According to sources with knowledge of the talks, ESPN wanted to acquire rights to Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) games for free from Eclat, which owns international rights to KBO games. ESPN first indicated interest in KBO games earlier this month, as its struggles to fill dead air continued, with the coronavirus pandemic having put all professional and amateur sports on hold. The KBO announced on Tuesday that its season, delayed since late March due to the coronavirus outbreak, will begin on May 5. The preseason began Tuesday and will run through May 1.