May 16: MLB will get $30MM from Roku over three years for this deal, per Evan Drellich of The Athletic. That will be $8MM in the first year, $10MM in the second and $12MM in the third. That’s well below what Peacock had been paying previously but right in line with what Peacock was trying to negotiate down to. He also notes that Roku has 120 million subscribers, according to the announcement from the company and the league. A report from Tony Maglio of IndieWire in March listed Peacock’s subscriber tally as 31 million.
May 13: MLB announced that it has officially reached a deal with Roku to broadcast Sunday games. The first game of the new multi-year deal will be this Sunday May 19.
The league previously had a deal with Peacock to broadcast early Sunday games. It was reported back in April that the Peacock partnership was likely ending. Peacock evidently was willing to continue the arrangement at a lower price point than the $30MM they had been paying annually. Later reporting indicated they wanted to renegotiate the deal to around $10MM. However, MLB was close to lining up another pact with a different platform. Shortly thereafter, further reporting indicated that Roku was likely to be the new platform.
Now that the Roku deal is official, the details show it will be slightly different than the Peacock arrangement. Previously, the “Sunday Leadoff” games on Peacock all started shortly after 11:30am or just after noon Eastern, with the other games starting at least 90 minutes later to give Peacock a window of exclusivity. That will be the case with some of the contests on Roku this year, but not all. Here is the full slate, with all times ET:
- May 19, Red Sox @ Cardinals, 1:05pm
- May 26, Blue Jays @ Tigers, 11:35am
- June 2, Twins @ Astros, 1:05pm
- June 9, Giants @ Rangers, 1:05pm
- June 16, Cardinals @ Cubs, 1:05pm
- June 23, Diamondbacks @ Phillies, 11:35am
- June 30, Pirates @ Braves, 11:35am
- July 7, Diamondbacks @ Padres, 4:10pm
- July 14, Yankees @ Orioles, 11:35am
- July 21, Brewers @ Twins, 1:05pm
- July 28, Reds @ Rays, 11:35am
- August 4, Giants @ Reds, 12:05pm
- August 11, Angels @ Nationals, 11:35am
- August 18, Marlins @ Mets, 12:05pm
- August 25, Nationals @ Braves, 12:05pm
- September 1, Dodgers @ Diamondbacks, 4:10pm
- September 8, Rays @ Orioles, 12:05pm
- September 15, Reds @ Twins, 1:05pm
Another change from the Peacock arrangement is that the games will be free, with no subscription required. There are no blackouts for Roku or MLB.TV users. The full details of how to access the games are provided by Brian Murphy of MLB.com.
Since there’s less of a focus on exclusivity and the accessibility is greater than under the Peacock, it seems that Roku and MLB are more focused on building the brand and fan interest, a sentiment that is present in statement from both parties.
“As television programming, live sports, and the leagues have fragmented across networks, apps, and multiple packages, Roku—home to all of them—plays an increasingly crucial role for viewers and advertisers,” said Charlie Collier, President, Roku Media, quoted in the MLB press release. “With this deal, Roku delivers free, live, weekly Sunday baseball and 24/7 baseball curation, destinations, and channels across our platform. The lead-in to all of television is now the lead-off for Sunday baseball as well. It’s a terrific partnership.”
“With free games available to anyone, MLB games on Roku will be widely accessible to fans,” said Noah Garden, MLB Deputy Commissioner, Business and Media, also from the statement. “Since Roku serves as an entertainment gateway for millions, this partnership offers a valuable new promotional and distribution platform for MLB games and content.”
Additionally, the broadcast teams will be “market-focused,” according to the announcement. The full slate of broadcasters wasn’t announced, but Chip Caray, Will Middlebrooks and Alexa Datt are listed for the first game between Boston and St. Louis. Since Caray and Datt cover the Cards and Middlebrooks the Red Sox, perhaps each game will feature a mix of broadcasters from both teams, though that’s speculation.
In addition to the live games, there will be an MLB Zone which “will include a more robust MLB FAST channel, with premium sports content around the clock including up-to-date highlights, MLB Game of the Week replays, Minor League Baseball game replays, and other baseball content.”
The final grasps of desperation of a culturally *irrelevant* dying sport.
That’s just silly, TT.
“Youth participation and interest is at an all time low and fading even more as we speak…. The Commission has concluded that “baseball” will be fourth place behind hockey by 2030″
-Commissioners Report in conjunction with the United States Congress and MLBPeeA, 10 August, 2023.
