MLB said to be nearing deal with Roku for Sunday morning games

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Comments 6

JEFF E HIRSCHMAN says:

2 years ago

So they are going to change times of games for this season? I have tickets for 2 Sundays for the Mets one was changed to 7:10 p for ESPN i hope my other game isn’t changef from 1:40 pm to 11:35 am
- Jon Lewis says:
  
  2 years ago
  
  Yes — games will be moved up to 11:30 or 12:05.
  - JEFF E HIRSCHMAN says:
    
    2 years ago
    
    Do you think that is fair to the tickrt holders?
    - Jon Lewis says:
      
      2 years ago
      
      No — definitely not, but that’s just the way it goes.
Samuel says:

2 years ago

MLB continues to completely embarrass itself. They have one window per week on FOX and nothing else to speak of on broadcast television. Meanwhile, the NFL is all over the place, the NBA is about to be on both ABC and NBC and even the NHL gets doubleheaders and a few tripleheaders on ABC. But MLB goes to a platform I’ve literally never heard of until mentioned in this article. How far has the sport fallen that NBC or even CBS didn’t want to the Sunday morning package and they have to go crawling to a nothing platform to try and stay relevant. MLB is about to be fourth behind the NHL if they’re not already. Yes the World Series crushes the Stanley Cup but when it comes to national relevance, it’s completely waning.
- esl says:
  
  2 years ago
  
  Samuel, I completely agree with you. I was about to post the same thing when I saw your post. It is completely embarrassing, especially when you see the negotiations for the NBA. I believe that there is a perception from other leagues and networks that MLB is a Dinasaur and there is no reason to invest. As you noted, MLB is lucky to have Fox as a long term partner. No one else will even try and invest. I think ESPN is going to opt out. Their coverage of MLB is nonexistent outside of the games. It is remarkable to see how MLB has fallen. Consider 20 years ago in 2004, the Yankees-Red Sox ALCS was averaging almost 20 million for the series (including getting 30 million for game 7). And more impressive, the NLCS between the Astros and Cardinals was averaging 10 million for the series. And, in the late 90s and early 2000s, 3 networks, Fox, NBC and ESPN were televising every playoff game. Yes, times change. Viewership habits change. But MLB has to be fully at fault for this decline to a point where no one wants to partner with them. I look at 2 factors in the last 20 years. The first factor was the embarrassing mishandling of the steroid era (where MLB looked the other way while the McGuire-Sosa chase was going on). And then being selective to ban and ignore players and records once media came down on them. The second factor and more detrimental to the league was MLBs allowing analytics to have a major impact on how the game is played. The analytics has taken most action out of baseball. Removing stolen bases, emphasizing strikeouts and HRs. And, reducing the importance of the starting pitcher, while maximizing the amount of relief pitchers used. Leading to man pitching changes. These factors have reduced the popularity of the game. Yes, MLB is trying to fix these issues with various rule changes. But it may be too late. Also, the emphasis on RSNs without any regard to national tv contracts is another factor. All these lead MLB to where they are today. What can be done? Well for one thing, MLB rights packages are too steep for the ratings they get. If I was MLB, I would take alot less money to get any kind of broadcast package (not a streamer).
  One last note. I do agree the NHL is in a better place than MLB. They have a very good package with ABC/ESPN and Turner (Warner Bros). Its a good mix of streaming and broadcast. They have a new young star in Connor Bedard in a great hockey market in Chicago. I am curious to see what steps MLB takes to get out of the situation they are in. Right now, it doesnt look good.