SPORTS : ESPN Awarded Cable TV Rights for Baseball in $400-Million Deal

NEW YORK —  Major league baseball today awarded its cable television rights to ESPN in a four-year deal worth $400 million, Commissioner Peter Ueberroth announced today.

Ueberroth accepted ESPN’s proposal early this morning after rejecting bids from Turner Broadcasting and SportsChannel America.

Officials of baseball and ESPN were meeting today to work out final details of the contract, which will go into effect next year. ESPN will televise games on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday nights, with double-headers to be shown on Tuesdays and Fridays. In all, about 175 games will be carried by the cable network.