First place or fourth place they are all making millions. More kids play baseball year round then ever before. And if you still believe any report from the government, God help you.
That’s only America. Baseball is an international game now.
If you add up all the kids playing baseball in Asia and Latin America it makes up for the kids in America pursuing other options.
As a father of a young kid playing baseball I think the adults are the ones screwing it up, not the kids. 6 inning or 2 hour games for 5 and 6 year olds is too long. Losing your entire summer for travel ball at age 10 sucks.
The sport itself is great. Parents thinking their kid is the one in a million to make millions is not.
There’s a philosophical question though, would all those kids in LatAm be playing baseball with as much gusto if interest in USA baseball wanes? There are pro leagues in other nations sure, but it is MLB that is where the money is made.
The PWHL has been live streaming their games for free on YT and gosh jolly, after watching a few games, I’m a convert. I’m hoping they expand into my city, I’ll buy tickets for that.
We alread have less talent for 30 teams than we used to have. A very talented baseball player may be just starting MLB career but a very talented basketball or football player signed a mega-contract after just 2 years in the league.
MLB has a bleak future and the commissioner is counting pennies.for the league. Good luck, the sports, I have loved more than 60 years.
Well Trout CHOKED big time (as usual, completely anti-clutch type of guy) and let down the country on the world stage and looked like a chump against Ohtani’s straight fastballs down the middle none of which he even made contact with. So that put a dent in it. Trout let America down.
Sounds like speculation, by a group that knows virtually nothing about everything: the US Congress. How many taxpayer dollars did it take for them to come to a “conclusion” about a topic that has nothing to do with running the country?
If the PWHL is full of Mikayla Demaiter look-a-likes then I’m all in like yeasties.
Take a look,
instagram.com/mikaylademaiter/
Increasing attendance. Record viewership worldwide. 3rd largest little league participation rate in last 50 years. That was 2023.
You’re dead wrong if you think there is less talent. Baseball 80-90 years ago featured 16 team leagues, and about 3 in each league were actually competitive. The Negro Leagues (shamefully separated) had the same level of concentration. At every point in history, players succeeded, and players failed. We have more of a player base than ever. Even still, there is a cream of the crop. Good – a league of robots would be boring.
I suspect what you see as “less talented” is the modern difference in approach.
Trojan, did you make that report up? Lol. Seriously. I don’t see how anyone could look at statistics and come to that conclusion. World Series viewership is about 5x more than the Stanley Cup Finals.
What an idiot. You, not Trout.
@Aragon That is absolutely false. The population of the US alone has more than doubled since 1950, the game is no longer segregated, they draw from an international talent pool.
Not to mention the exponentially larger reach of scouting. Years ago a player would have to be seen in person by a scout. Now their are websites dedicated to youth/prep talent, some games can be viewed live from various locations around the world, and video of players can be easily accessed from anywhere.
Statistically players are throwing and hitting harder. And one can clearly see the players are bigger and faster. And MLB teams are bringing in record revenue and profits.
Sorry this doesn’t fit the nostalgic view you yearn for, but it is reality.
10x more kids play youth baseball than any other sport in USA. Its not even close.
How many kids are playing hockey in the DR??
Irrelevant is a bit much, but they’ve managed to take the most popular sport in the country and put into the running with the WNBA and MLS while the NBA and NFL are worlds ahead.
It’s so irrelevant to you, but here you are on MLBTR. It’s sooooo obvious you don’t care right lol
I wonder about that too
C’mon man you gotta come up with better bait than that
It’s true. But I’m out of here. Better things to do.
PS I didn’t say I don’t care about it, I simply pointed out that the country doesn’t. Most people don’t know and couldn’t care less who Mike Trout is. He’s essentially a nobody in the cultural zeitgeist.
This just might be the dumbest thing I will read this week, and there’s plenty of competition.
It’s early but it’s got my vote. A bit to early for CPR. Projection?
For that, I boo you. Everyone knows who Mike Trout is. However, I agree with you the baseball is becoming whole lot less popular in general.
“That the country doesn’t…couldn’t care less who Mike Trout”…That’s why the Padres have already had 12 sellouts and the Dodgers near sellout(and pack them in) almost every single day. I guess if I pointed out that last year was one of the highest attended MLB seasons ever, your point would look even more ridiculous than it already does on it’s face. My grandmother is 92 years old and recently asked me what I thought of Ohtani.
@Trojan Toss
With people like you around, this sport will never die. Ha!
