Taco Bell--already a long-time Major League Baseball league sponsor--will be the presenting sponsor of the event, which will run through the month of March. The first ever event is a joint venture of Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association. The World Baseball Classic will have 16 live telecasts featuring 16 teams from around the world, including the U.S., Cuba, China, Japan, and Korea. The teams will include professional players. Games will be played in Tokyo; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Orlando, FL; Phoenix, AZ; and Scottsdale, AZ. ESPN Deportes will televise all 39 games in Spanish. ESPN will syndicate 14 games to other English-language outlets, and ESPN Radio and ESPN International will also provide coverage.
--Wayne Friedman
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