Sports Media

[zambonir]

That'd be pretty funny.

I guess we are going to find out a lot about how much power Manfred can wield in the next two years, especially now that the MLBPA will presumably in-fight over new leader and the proper labor path.

[Eisenreich]

NBCSP launches multi-platform coverage details for Phillies spring training

It looks to me like Taryn Hatcher & Mike Schmidt will not be returning as part of the broadcast team this year. Jim Salisbury would seem to be taking Hatcher's place.

[zambonir]

I had a feeling she was gone or she would have turned up with other teams/on other shows a little bit. She was very good. Surprised she doesn't already have a better gig. It's not clear if Salisbury is really a key part of the TV broadcast ("digital reporter") but I doubt he's going to do the same kind of stuff.

[zambonir]

Phillies spring training 2026: TV schedule, new rules, changes to NBC Sports...

One NBC Sports personality who won’t be back is Taryn Hatcher, who joined the network in 2018 and spent the past few seasons covering the game as an in-stadium reporter.

Hatcher’s contract wasn’t renewed at the end of the year and NBC Sports Philadelphia eliminated the position, according to sources.

Sadly, it wouldn’t be the first time. In the past few years NBC Sports Philadelphia has hired a number of in-game reporters they haven’t kept, including Jessica Camerato, Molly Sullivan, and Serena Winters. They also said goodbye to longtime Phillies reporter Gregg Murphy in 2020, who is now the team’s pre- and postgame radio host.

[andyb]

Seems like basic RSN cost-cutting as the RSNs are shifted into sports tiers more often.

In terms of cost-cutting I am really interested in seeing where MLB wants to go with the MLB local package. If they did negotiate with all 30 teams do they need 2 broadcasts (home and away) for each team? MLS has one telecast and national announcers for Apple and it is a feature of their package. I don't think MLB would go with national announcers, but I could also see the home team broadcast being the only broadcast. Maybe an analyst from the visiting team would travel to give them a 3-man booth, but there are huge savings if there is only one telecast.

[zambonir]

Yeah but NBC Philly is still pretty robust. They employ around a dozen reporters and hosts just for the pre and post-game shows, and one or two digital/online reporters per team (two in the Phillies case with this announcement). And that's all separate from the game crew. Philies used to employ their TV crew, they all work for Comcast (which Phillies own a piece of obviously) now. Will all announcers be employed just by MLB in the future?

[Philsmania]

Today's Phillies ST game on NBCSNP is using the Blue Jays' broadcast.

[andyb]

Schmidt also not returning. Probably an age issue unfortunately for him though hopefully he'll show up a few times when he is in town.

Mike Schmidt won’t return to Phillies broadcast booth in 2026 – Phillies Nation

[zambonir]

Wasn't he also having some health issues? But yeah also at some point the travel must get to be too much, modest though it is. They are kind of grooming Cole for it I guess.

Road team never has a spring training broadcast I don't think. The number of games this year is higher at least.

[andyb]

No TV today as they are still in South Florida playing Miami. Odd long road trip for the team in the Spring though guessing there are an odd number of teams in the region so somebody has to do it occasionally.

Back home tomorrow and the game is on TV.

[zambonir]

You would think that a team in South Florida could have TV for all its spring training!

[julio]

You would think that a team in South Florida could have TV for all its spring training!

Why would I necessarily think that?

[zambonir]

Because it's not that hard or expensive to get crew, equipment and announcers less than 90 minutes up the road, versus, say, a Philadelphia team in Clearwater. Or even a New York team in Tampa. But of course it's the Marlins so they're probably just lucky to be on TV at all.

[julio]

But of course it's the Marlins so they're probably just lucky to be on TV at all.

This is what's relevant, of course. When you think about it, the cost of mounting TV coverage in a spring training park would be a drop in the bucket for any major league organization. A pauperish MLB organization has a payroll in multiple tens of $millions. Spending the cost of a waiver claim would go a long way to providing spring training coverage - and that's without factoring the the revenue from advertising. So it's a matter of choice, at the end of the day, more than a matter of cost.

[andyb]

The other side is that TV ratings would likely be minimal when there are multiple live games going on. Every stadium has the equipment. It is more about whether anyone would watch to justify the cost of paying the TV personnel.

[zambonir]

The teams don't even pay for the base TV coverage (though they can and do for the games that their broadcast partner doesn't want to). You would think at this point - and it will probably happen once the league takes over the TV deal - all the home spring training teams would have a broadcast for both teams.

Phillies coverage jumped from 12 to 17 games this year. Six are are road games. Looks like Phillies are producing their own home webcast five times (games not on NBC) and their own road radio coverage (including yesterday) five times.

[andyb]

As I hoped, the Athletic hires a bunch of Washington Post sports reporters. Major beats all covered now with the exception of hockey. They have now hired all the columnists (a couple have national columnist roles) except for Sally Jenkiins who went to the Atlantic a year ago.

Not surprised as this must be a chance for the Times to add 100K+ DC subscribers easily.

The Athletic Welcomes New Colleagues | The New York Times Company

[zambonir]

That's good news. And I don't really miss reading Sally Jenkins (except when I have to see screenshots of her social media).

Is Thomas Boswell just fully retired/not writing, or does he turn up anywhere?

[andyb]

Is Thomas Boswell just fully retired/not writing, or does he turn up anywhere?

He would still contribute a Nationals column to the Post whenever he felt like it though I don't think he writes regularly any more.

[andyb]

Happy T-Mobile MLB.TV claiming day to all who celebrate.