Wow. By that, do you mean it’s not totally eaten up with wokism, dei and everything wrong with sports, such as the NBA and NFL? If that’s what u are intentinding to say? MLB is about 50% on it’s way and really should retreat to where it stood 10y ago and ditch useless, current supposed “values”.
Only the NHL seems to realize how 100% useless they really are. Even nascar has shot themselves hitching themselves to a wagon towards financial ruin. Why should mlb continue down this path?
Not the woke!!!
What I want to know, who is this woman named Greenies?
Is it better to be woke, or asleep?
Guess you do not pay much attention to sports and fan interest.
Trojan Toss – the fact that we had to make cuts in our fall league last year in very rural Ohio indicates you don’t know what you’re talking about. Baseball isn’t dead… Logical thinking in some might be dead, but baseball isn’t.
Yet here you are commenting on it.
I don’t think it’s as much of an irrelevabt/dying sport situation, but, it *IS* curious how these matchups feature a former bally-sports team in almost every case (sometimes both clubs) with the exception of Os Yanks.
And, I’m not sure that one isn’t included to help boost the Os club revenue based on recent performance and the masn money not getting paid out like it should.
This could be how mlb helps monetize the clubs without RSNs/dysfunctional RSNs and give the league something to point to as being proactive after the 23-24 offseason spending pullback.
WRONG!
mlb.com/news/mlb-younger-fans-growing-youth-partic…
Well least its a step in the right direction. The fact theyre lessening blackout restrictions is a good thing. Now time to make 0 games blacked out. If you’re paying for a service costing you 30 bucks a month idk why people pay just so theyll be told “oh you can only watch 90% of games” or whatever it comes out to. Should be 0 blacked out games all season long if you subscribed to mlb tv.
Maybe one day before I die I will understand how all this stuff works and why these people do what they do.
VPNs work – not all, but some do. But even then, it’s nice to always have a game on and it’s great if you far away from your team’s home base.
I’d rather listen to radio than pay for an overpriced cable package.
You don’t have to listen to Jon Miller.
VPNs that cost $10-$20a monthwork well. Free ones are the shady ones.
I just go with crack streams or something similar. Completely free. 0 blackouts.
100% Concur with that. I am a Padres fan and have been a MLB.tv since before it started with the Ballyhoo from Ballys. What a shell game for the paying up baseball fans. The blackouts are rediculous. I was blacked out of the entire Dodgers series this past weekend. What happened to “No BLACKOUTS” ? A bunch of BS. I caught the weekend on the Jailbreak but had to listen the Dodgers broadcast. Sure do miss Joe Garagiola and the Game of the Week with no bull…
A lot of the free sites you can choose which broadcast you want home or away. MLB Reddit streams has a pretty good link selection for any and all games
The RSN’s are responsible for blackouts. MLB wants them gone.
They’re also responsible for major contracts that MLB is fine with. MLB determines blackout zones that in many cities contain multiple teams hours away from home bases. Sorry, but MLB has the product, so if they really wanted to do something, they would have already. Much like Roku president being quoted as saying that adding another (albeit free) MLB channel option, which is only available through a purchase of their hardware (or a TV with their hardware) is a step in the right direction. No, further fragmenting a system, even free, is not a step in the right direction when you have large demos of loyal fans that already have trouble finding broadcasts. They added another hoop to jump through and MLB doesn’t care that consolidation is the hard answer that they’re not willing to provide. Not substituting an obscure channel for another. How about we stop dealing with these fledgling streamers that no one wants or has? AppleTV is, by far, one of the worst streamers and not worth a free trial. How many times can you rewatch CODA, KILLERS OF FLOWER MOON or TED LASSO: S2? They have one of major sports’ best networks and don’t lean on it b/c they love the payouts of RSNs.
The RSN’S insisted on the blackouts, not MLB.
So basically — a slew of Sunday games that even an avid fan like me will not bother to watch. Much like the AppleTV games.
Yeah I don’t get it. Am I supposed to sign up for this service just to watch a game or 2? Even if I did that I would be angry about it. This whole thing makes no sense to me.
Roku channel is literally free dude. What, does it take up too much space in your email history? Folks complain about not being able to watch games, now here’s a small step in the right direction but let’s complain some more. Good God.
I didn’t know it was free until you and others said it was. I am 43 and probably on the young side of the average age of fans. Old people don’t understand all this stuff. Yes if it’s free that’s an improvement over Peacock although I pay for Peacock anyways because I like wrestling.
