MLB Game of the Week Live on YouTube
{{Short description|Baseball games on Youtube}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image = mlb-game-of-the-week-on-youtube.png
| image_size = 300
| caption = MLB Game of the Week Live on YouTube logo
| alt_name = MLB on YouTube
| genre = Baseball telecasts
| director =
| presenter = Scott Braun
Yonder Alonso
| theme_music_composer =
| opentheme =
| endtheme =
| composer =
| country = United States
| language = English
| num_seasons = 3
| num_episodes =
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer =
| producer =
| editor =
| location = Various MLB stadiums (game telecasts)
One MLB Network Plaza Secaucus, New Jersey (studio segments, pregame and postgame shows)
| cinematography =
| camera = Multi-camera
| runtime = 180 minutes (varies depending on game length)
| company = MLB Network
YouTube
| network = YouTube
| first_aired = {{start date|2019|07|18}}
| last_aired = {{end date|2022|09|08}}
| related =
}}
MLB Game of the Week Live on YouTube was the presentation of Major League Baseball (MLB) games live on the video sharing and social media platform YouTube. Games were produced by the league-owned MLB Network. Games generally streamed in the afternoon on weekdays.
History
On April 30, 2019, Major League Baseball and YouTube agreed to a partnership for 13 exclusive baseball games.{{Cite web | url=https://techcrunch.com/2019/04/30/mlb-to-exclusively-stream-13-live-games-to-youtube-youtube-tv/ | title=MLB to exclusively stream 13 live games to YouTube & YouTube TV | date=30 April 2019 }} The agreement was essentially a replacement to an earlier deal with Facebook Watch, which was criticized for requiring a Facebook account to access and for having too clunky of an interface.{{Cite web | url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/observations-mlbs-first-facebook-stream-232513651.html | title=Observations from MLB's first Facebook stream | date=4 April 2018 }} The YouTube games would feature a pre and post game show, alongside the game, all produced by MLB Network. There was no requirement for a YouTube account to access the game. The first game streamed was between the Phillies and the Dodgers on July 18, 2019.{{Cite web | url=https://slackiebrown.com/complete-schedule-of-2019-mlb-youtube-games-updated/ | title=Complete Schedule of 2019 MLB YouTube Games (Updated) | date=9 August 2019 }} After the season, MLB said they averaged 130,000 viewers per telecast. The August 7, Dodgers-Cardinals telecast saw the highest peak of 320,000 live viewers.{{Cite web | url=https://www.sporttechie.com/youtube-mlb-live-streaming-audience-fan-viewer-rating/ | title=Free Global MLB Streams on YouTube Averaged 1.2 Million Live Views in 2019 }}
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resulting reduction of the 2020 MLB season to 60 games, MLB on YouTube only showed 4 games, all in September, during the 2020 season. Two of these games were exclusive to the platform, while two others were shown in tandem with local regional sports networks.{{Cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-youtube-to-show-four-september-games | title=MLB, YouTube to air 4 September games | website=MLB.com }}
For the 2021 MLB season, MLB on YouTube returned with 21 exclusive games. During the season YouTube produced two special broadcasts. On June 30, YouTube featured a special stat focused statcast broadcast between the Mariners and Blue Jays.{{Cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdzmp9nemKI | title=Mariners at Blue Jays | MLB Game of the Week Live on YouTube | website=YouTube | date=30 June 2021 }} YouTube's game between the Orioles and Rays on July 20 featured the first all-female announcing crew on an MLB broadcast. Melanie Newman (play-by-play), Sarah Langs (color commentator), Heidi Watney and Lauren Gardner (pre- and postgame show co-hosts) were back at MLB Network studios while Alanna Rizzo was the reporter at Tropicana Field.{{Cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/orioles-rays-all-women-broadcast-making-history | title=All-women broadcast crew makes history | website=MLB.com }}
