Sports fans are currently faced with the inevitable transition of live games on traditional television to watching those same games on streaming services.
It’s a shift that has been a long time coming. But now, with streaming overtaking linear television viewing for the first time in May, and nine in 10 sports fans saying they now stream live games, it only makes sense for leagues to embrace these new platforms.
And Apple TV+’s Friday Night Baseball analyst Russell Dorsey seems to agree. Taking to social media this weekend, Dorsey asked when people are going to stop acting surprised about a game airing exclusively on a streaming service.
I know people hate streaming live sports and want things to be what they feel is more easily accessible. But at what point do we move past “why is the game on [insert streaming service here]?”
There are only going to be more streaming services getting into sports, not less.
— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) July 5, 2025
“I know people hate streaming live sports and want things to be what they feel is more easily accessible. But at what point do we move past ‘why is the game on [insert streaming service here]?’
“There are only going to be more streaming services getting into sports, not less,” Dorsey wrote.
That didn’t sit well with Buffalo-based columnist Mike Harrington, who criticized Dorsey’s take as being influenced by his employment situation with Apple TV.
Says the guy paid by Apple TV. Woof.
Stealing games for streaming services plain stinks. Especially when people have already paid for them. https://t.co/HnGr0VgiNw
— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) July 5, 2025
Dorsey replied by citing the NBA and NFL, both of which have placed valuable inventory exclusively on streaming services in the past adding, “If a network pays for the rights to show a game, how is that stealing? Don’t be obtuse.”
1. I’m also a sports fan. And if you haven’t noticed, the NBA and NFL are streaming too. And if a game I wanna see is on a streaming service, you know what I do? I go find the game.
2. If a network pays for the rights to show a game, how is that stealing? Don’t be obtuse. https://t.co/veQ4vSUDrF
— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) July 5, 2025
Harrington again took issue with Dorsey taking this stance while being paid by Apple TV, which prompted another reply from the MLB analyst.
People have already paid for Extra Innings and https://t.co/kVMV4SZYn0. And suddenly a game is ripped away for Apple or Roku or Amazon Prime. It’s dishonest and bad business. You’re paid by them. You need to sit this one out. Sorry. https://t.co/CCVE4k8a9q
— Mike Harrington (@ByMHarrington) July 5, 2025
1. Exclusivity was a thing in sports before I ever became a broadcaster, it’s not new.
2. No, I won’t sit this one out. I’m allowed to have respectful convos with fans about something that has become a point of contention in sports. You came looking to pick a fight, I did not. https://t.co/J7sLdZqXUT
— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) July 5, 2025
“Exclusivity was a thing in sports before I ever became a broadcaster, it’s not new,” Dorsey wrote.
No matter which side of this debate you fall on, the transition to streaming won’t be slowing down anytime soon. Hopefully, for the sake of affordability, the landscape won’t remain quite as fragmented as it is today.
About Drew Lerner
Drew Lerner is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and an aspiring cable subscriber. He previously covered sports media for Sports Media Watch. Future beat writer for the Oasis reunion tour.