I’ll be 47 in July. There’s no excuse not to know how this stuff works
Roku isn’t a service. It’s a hardware device that can be used to obtain many other services, including the free Roku channel.
You can’t watch baseball on TV without buying a TV. Think of Roku the same way, except that it’s much, much cheaper than the TV. You can buy Roku devices for as cheap as 20 bucks, and many new TVs already have Roku built in.
Regardless how cheap a Roku device is, if you’re one of the many and don’t use Roku – think about how many streaming devices are available (FireStick, AppleTV, Chromecast, Xumo, Playstation, etc.) – you won’t get to view those games. At least Peacock was available most places and didn’t require the purchase of hardware (other than a viewing device (TV, phone, computer, etc.)). This is the first contract MLB has signed where a piece of specific streaming hardware is required.
No, it doesn’t require a specific piece of hardware. Yes, you can access the Roku Channel by a Roku device, but you also can get it on a number of smart TVs (Samsung, Google TV, or Fire), you can download the app, or you can access it on the Web (TheRokuChannel.com)
Can I get the Roku Channel through my Apple TV or FireStick?
Apparently Firestick.
the-sun.com/tech/10584112/amazon-fire-tv-stick-rok…
Not sure on Apple TV.
I really hate getting home from work and not being able to find my game. The worst part is when i find it is locked behind something like facebook, apple tv , and now roku. Spending time hunting my game only to find i am in a restricted area for my home team or finding it locked behind a subscription it makes no sense for me to purchase is a bad move. I understand mlb is trying to reach out to a different audience but they are upsetting a lot of the core fan base that spend money on the games. Couple that with announcers that could care less with either team or have a heavy bias one way or another makes the games lackluster as well. Just watch a few espn games and you will see what i mean.
ROKU channel is free. You don’t even need a TV. With no blackouts for these games and being available on MLB.tv too, it means all of them will be available for everyone.
Read my comment, i am sorry for the length. Even if it is free i dont like having to hunt my game down. I dont like the blackouts. I dont like the announcers changing. I watched a game earlier this year and the play by play guys did not even know the basic rules of the game. This is just a few of the issues i have.
Well, that’s on you
The games on ROKU won’t be blacked out. No worries there. Are you seriously too lazy to open an app or type in the name of the channel on your computer? The announcers won’t change. They will be the local guys. Maybe actually READ one of the many articles about this first, before starting to kvetch.
You are addressing one single issue i have while disregarding the rest. I watched a broadcast on apple tv iirc where the announcers did not even know the basic rules.. Maybe read my comments next time before jumping to criticize me and you will realize this is not a single issue problem that people have with the changing networks.
I like to keep things as simple as possible. The fewer log ins and passwords i have the better. Especially if its something i only use once or twice a year. Every time you use one of the new apps free or otherwise you are adding a new source that will sell or leak your personal information. Too often i get a blatant homer type of broadcaster when my game is picked up or worse yet a crew that does not care at all and want to be somewhere else. Again this is just a few issues i have with the approach mlb is taking with games.
Hey Arte,
The Angels aren’t even relevant enough to warrant a free game on a streaming service.
Keep your head up west coast homie. I’m sure you can stream “Angels in the Outfield” on some service if Arte is giving you headaches throughout the summer 🙂
The Angels without Trout (or Ohtani) are a team without wings. Or interest.
Cool, I stream everything through my Roku Ultra. At least I’ll get a few Diamondbacks games with this.
Since Roku’s service is free — you can download the app — this seems like a good get for both sides.
Roku seems to be the leader in streaming devices, and is well ahead of Chromecast (Google) in volume. The also have their software in oodles of TVs now. This seems like nothing but upside.
They also seem committed to keeping things free. Smart move on their part.
“I don’t have a Roku device. Can I watch MLB Sunday Leadoff?
Yes! It’s simple to watch Sunday Morning Leadoff even if you don’t have a Roku device. Just download The Roku Channel app, which is free and available on Amazon Fire devices, Samsung TVs and Google TVs. It is also accessible via therokuchannel.com. No login required.”
No local blackouts – hope this is a trend to follow
Works on the phone too
Free, no blackouts. Credit where it is for once due — great job, MLB!
The entirety of MLBs front office is detached and clueless. Spending more time on DEI initiatives than the game. Manfred has been the worst thing for the sport, but he goes unchecked. In an effort to attract people who don’t like the sport, he and his gaggle of idiots have begun alienating their actual fan base.
What are you babbling about?
