Discovery Communications to establish BAMTech Europe. Like BAMTech here, it will provide technology services to clients throughout the European continent.

Not surprisingly, BAMTech Europe’s first client will be Discovery’s Eurosport which has pan-European media rights to the Olympics starting in 2018. Eurosport Digital will offer sports events from rights jointly obtained by Eurosport and BAMTech.

Discovery and BAMTech came to a long-term agreement and the new Eurosport Digital over the top service will launch in 2017. BAMTech Europe hopes it will eventually gain clients as quickly as its American counterpart.

In the United States, BAMTech lays the digital infrastructure for channels such as HBO Now, WatchESPN, Twitter’s streaming platform for NFL’s Thursday Night Football, the NHL, MLB, PGA Tour, WWE Network and others.

Of course, we have quotes from both the Silver Spring, MD-based Discovery and BAMTech:

“Discovery has been investing internationally in new business models and brands for decades, resulting in the most extensive global footprint in media,” said David Zaslav, President and Chief Executive Officer at Discovery Communications. “The formation of this world-class technology provider, BAMTech Europe, with our partners at BAMTech, accelerates Discovery’s long-term strategy to bring our premium content to more viewers across more screens than ever before.”

“The collaboration of Discovery’s breadth of live sports content, including the Olympic Games, and BAMTech will bring European fans access to these valuable events like never before,” said Bob Bowman, MLB President, Business & Media. “Discovery has been a global leader in media and will be a great partner in expanding BAMTech to Europe, with an eye to developing new models for delivering content in the best interests of customers. We can’t wait to get started.”

Earlier this year, ESPN’s parent company Disney purchased a 33% stake in BAMTech with the option to buy a bigger piece of the buy at a later date.

Discovery has been expanding its digital business and hopes this new partnership will bring new viewers to its platforms.

[Hollywood Reporter]