The New York Yankees opened their 2026 season on Wednesday, March 25, in style, defeating the San Francisco Giants, 7-0. Many Yankee fans, however, were unable to watch the game because it was streaming on the pay service, Netflix, where monthly fees range from $8.99 to $26.99. (Netflix recently raised the fees.) For the great American game, and for the New York Yankees as the highest profile team for that pastime, making it expensive for fans to watch is deplorable.
The baseball season consists of 162 games. This season, 100 of these games are available to watch on the Yankee network, YES. That leaves 62 games that fans will need to hunt for and perhaps pay for on other channels. Twenty of these games will be available on Amazon Prime. Others can be watched on MLB Network, Peacock, ESPN, and Apple TV. Two of the season’s most anticipated events, the Home Run Derby on July 13 and the MLB “Field of Dreams” game on August 13, will be on Netflix.
Let’s be clear. This is all about money. The Yankees, one of the richest sports franchises in the world, looks for every possible opportunity to rake in more. And the team isn’t alone. Other baseball teams around the country are looking to pay services to augment their revenues. And we will also see more NFL and NHL games on paying services. There’s no better way to see an example of income disparity than in how we will all watch sports in the coming years. Those who can afford these services, will be able to do so. For the others, well, read about it the next day in the newspapers. At a time when seats to these sports are rising in price, at least give young people the opportunity to view these games on commercial TV. But the powers that be don’t seem to care about the fans. But they should care about the future of their sports. If fans aren’t drawn in at a young age, they won’t be fans later on in life.
Migrating these sports events to pay TV would make sense if these services hit it out of the park. But more and more, they are delivering foul balls. Real fans like to hear the team’s regular announcers call the games. They know the team, they know the players, many of them are former players like David Cone who once pitched a perfect game for the Yankees. But instead we get talent who may look good, but not know enough to give us the insights that lead to a greater appreciation of the sport.
The March 25 game on Netflix is a perfect example. To take something from one of that service’s hits, it was “stranger things.” Though the schedule said the game would begin at 7 p.m, the first pitch didn’t happen until nearly 8:30. For an hour and a half, we were subjected to drivel by a panel headed by Netflix Sports Host Elle Duncan who couldn’t stop fawning over Barry Bonds. All evening there was constant promotion for other Netflix shows and stars. Comedian Bert Kreischer didn’t win any fans over with his constant yelling, “This is baseball!” No, Bert, it wasn’t. It was a travesty.
Because the announcers for the game couldn’t stop chatting with each other and their guests, including MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, who was not asked one serious questions about the league’s major issues, fans missed thrilling plays. That included the very first use of the ABS (Automated Ball-Strike) challenge to an umpire’s call. It was made by Yankee second baseman José Caballero, whose challenge was denied. During the game, players in the field were wired up and interviewed while they fielded balls. It’s hard not to worry about a player making an error at a critical time while he’s answering a nonsensical question about what shoes he’s wearing.
I became a Yankees fan while still in grade school. We watched games on a small black and white TV. But being able to watch all the games is what kept us glued to the set. I keep thinking about all those young fans, many who live in the Bronx in the shadow of Yankee stadium, who can’t afford streaming services. For all of these young fans, it’s no field of dreams.
Top photo: Bigstock
