MLB, Barstool Reportedly Discussing A Broadcast Deal

By Adam Roberts – 8/9/2021

Sometimes, I find it difficult to watch Brewers baseball. And it has nothing to do with the quality of Bally Sports Wisconsin’s broadcast.

I, like most of you, work during the middle of the day and can’t be near a TV set most of my shift. This is why on Wednesday afternoons I’m usually left to follow along with Brewers’ beat writers and fans tweeting about the game instead of watching. That is, unless the Crew are being broadcast on Youtube like they have done at times for day games. Broadcast quality aside, this is a nice way to reach those of us who are away from our TVs or radios those one to two games a week.

Now it appears Barstool is trying to get involved in another branch of sports broadcasting targeting this schedule, and putting their own spin on things.

The New York Post reports Major League Baseball and Barstool Sports have had significant negotiations about having national midweek games. While not guaranteed as of yet, the Post says a Barstool baseball broadcast could lean heavily into in-game gambling, something which would have seemed a no-shot even just a small handful of years ago.

Barstool already has dipped their hands into broadcasting big sports, earlier this year agreeing to be a title sponsor and broadcaster for college football’s Arizona Bowl.

This news comes at a time when the sport is actively trying everything in its power to reach a younger demographic, with mixed results so far. Would I watch a Barstool baseball game? Probably not if it doesn’t involve the Brewers, but this has less to do with any qualms against Barstool and more to do with I really don’t care much about the baseball world outside of Milwaukee. Call it a byproduct of baseball’s massive regional model that has it pursuing these different attempts to grab a national audience.