Major League Broadcasting
The first televised baseball game was broadcast on May 17, 1939 at Columbia’s Baker Field. The game was called by Red Barber.
Unlike other sports, MLB’s games are primarily televised by regional sports networks (RSN). The RSN structure allows teams to negotiate their own broadcasting deals. This helps prevent blackouts in local markets.
NBC’s first broadcast of a baseball game
In 1939, NBC broadcast the first Major League Baseball game ever on television. The game, between Princeton University and Columbia University at Baker Field in New York City, was broadcast on W2XBS, the experimental station that would become NBC’s flagship WNBC-TV. The two RCA Iconoscope cameras used for the telecast captured the action, and baseball fans around the world rejoiced.
This was a remarkable feat at the time, as regular network television programming was just catching on and few people owned TV sets. In fact, only about 400 homes could receive the signal.
NBC Sports has long been a baseball leader, beginning with its first World Series broadcast in 1947 and continuing with 39 additional World Series, all-star games and other national highlights. The network has also produced countless Game of the Week and Monday Night Baseball telecasts, including a number of legendary announcers such as Bob Uecker, Howard Cosell and Joe Garagiola.
NBC’s second broadcast of a baseball game
Avid baseball fans will be pleased to know that NBC Sports will broadcast 19 MLB games on Peacock this season. The first game is scheduled to air Sunday, April 23. The Philadelphia Phillies will play the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park in a game that is expected to be televised until 1:35 pm ET.
The resumption of live television coverage marks the first time that NBC has aired an MLB game since 2000. That year, NBC signed a deal with Fox that included rights to the World Series and All-Star Game but did not include the Saturday Game of the Week or League Championship Series.
The new MLB package on Peacock will feature two live games a week, each preceded by a pre-game show from NBC Sports. In addition, the broadcasts will include analysts from each of the participating teams’ home cities. For example, former St Louis Cardinals outfielder Albert Pujols will represent the Cardinals on the broadcast.
NBC’s third broadcast of a baseball game
The new NBC Sunday Leadoff package will launch with 18 live-streamed MLB games on Peacock. The network has a partnership with Apple that allows its viewers to watch games on their smartphones and tablets. The deal is slated to last two years.
NBC’s new broadcasts will combine the traditional graphics and scorebug from NBC Sports regional networks with some elements that look back at the network’s storied history of baseball. In addition, the network will feature a series of “Circling the Bases” fantasy baseball podcasts.
The vast majority of Major League Baseball games are televised locally through the regional sports networks (RSN) structure, which has left MLB struggling to reach an audience. Major markets like the Yankees, Mets, and Red Sox have their own broadcasting partners.
NBC has a contract with the MLB to air 18 games this season, and it will likely retain its rights if there is no labor dispute between owners and players. However, the upcoming 2023 season is expected to see significant changes in the way broadcasts are aired.
NBC’s fourth broadcast of a baseball game
With baseball season underway, it’s time to start thinking about who’ll call your local team’s games. Unlike the NFL and NBA, MLB is a regional league with most of its teams airing on cable-only regional sports networks (RSNs). But the RSN landscape is in turmoil this year, as Diamond Sports, which runs 19 regional networks, filed for bankruptcy.
NBC, which last televised MLB in 2000, will broadcast live games on its streaming service Peacock for the first time this season. Starting Sunday, April 23, with a Philadelphia Phillies game against the Colorado Rockies at Citizens Bank Park, NBC will stream an MLB game each week until 1:35 p.m. ET that day. The network will also stream pre- and post-game shows. Peacock is available on many major cable, telco and satellite systems, including Altice USA (Optimum), AT&T U-verse, Comcast, DIRECTV Stream, DISH, Sling TV and Verizon Fios. Each game will be streamed using a minimum of eight hard cameras at traditional broadcast positions and two super-slow-mos. 메이저리그중계