Til now I’d never heard of Roku. Probably won’t have any way to watch it as I don’t have cable. It’s okay though. I grew up in the 80’s and only got to watch Braves and Cubs games most of the time and I survived.
You don’t need a cable service or provider, just a tablet, some laptops, phones, or smart TVs then download Roku channel, boom a few free games to watch through out the season.
Thanks. I’m old. It’s hard to keep up with all of this stuff.
even with it being free, i have app fatigue. why does everything need an app.
Yeah I just don’t understand all this stuff. I don’t see how these people are making money I just don’t get it.
They will sell ads, just like the old days.
Yes. the streaming is becoming a lot like cable only you can’t flip back and forth as easily (by design so you watch the ads.)
You’ve been reported to the app police.
An app is just what a channel used to be, only fancier. You need a container for the apps. That’s what Roku actually does well (their physical box). The UI for every app isn’t the same, but the process of getting them on your big screen TV is.
As opposed to a clunky cable box that you pay Comcast a monthly “rental” fee for in addition to their crazy monthly rates?
I choose the free app here.
So they can monitor everything you do and sell that information to whomever wants it
You hated having more than 5 TV channels, didn’t you?
non sequitur. be better.
@Neverflow
You don’t need to get the app, you can access the games by using TheRokuChannel.com
This is actually a good deal, and good for fans. No blackouts, no sub required. Better than what they were going to rollout with Peacock and a hell of a lot better than Apple TV.
A better deal for fans. I never saw a single Peacock game.
The 11:30 is annoying for fantasy players trying to set lineups if you have make pickups before the first game of the day
Awww, soooooo sorry.
MLB actually killing it on their national broadcast deals for once.
manfred and mlb cant sink any lower
new rules, new playoffs, pitch clocks, injuries, drug users, female abusers, degenerate gamblers, and games nobody’s going to watch on channels nobody’s ever heard of
Increased attendance,. Record viewership. Record international interest. Yup. Baseball is dead. Stick a fork in it.
excluding 2020-2021 bec of covid and 1995 bec of the strike, this season has seen the lowest average attendance since 1988
you’ve been spending too much time in the san diego sun. its turned your brain into a prune
2023 saw the highest attendance since 2017. The Padres have certainly had record attendance for them and it looks like they are on track to do even better this season.
A big part of the drop in attendance so far this year has been the debacles in Oakland, Anaheim, Houston, Queens, and the Southside. 5 of the top 10 markets have awful teams and have seen YOY drops in attendance of 3k or more per game led by the Mets at a loss in attendance YOY of 7k per game.
Since 2024 is not over, we don’t know how it will end up. So far its higher than any season before 1991 plus 1992, 1995, and 1996. Still top 30 in the history of the game if they end up at the current 26.7k per game. MLB average was 25.2k in 1988, so 2024 is substantially higher at 26.7k.
That mile high air in Utah depriving your brain of oxygen? J/K
2023 had the highest viewership worldwide in history between broadcast TV, streaming, satellite, and 81 million subscribers to MLB.tv worldwide.
Sometimes PadsFans paints with a broad stroke when he needs to be more specific. Generally he gets the facts right.
I wont argue anymore
Baseball is dead
Manfred is a joke
The only reason he’s seeking intl fans is bec americans dont give a f anymore
The new rules suck
The new playoffs suck
The players are PED users, trash can bangers, & degenerate gamblers. Everday its another negative story. Pitchers dropping like flies to TJ. “Face” of mlb a degenerate gambler who forced his friend to take the fall & mlb sweeping it under the rug just like champion astros a few yrs ago
Im disgusted with what the national pastime has turned into.
You can try to convince yourself whatever you like
That there intl appeal lol
Cool story
So bec people in korea and bunblef*ck south america that makes mlb more popular than ever? Mlb has lost a ton of fans & viewership. Thats why theyre scrambling for new tv deals & outlets and hosting games all over the world. They r losing interest & desperate to gain new fans anywhere even if its in the amazon jungle
I got nothin else to say
Wake up to reality
Wrong
Here are some of the numbers that have people in the Commissioner’s Office so excited about where the game is trending:
Viewership for fans age 18-24 on MLB.TV was up 11% in 2023. The average age of an MLB.TV viewer has dropped four years — from 48 to 44 — since 2018.
Playfly Sports’ audience data shows that MLB and the NFL have nearly identical audience makeups, with 51% of their viewers under 44.
