SNY and Verizon are going to do something amazin’ with the regional sports network’s telecast of the New York Mets game on Thursday night: add more content and lessen the commercial load.
Viewers of SNY’s June 12 coverage of the Mets’ contest against the Milwaukee Brewers at 7 p.m. from CitiField will witness SNY’s first-ever limited commercial interruption broadcast, which is being billed as a Mets+ telecast.
In partnership with Verizon FIOS, the SNY telecast will minimize commercial interruption between innings in order to bring viewers closer to the action via unprecedented in-game audio enhancements, features, and on-field access from the RSN’s broadcast team of Ron Darling, Keith Hernandez, Gary Cohen, and Kevin Burkhardt. Citi is on deck to sponsor a limited-commercial interruption telecast on July 10, when the Mets host the Atlanta Braves.
Among the features are in-game interviews between field reporter Burkhardt and Mets players and coaches from the clubhouse, dugout and bullpen, and in-game discussion between the on-air team and lead studio analyst Bob Ojeda. There will also be specially produced segments, including "Mets Memory" vignettes, player reports, and player profiles, and expanded studio cut-ins with highlights and analysis from games across Major League Baseball’s diamonds.
The extra content will emanate from a reduction in the number of commercial breaks in the telecast. On June 12, the game coverage will feature four 2-minute pods, including one before first pitch, exclusive of Verizon ads. For its part, the telco will have three dedicated breaks of only one :30 second-spot. Verizon commercials will also run during pitching changes which is the case for all Met games.
SNY didn’t disclose the financial consideration involved to present the game in this fashion.
“Our sponsorship of Mets+ is a continuation of a long and successful partnership with SNY,” said Angie Klein, vice president of marketing for Verizon’s Northeast region. “This unique SNY-Mets+ broadcast is similar to the TV viewing experience our customers get when they subscribe to our recently introduced FiOS Quantum TV. This new innovation from Verizon delivers the best, most satisfying TV experience to customers, with features and functionality they want such as more choice, storage and control. We’re happy to bring New Yorkers this unique broadcast, with limited commercial interruptions.”
The FiOS Quantum TV experience also will be on display during the June 12 in the form of Burkhardt presiding over a segment from the Quantum Ultimate Viewing Chair, a specially designed leather, massaging fan chair.
To be given to one lucky fan later in the season, the chair allows viewers to watch TV on a 19-inch HD TV, surf the web on two built-in tablets, and enjoy their favorite snacks from holders on the sides of the chair. It will be on display at Citi Field in front of the Verizon Studio starting June 14.
