Fox Bids $2.5 Billion for TV Package

Fox has offered about $2.5 billion in a bid to grab major league baseball’s entire postseason package from 2001-06, the Associated Press has learned.

That figure, which would also cover an extension of current deals for regular-season games on Fox and its cable outlets, was confirmed Monday by three TV industry and baseball sources speaking on condition of anonymity.

NBC and ESPN, which hold rights to some postseason games under five-year contracts that expire after the World Series, had until today to match Fox’s bid, industry sources said.

The roughly $417 million average-annual worth of the package represents about a 45% jump from the $290 million the old deals totaled.

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Montreal’s Felipe Alou was told by owner Jeffrey Loria he would retain his job as manager; Ranger Manager Johnny Oates said his coaching staff would return next season. . . . Missing the final week will be: Texas outfielder Gabe Kapler to rehabilitate an injured left shoulder; Arizona right-hander Todd Stottlemyre for surgery on his pitching elbow and a hernia; Arizona shortstop Tony Womack for surgery on his right knee and a cyst on his left knee; Colorado right-hander Pedro Astacio for surgery on his left knee. . . . Roger Clemens says he has regained his range of motion in his right leg and hopes to make his final regular-season start.