Major League Baseball continues to hit to all fields with its streaming partnerships.
The league has renewed a deal with YouTube to carry 15 exclusive games on the platform this season. The renewal means YouTube will stream MLB games for a fourth consecutive season; the first contest of 2022 will be a Washington Nationals-Colorado Rockies matchup on May 5.
“YouTube became Major League Baseball’s official partner to stream live games four years ago, and it’s been incredible to continue to grow the game in compelling and innovative ways on our platform,” said Jon Cruz, head of sports partnerships for YouTube. “One of the biggest commonalities within our partnership is maintaining a ‘fan-first’ perspective, so we’re proud to continue to keep our games free and accessible to fans in over 182 countries around the word while delivering the best of baseball in ways only YouTube can do.”
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The renewal of the YouTube deal follows other streaming pacts MLB has made with Apple TV+ — which has weekly doubleheaders on Fridays — and Peacock, which will stream games on Sundays starting May 8. MLB also has traditional TV deals with Fox Sports, ESPN and Turner Sports along with clubs’ own regional deals.
The league’s MLB Network will produce the YouTube broadcasts. Scott Braun and Yonder Alonso will handle announcing duties, and MLB Network’s Siera Santos will host a 30-minute pregame show before each contest. Games will also have a live chat feature with commentary from YouTube creators and in-game polls.
“We value our continued partnership with YouTube and the opportunity to build on the experience the MLB Game of the Week on YouTube brings to fans,” said Dominick Balsamo, senior vp global media and business development for Major League Baseball. “YouTube’s creative approach to fan engagement lets viewers feel like they are a part of the broadcast, and we look forward to another season of bringing fans closer to the game through their unique presentation.”