On April 14, 2022, Major League Baseball announced that YouTube would have 15 exclusive games for the 2022 MLB season. Unlike previous years which featured a rotating broadcasting crew, Scott Braun handled all play–by–play duties and Yonder Alonso handled all color commentating.{{Cite web | url=https://sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2022/04/14/Media/MLB-YouTube.aspx | title=MLB renews YouTube deal, with 15-game slate beginning next month | date=14 April 2022 }} For the August 17, 2022 broadcast between the Los Angeles Angels and Seattle Mariners, an alternate broadcast hosted by Lauren Gardner and Cameron Maybin was also produced. The broadcast featured celebrity guests such as Bill Nye, Joel McHale and Kenny Mayne, among others.{{Cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/youtube-game-of-the-week-aug-17-alternate-broadcast | title=Celebs talk baseball on Alternate broadcast of YouTube Game of the Week | website=MLB.com }}
The series did not return in 2023. Though not directly related, YouTube TV dropped MLB Network due to a carriage dispute prior to the season.{{cite news|url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/youtube-tv-removes-mlb-network-1235509730/|title=YouTube TV Drops MLB Network|last=Spangler|first=Todd|date=February 1, 2023|magazine=Variety|publisher=Penske Media Corporation|location=Los Angeles|access-date=February 4, 2023}}
Commentators
=Play-by-play=
- Scott Braun (2019–2022)
- Brian Kenny (2021)
- Stephen Nelson (2019–2021)
- Melanie Newman (2021)
- Matt Vasgersian (2021)
- Rich Waltz (2019)
=Color commentators=
{{col-begin}}
{{col-break}}
- Jeremy Affeldt (2019, 2021)
- Yonder Alonso (2021–2022)
- Geoff Blum (2021)
- Eric Byrnes (2019)
- Sean Casey (2019–2021)
- Ben Davis (2019)
- Rajai Davis (2021)
- Mark DeRosa (2021)
- Matt Diaz (2019)
- Tim Dillard (2021)
{{col-break}}
- Shawn Estes (2019, 2021)
- Cliff Floyd (2019)
- John Franco (2021)
- Nomar Garciaparra (2019)
- Danny Graves (2021)
- Mark Gubicza (2021)
- Jeremy Guthrie (2021)
- Jerry Hairston (2021)
- Orel Hershiser (2019)
- LaTroy Hawkins (2021)
{{col-break}}
- Mark Langston (2019)
- Al Leiter (2019)
- Kyle Lohse (2019)
- Justin Maxwell (2019)
- Jason Marquis (2019)
- Buck Martinez (2019)
- Kevin Millar (2020)
- Sarah Langs (2021)
- Mark Langston (2019)
- Justin Morneau (2019)
{{col-break}}
- Carlos Peña (2019, 2022)
- Dan Plesac (2019–2021)
- Ryan Rowland-Smith (2021)
- F. P. Santangelo (2019)
- Buck Showalter (2021)
- John Smoltz (2020)
- Jim Thome (2019)
- B.J. Upton (2019)
- Tom Verducci (2019, 2021)
- Chris Young (2021)
{{col-end}}
Broadcasts
The pre- and postgame shows were each 30 minutes in duration. The former was broadcast from MLB Network studios while the latter was handled by the broadcasters who also present the Player of the Game trophy which is based on viewer voting.
=2021=
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Date !Away Team !Home Team !Time (ET) !Score !Player of the Game |
| Wednesday, April 7, 2021
|1:00 p.m. |Rays 2, Red Sox 9 |
| Thursday, April 22, 2021
|8:00 p.m. |Angels 2, Astros 8 |
| Wednesday, April 28, 2021
|1:00 p.m. |Twins 10, Indians 2 |
| Thursday, May 6, 2021
|4:00 p.m. |Braves 3, Nationals 2 |
| Thursday, May 13, 2021
|1:30 p.m. |Cardinals 2, Brewers 0 |
| Thursday, May 20, 2021
|12:30 p.m. |Giants 19, Reds 4 |
| Thursday, May 27, 2021
|12:00 p.m. |Phillies 3, Marlins 2 |
| Wednesday, June 2, 2021
|3:30 p.m. |Mets 7, Diamondbacks 6 |
| Thursday, June 10, 2021
|12:30 p.m. |Dodgers 6, Pirates 3 (8 innings) |
| Thursday, June 17, 2021
|9:30 p.m. |Tigers 5, Angels 7 |
| Tuesday, June 22, 2021
|8:00 p.m. |Athletics 13, Rangers 6 |
| Wednesday, June 30, 2021
|7:00 p.m. |Mariners 9, Blue Jays 7 (10 innings) |