The average age of newly created accounts in MLB’s fan database has fallen by more than seven years — from 43.4 to 36.2 — since 2019, and the average age of active users in that database (i.e. buying a ticket or making a purchase with the MLB Shop or streaming a game) has fallen by 1.4 years — from 43.0 to 41.6 — in that same timeframe.
As detailed here, the opening of the 2024 season saw major increases in national and international viewership, record gains in social media followers and engagement and the most-watched four-day period in MLB.TV’s history.
The median age of an MLB ticket buyer has dropped six years — from 51 to 45 — just since 2019, with a 9.8% increase in ticket buyers ages 18-35.
Come on BIL, 2 out of 3 aint bad. Like you said, the team I root for had record attendance and they will again this season. That is all that matters to me.
Dial 988 Johny.
Baseball is better than it’s ever been
I’ve seen 100 game winners miss the playoffs, in my youth.
I also couldn’t stand players like Knoblauch grabbing theIr crotch and adjusting their gloves after every AB. pitch clock was a godsend
Now bring on the robo umps
oh yeah thanks for the reminder
umpires are garbage trash incompetent blind & brainless
i hate the idea of a robot affecting the outcome of a gm but its come to this. after all the terrible balls/strikes calls, safe/out calls, and overall complete and utter failure & incompetence of the umps and the complete and utter failure of manfred to do anything about it. the sign of an awful commish is when there’s an issue or a problem and they do nothing. manfred spends all his time on the phone with roku and apple and amazon desperately trying to get a tv deal. 2029 cannot come soon enough. get that filthy useless disgusting commish out finally
Baseball will never fall further than 3rd. The issues is having to pay to see games on TV. Most football games are free. Hook a fan on watching on TV and they will spring to go to the ballpark. However prices can’t be so high that a family of 4 going to a single game is the same price as a car payment.
Outlaw – Go to Fenway, it’s very affordable these days. Tons of seats for $8 or less.
Cheap resell tickets right now or not… there is simply nothing affordable about the Fenway experience when you include parking anywhere within a 2 mile radius and the absurd food/drink prices at (and around) the ballpark!
High – For sure, the extras are crazy expensive. The Sox do have packages available where you can get 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 sodas for $59 which isn’t too bad.
I park about a 20 minute walk away, $18 which isn’t too bad for Boston.
I refuse to buy food or drink at the park. You can bring in one sealed bottle of water, that’s all I need. Smuggle some snacks in your pockets or wife’s purse. I usually eat and tailgate before the gates open.
BTW – I like your handle!
$18 to walk 20 mins…..This is why we see Sox/Yanks fans show up in Baltimore.
The average NY Giants ticket is around $320. A family of 4 is $1500 per game by the time everything is added up.
Mets vs. Marlins, feel the excitement!
Wow so exciting
You 2 must be glass half fullers. There’s also Yankees/Orioles. Several Dodger games. A nice mixture of teams.
Plenty of non-contenders in those matches. And how does 1 Dodger game equate to several? Mostly snooze fests….
styme – This Sunday’s game is a 2013 World Series rematch!!
Fever, I’d have preferred to see the 2013 rosters have to play in the 2013 rematch…
Whose players aged better after baseball?
GASox – That 2013 Sox team was special in many ways, but mostly they were the clutchest Sox team I can remember. They didn’t have a ton of talent, but in big situations they always came through. Especially against a very good Tigers pitching staff.
I think that’s probably one reason why the casuals here don’t realize how bad the team has been the past 3 years. You and I do, because we remember how much better the championship teams were.
Fever – one lingering question for me from 2013 was whether we won because guys were so clutch… or because we had the better manager.
DET had really good SP, IIRC it was mainly ortiz who mashed with an otherworldly OPS, and much of the rest of the line-up struggled to keep away from the mendoza line.
But, I also seem to remember most of the sox scoring coming very late in games. Usually because of when a starter was lifted, or, because the guys DET called for from the pen were the wrong lever to pull at the time.
I won’t take anything away from either team, the guys on the field at the times played their hardest, but, I question whether different managing would’ve created vastly different outcomes.
GASox – Sounds like you’re referring to just the ALCS?
If so, Farrell did a great job but the biggest moments other than the Game 2 Salami was players that didn’t have a particularly great season.
Nap’s homerun off Verlander in a 1-0 Game 3 win immediately comes to mind, he had only 23 homers all season.
Victorino with the huge salami in Game 6.
Workman, Koji, Morales, Lackey, Doubront, Dempster and Breslow pitched a combined 25 innings of shutout ball.
