Fresh hope for baseball remaining on free-to-air TV has been provided by an intriguing story in the Daily Mail stating that the sport may find a new home at the BBC. If the rumours are true, Major League Baseball are playing a key role in trying to make it happen.Â
British baseball fans have been reeling since the news that Five, the home of baseball for eleven years, are reconsidering their commitment to all North American sports. It is believed that they may continue showing the sports without the studio element, a move that would dramatically reduce the appeal of the programs.
Without the presence of presenters explaining the action for a British audience, there is little hope that many newcomers will take to the sport. Just as importantly, Johnny Gould and Josh Chetwynd have played a fundamental role in developing a British baseball community, creating a loyal viewership in the process.
Keeping a quality presence on free-to-air TV is vital if baseball is to grow in Britain and MLB are clearly aware of this fact. Five are considering their options now that their two-year contract for MLB coverage has come to an end. So far the relationship has worked well, but it seems as though MLB are sounding out other potential broadcasters.Â
Baseball fan Kevin Coy reported the following news on the blog section of his website on 11 February, quoting the Daily Mail report as stated below:
“Oh, say! can you (BB) see
Fresh from screening last weekend’s Super Bowl, the BBC can establish themselves as the terrestrial home of American sport by taking over the rights to Major League Baseball from Five. And they will not have to pay a penny for them, because MLB are so keen to find a new partner after Five ended their 11-year association that all the BBC have to guarantee is a further two years of coverage.
British fans will hope the package includes Five front man Jonny Gould, who continued his successful sideline as a charity auctioneer last week by cajoling £150,000 out of guests from football and music at the HMV Extravaganza in aid of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy”.
Right now, we simply don’t know what the truth of the situation is. Five haven’t officially confirmed any developments with their North American sports coverage and we don’t know how much interest the BBC would have in any case.Â
The most important part of a possible shift to the BBC is that this would (theoretically) have to include a studio element. On Five, they could simply show adverts every half-inning when the main ESPN feed heads to the commercials. The BBC could just show adverts for their own programmes, or go with a blank ‘title page’ screen, but you would think that if they added a new sport to their listings they would want someone to explain what is happening. Nobody could do that better than Johnny, Josh, Erik and the rest of the team. Whether they would be able to do so in the same irreverent style we’ve grown to know and love is another matter though.
This then poses a couple of questions. If MLB are prepared to offer the rights for free to the BBC (and we don’t know for sure that they are), would they do the same for Five? If they did, would this free up enough funds to bring back the studio element, or was the previous contract for so little money that it wouldn’t make much difference?
If the BBC have been offered free rights, a quick glimpse at the BBC Two schedule provides hope that there would be room for baseball. Tonight they are showing a comedy drama film, “When Brendan met Trudy”, at 00.40 followed by two hours of simulcasting BBC News24 before a Rugby Super League show at 04.25. In other words, nothing that couldn’t be shifted for baseball.
We are only six weeks or so away from the start of the 2009 season and we really don’t know whether there will be any baseball on free-to-air TV, what form it will take if so and which channel will be showing it.
It’s not exactly a great situation for British baseball fans to be in.
When news of Five’s possible shift away from North American sports first spread, I thought it unlikely that the BBC would be an alternative home. I still have my doubts, but there is some hope at least. Frankly, British baseball fans won’t care which buttons they have to press on their TV remote so long as MLB is on free-to-air TV and Johnny and Josh are presenting the coverage.
Needless to say, we will keep you all informed if we hear any further news.
19 comments
As you said, as long as MLB is on free-to-air with Johnny and Josh, I will be happy. Those two really made the show enjoyable with their jokes and their take on the current game and the sport as a whole. They made it very easy for someone new to the sport to pick up some of the more quirky plays and rules, so it’ll be very sad if they don’t return to out screens for the new season.
Without the studio element, it’s doubtful whether I’d have stayed interested enough to gain an appreciation for baseball. Both you and Kevin Coy are absolutely right that this would be an essential element of any coverage in the UK. Fingers crossed an agreement can be reached with one of the broadcasters. In an ideal world we’d see the occasional daytime game shown in prime-time, a move which would significantly increase the exposure of baseball to the general public. Once a month isn’t too much to ask, is it?
It would be great for some earlier exposure, but I doubt any broadcaster would be prepared to give up three hours or so for a baseball game. A half-hour magazine style could be quite useful, although again you probably wouldn’t find it in an early slot.
If it were true and the Beeb were interested, I would take some hope from the fact that they get Mike Carlson in to do the Superbowl coverage; it would seem they would be interested in getting in the established presenters…they must know one of the big attractions for UK viewers is Johnny and Josh.