| Friday, July 9, 2021
|8:00 p.m. |Reds 2, Brewers 0 |
| Tuesday, July 20, 2021
|7:00 p.m. |Orioles 3, Rays 9 |
| Wednesday, August 11, 2021
|1:00 p.m. |White Sox 0, Twins 1 |
| Tuesday, August 17, 2021
|7:00 p.m. |Blue Jays 6, Nationals 12 |
| Wednesday, August 25, 2021
|2:00 p.m. |Royals 5, Astros 6 (10 innings) |
| Thursday, September 2, 2021
|3:30 p.m. |Brewers 1, Giants 5 |
| Wednesday, September 8, 2021
|2:00 p.m. |Mariners 8, Astros 5 |
| Friday, September 17, 2021
|9:30 p.m. |Athletics 5, Angels 4 |
| Thursday, September 23, 2021
|2:00 p.m. |Cardinals 8, Brewers 5 |
=2022=
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Date !Away Team !Home Team !Time (ET) !Score !Player of the Game |
| Thursday, May 5, 2022
|3:00 p.m. |Nationals 7, Rockies 9 |
| Wednesday, May 11, 2022
|12:30 p.m. |Brewers 11, Reds 14 |
| Wednesday, May 18, 2022
|7:30 p.m. |Pirates 3, Cubs 2 |
| Wednesday, May 25, 2022
|1:00 p.m. |Tigers 4, Twins 2 |
| Wednesday, June 1, 2022
|1:00 p.m. |Royals 0, Guardians 4 |
| Wednesday, June 8, 2022
|2:00 p.m. |Blue Jays 4, Royals 8 |
| Wednesday, June 15, 2022
|4:00 p.m. |Twins 5, Mariners 0 |
| Thursday, June 30, 2022
|7:00 p.m. |Rays 1, Blue Jays 4 |
| Wednesday, July 13, 2022
|1:00 p.m. |Brewers 1, Twins 4 |José Miranda[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhyI6DmoiRo Jose Miranda YouTube Player of the Game Interview, Wednesday, July 13, 2022 – YouTube (via LetsWinTwins).] Retrieved September 1, 2022. |
| Wednesday, July 27, 2022
|2:00 p.m. |Twins 4, Brewers 10 |
| Thursday, August 11, 2022
|2:00 p.m. |Rangers 3, Astros 7 |
| Wednesday, August 17, 2022
|4:00 p.m. | Mariners 11, Angels 7 |Cal Raleigh[https://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/mlb/seattle-mariners/article264742294.html Wicke, Tyler. "Mariners notes: Raleigh emerges in catching role as M’s sweep Halos, drop set to A’s," The News Tribune (Tacoma, WA), Sunday, August 21, 2022.] Retrieved September 1, 2022. |
| Thursday, August 25, 2022
|4:00 p.m. | Guardians 1, Mariners 3 |Mitch Haniger[https://twitter.com/Mariners/status/1562940371385995264 Mitch Haniger holds the YouTube Player of the Game trophy, Thursday, August 25, 2022 – Twitter (via Seattle Mariners).] Retrieved September 1, 2022. |
| Thursday, September 1, 2022
|2:00 p.m. | Royals 1, White Sox 7 |
| Thursday, September 8, 2022
|2:00 p.m. |Reds 4, Cubs 3 |
Viewership
The following is a list of the 10 most viewed MLB Game of the Week Live on YouTube games. Viewership is based on the publicly available viewership counter on YouTube.com.
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Date !Away Team !Home Team !Viewership !Link |
| August 8, 2019
|3.9M |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT_8vLIEUZU] |
| June 10, 2021
|2.7M |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB2-gJRoXSo] |
| June 18, 2019
|2.2M |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aTUbhnYrKs] |
| June 17, 2021
|2M |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5QGYVSYlFk] |
| August 7, 2019
|1.7M |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HW_HdFgM9Rk] |
| June 30, 2021
|1.5M |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdzmp9nemKI] |
| July 23, 2019
|1.3M |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yleEOanis2I] |
| April 22, 2021
|1.3M |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zIKZVTx7jc] |
| September 17, 2019
|1.2M |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIP7MDmx3ps] |
| May 13, 2021
|1.1M |[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88t1TRq_Y2k] |
References
{{reflist|2}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.youtube.com/mlb}}
{{Major League Baseball on national television}}
Category:Sports telecast series
Category:2019 American television series debuts
Category:2022 American television series endings
Category:2010s American sports television series
Category:2020s American sports television series