Ortiz you say? He went 2-for-22 in the ALCS, the salami was the only thing he did ;o)
The Tigers Achilles heel all season was their bullpen, can’t fault Leyland for pulling Scherzer after 7 innings at 108 pitches in Game 2.
Fever – that’s memory for you, I’d have done better looking at some box score recaps to match up my memory. When a hometown legend was part of so many great series there’s bound to be some bleed over!
GASox – Totally understandable, especially after 11 years.
1999-2013 was a special time for me, I went to a ton of games and devoted probably at least 10 hours a day to the Sox. So it’s easy for me to remember a lot of it.
I would bet you were thinking of Ortiz in that 2013 World Series, he had one of the greatest ever …. 11-for-16 with 8 walks and just one strikeout! Good times to cap a very memorable year.
BTW – Hope all is well with you.
Fever – for me as well, even after I moved out of the area in the summer of 2007 I still did about 40-50 home games per season, excluding the additional playoff games. One of my favorites were box seats a couple rows from the field on the 1st base line for alcs game 7.
I honestly think my memory isn’t what it was lately too. Somethings laser focused, some things I make the dumbest errors.
Supporting Boston used to be about $15-25k/yr for me, at least until the bloom years set in. Then it went to zero really quickly.
As for me, still kicking. It’ll be a tough 3 weeks till mid June though. The waiting game is the hardest part. We found out why I’ve had breath issues in a report today – ct found a collapsed lung lobe (non-puncture) with lesion and some <1cm nodules there and 2 other places… just not *why* it's there or what it "means." Most could be benign, or,.could be something more. So, mid June I'll find out what the plan is going forward.
GASox – I was in a box seat behind third base for that Game 7 clincher, good times! Went to a good share of games that year too.
When I first started going to a ton of games, around 1998-1999, it would be $28 Grandstand and $40 Upper Box … much more affordable than 2003 on.
I hafta ask, did you attend the game in 2007 when the Sox won and the crowd was allowed to stay and watch the Baltimore/Yankees game on the jumbotron to see if the Sox clinched their first division title in ages? Then the Sox came back onto the field and celebrated with Papelbon stealing the show with his unique dance celebration? That was probably my best experience ever at a regular season game.
Trust me, we ALL make dumb mistakes. Of my many I can remember, one that really sticks out …. I was shopping at a Costco in Canada where the cashiers don’t put your items back in your carriage after they scan them. So i pushed my cart through the exit – the guy checked my receipt as they always do – and got all the way to my car when I realized there was NOTHING in the cart! It was all left behind at the register, and the jerk who checked my receipt at the exit never said a word to me. Those kinds of mistakes are just us having too much on our mind, that’s all it is.
Sorry to hear about the breath issues, I can totally understand how the waiting game sucks. Hopefully you don’t also have anxiety like so many people do. Well I’ll always be here for you, talkin’ baseball to get your mind off those other things.
And I’ve got this gut feeling we will both get to enjoy the experience of the Fenway Corners grand opening and the return of the All-Star Game to Fenway …. and therefore the Red Sox once again being competitive with ownership spending to win!
I have to say I did miss that experience, and, kicked myself for it afterwards.
I was there when ells stole home vs the Yankees, I forget what year off the top of my head. Was in some box seats for the whole series. Shortly before the play I had to have a couple lounge lizard type girls who didn’t have seats in the area just kept hanging around blocking the view of our box. Not sure if they were trolling for a drunk dude who has $$$ to be sitting in the section, or were just posing for friends with pics as if they belonged. Man they were washed up, ridden hard, and put away wet..
Security took care of them though right quick after they didn’t leave when we asked multiple times.
GASox – I remember that steal of home, it was amazing …. during the peak of his career.
Funny about those women! Yeah I keep telling people, when I attend games I don’t follow the action as intently because there’s always too much going on around me.
When sitting front row along the Sox dugout, two things immediately come to mind …. it was hilarious how the single women would sit in the player comp section, introducing themselves and bragging or asking each other which player they got the tickets from.
And Goody would often appear to flirt with the ladies, walking over to talk to them and give them balls between innings.
This is a start…. anything over the current situation where so many fans simply cannot watch games. MLB Blackout rules prevent MLB.com being a realistic choice for so many fans as many follow only their local teams.
I can instantly tell how old people are based on whether they think this is a good idea or not.
So true…..well maybe. I’m an old fart but like this. MLB is trying to reach new fans and so many younger fans are not cable subscribers. So you need to go to streaming and app based games to reach them. Cable is dying due to cord cutting. I cut the cord myself and have not looked back. I can get my Tigers via BSD+ for a season for what a month of cable cost me.