Hope springs eternal! Can’t really see it happening with the BBC but would love to be wrong. Lets hope Channel 5 have a change of heart. Good to hear that MLB are actively involved. NASN is Ok, of course, but I will really miss Jonny and Josh if the axe does fall. Say it aint so, Jo!
To be honest if there’s a chance someone other than five gets it I’d be ecstatic…I’ve never felt they were perticulary commited; missing the start of live games just to put recorded triathlon on really did my head in.
That’s true, although the complaint should definitely go against ‘Five’ rather than the Sunset and Vine production team. Having said that, you’ve still got to give them credit for showing baseball for eleven years.
Well it would be great to get the baseball on the beeb. I do watch it all the time on ESPN America, but then we have BBC HD, so surely there would be a good chance that some of the games in HD. But lets wait and see. The F1 is back on the BBC, yet that will not be shown in HD.
I don’t care which free to air channel it’s on, if Ch5 want to shoot themselves in the foot, so be it. As long as someone takes the Jonny/Josh team and puts it on live and free, I’ll be happy. I’ve watched live Baseball every week it’s been on since 1997 and would not be into the sport without the great work Ch5 has done up to this point.
Time is running out now for any kind of news on Baseball shifting to the BBC, and seeing as Channel 5 are continuing with their overnight sports (well, sort of) at the moment, I think we may just see another season with Jonny and Josh on the fifth terrestrial channel!
Hi Kevin. I guess I’m like every British baseball fan in that I don’t mind which free-to-air channel MLB ends up on so long as there is still a studio element to it (and preferably Jonny and Josh). Certainly the noises coming out of Five before Xmas were that continuing the current coverage was unlikely. Maybe the Sunset & Vine production team have been able to convince them otherwise, but I’ve not heard anything along those lines.
Time is definitely running out though! We can only hope that good news is around the corner.
From what I’m hearing, it is looking increasingly likely that there will be MLB coverage on five, minus the studio elements. I hope what I’m hearing is wrong, but sadly it looks like Five might just be about to ruin baseball for the avid audience of over 10 years.
If that is the case, I shall certainly be boycotting Five, not only for sports, but for everything else. Hey, its a crap channel anyway!
Not watching the baseball is the same as boycotting Five for me! Hope a better alternative can be found.
I guess it is 100% certain not to be on 5 since they wont be showing the Phillies hosting the Braves, they got ‘Boxing USA’ instead, boo!
Just heard of this news, GUTTED!!! Can’t believe they’d do this! After all 10 years (Was it?) Of baseball just goes to show that us Uk Baseball fans are still in demand of the sport. Why would they do this? I really hope that maybe that after the big NFL Superbowl hype will trigger off some kind of American sports night or at least something which will make MLB available on TV for free! I really hope they keep Johnny & Josh as well, every Sunday and Wednesday night of Baseball wouldn’t be the same without them. This is ‘Would of been’ my first Baseball season where i know a bit more about the game to get into it! But it’s ironic to hear someone else mention about that Tv Shopping thing, they could really make a difference by dropping programmes thike that. Anyway i hope our UK Baseball community is strong enough to prove to BBC, Five or ITV that we are so desperate to rejoin for 2009 season.
The precedent of the BBC showing the Super Bowl does offer some hope – perhaps the World Series could be screened.
I’d be surprised if they would want to commit to regular season games though.
It’s a big ask for the BBC and the Daily Mail would be the first to start a campaign against licence fee payers money being spent on U.S. sports shown in the middle of the night.
I just wondered if anyone knows any more about where, if anywhere the baseball is going to be shown on tv? My son is a huge Redsox fan and can’t believe it only appears to be on Setanta Ireland at the moment. If that’s going to be right, then it’s shocking! I get Setanta with my tv package, but it doesn’t include the new Ireland one, so it’s going to be extra, whatever plan you have, isn’t it?
I am finding it very hard not getting my baseball fix. It is a great game and what is wrong with showing games early in the morning. Some of us insomniacs need it !! Somebody please do something to get it back live fast.
Since my last post i have ordered a few months with MLB.TV, it’s really great but a tiny bit pricey (As i can’t afford too much) you can buy it in Monthly blocks or get a whole seasons worth. But it will do until another UK televison company takes over. Also does anyone have any new news on MLB and any other US Sports on out TV??? Also NFL is getting popular over here (Aparently we will have our own teams by 2012?) Although it would be an expensive sport to fund (If schools and colleges started teaching it) So why don’t they do Baseball instead of rounders? (It’s cheaper than American Football and less complicate, only is they teached with basic rules) They might as well as schools seem to be teaching multicultural stuff (Apart from sports!!!)….Go Angels!!!