Remember when the Red Sox were everywhere? You couldn’t flip on a national broadcast without seeing them. Their rivalry with the Yankees was prime-time gold, and every matchup felt like a must-watch event. Those days? They’re slipping away.
Fast forward to today, and that sense of constant excitement around Red Sox games feels like a distant memory. In 2010, the Sox were on national TV multiple times—seven times, just from Fox alone, with a good chunk of those matchups against the Yankees. ESPN threw in another half-dozen broadcasts. It wasn’t unusual for the Sox to be featured in nearly half of baseball’s 26 weekends. But those days are starting to fade, and the Red Sox aren’t quite the national spotlight regulars they once were.
Red Sox insider has an upsetting game night
It’s not just fans who are frustrated—even insiders are shaking their heads. Red Sox analyst (and a fan) Tyler Milliken couldn’t believe what he was seeing (or rather, not seeing) when a spring training night game went completely untelevised. “I was honestly shocked that this game was not on TV. I have never seen a night spring training game in my entire life not being televised. Not once. A night spring training game, I think,, because they have 2 more on the schedule, but that is absurd. I have never seen that before.”
While Milliken was fuming with emotions, his fellow podcaster Steve Perrault said that it was okay and that he did not expect all spring training games to be televised. Jared also chimed in on the discussion: “I think we’re at a point in terms of technology where, let’s say, WEI, NESN, they don’t want to pay broadcasters for every single spring training game.” Just 3 weeks ago, Major League Baseball and ESPN terminated their existing national broadcast agreement, which was set to expire in 2028, by exercising an opt-out clause. So what will happen after the year 2025?
Can Amazon be the new ESPN?
Amazon is eyeing the potential to expand its sports offering by securing broadcast rights to Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), further solidifying its dominance in live sports streaming. With a keen focus on using live sports as a tool to boost its Prime subscription service, Amazon has already made a major impact in the US market, acquiring the rights to NFL’s Thursday Night Football and, starting next season, NBA games.
Jay Marine, Amazon’s global head of sports and advertising, shared with CNBC that the company is exploring every potential market opportunity. He praised MLB for its recent efforts to modernize the game, particularly through innovations that have accelerated the pace of play. Highlighting the success of last year’s World Series, Marine indicated that Amazon would seriously consider adding MLB to its lineup.
This move to acquire additional sports rights aligns with Amazon’s broader strategy to build a comprehensive, compelling sports streaming portfolio. As more viewers flock to streaming platforms for live sports, Amazon’s ability to offer a diverse array of content—from football to basketball, baseball, and MMA—places it in a strong position to compete with traditional sports networks.
The post “That’s Absurd”- Top Insider Rips Broadcasters for Red Sox’s Spring Training Night Game Snub appeared first on EssentiallySports.