And so many of these fans cry because they can’t get all 162 of their team’s games on their normal cable but almost all of them grew up with only a handful of games on their local channels and the rest had to come by radio.
It depends where you lived. Growing up in the 70’s you could see nearly every single Yankee and Mets game. When cable took over, and you eventually had sports channels taking over, you could see all 162 on either cable or free TV up till only a couple years ago. Years back. I moved away and you could still get 162 with MLB TV and black outs were on the local cable sports network.
The Peacock and Apple thing was a slap in the face. Remember, a lot of people are already paying for cable and MLBTV to be sure they could watch the 162. I don’t mind them having the games stream anywhere for people that don’t have MLBTV, but they should have the games on MLBTV also for the people paying MLB to watch the games they paid for already.
William – I totally agree! The next couple weeks I will have to just listen to the Sox games against the Brewers and Tigers because of Apple. No chance I’m gonna pay for that service just to watch a few Friday night games.
Let’s hope Apple never gets exclusive postseason games.
Ever wondered what Roku means? It must have come from something right? Like number 6 in Japanese.
Good for Roku, day time baseball on the weekends for everyone. Baseball as it was and should be
That was quick. The Trojan Troll was tossed. Say hello to my little friend mute.
I like this. No paywall and blackouts for everyone. MLB signing a deal for less money than they would otherwise and taking a chance with ad revenue share with Roku.
They’re signing a deal for less money b/c that’s the only deal on the table — Peacock wasn’t paying the same rate and, according to the article, the same approximately as the deal with Roku, but went with Roku b/c of the substantial subscription base (and no paywall, presumably). Unfortunately, it’s just another different subscription you’re going to now have it you don’t want to miss a game. MLB loves playing Keep Away with their core fans.
According to the article its the same amount that Peacock was offering. Peacock was also not without blackouts. this is a huge win for fans.
Where does the revenue go from the Roku tv . How about the mlb tv outside your home team erea. This revenue goes to mlb . The problem with mlb is the revenue .
MLB isn’t a charity.
Some people just see lines of games on a screen, I just see that game with no TV viewers, that game with no TV viewers.
Games beginning at 9:00 AM local time don’t seem very “market focused” to me.
At least the NFL waits until 10.
Did Peacock default on their contract or was the contract up?
Up.
ManFraud continues to make it more difficult to watch games. Should have known this from the guy that sold MLB to the betting sites. I think even the Black Sox would be impressed with the level of cooperation with gambling groups.
The NCAA gave Bush back his trophy because what he did now wouldn’t be against the rules. We should re-instate Rose and the Sox. MLB network has literal shows dedicated to gambling on baseball. Please try not to act shocked when gambling interest’s full involvement with MLB happens if it hasn’t started already.
Its easier now. Roku Channel is free, available to anyone even if you don’t have a Roku device, and these games are guaranteed not to be blacked out/.
Manfred is nothing but a mouthpiece for the owners. If you don’t like what MLB does, blame them. It is their private club and Manfred works for them.
The money here isn’t all that relevant. Under the prior deal, each team would get a million a year. Under this deal, each team gets 333K. It’s better than a poke in the eye, but it doesn’t exactly move the financial needle. For a large market team, they might even lose revenue by not having the broadcast rights. Seems strange.
It’s MLB taking a step back to move two steps forward. A paywalled Peacock doesn’t have the same audience reach as Roku. For large market teams, it’s ad-spending to acquire new customers to sub to their respective RSNs or MLB..tv. Besides being a streaming service, Roku is an advertising and data collections platform.
I technically have the Roku channel since I own multiple Roku tv’s/devices but I never actually use that app. I pay for Peacock and use it.
This is a good thing overall but I question whether Roku’s “base” is really an active user base for the Roku channel itself.
Excellent! Roku has a much wider reach than Peacock, get more games to more people.
Nice! MLB gets as much money for the broadcasts as Peacock was offering and fans get to watch the games for FREE and without blackouts! A win-win-win.
I’m not signing up for a new service. This is getting old and I don’t know what’s going to end up happening with Bally’s but if you are clever enough, you can find any sport live streamed on the web and even if I can’t, I would rather listen to it then give these people another dime.
So you are smart enough to find games on the internet but not smart enough to read that Rokuchannel.com is free and you can access that on the web or via app on your phone…
Everyone knew that eventually Peacock would get feathered, and Roku would rock you.