Major League Baseball’s new Friday night doubleheader exclusive streaming partnership with Apple is set to begin, despite the grumblings of many fans.
The New York Mets and Washington Nationals will be the first game to stream on Apple TV+, April 8 at 7 pm, featuring Melanie Newman (play-by-play), Chris Young (analyst), Hannah Keyser (analyst), and Brooke Fletcher (reporter) on the call.
It’s a cool moment for each announcer, as they help officially launch MLB’s partnership with Apple TV+. But the announcers also recognize the Apple TV+ partnership has been bemoaned by many baseball fans.
The influx of streaming partnerships for MLB means more subscriptions fans need to watch all their team’s games and fewer broadcasts with their regular RSN announcers. While some fans might complain about having to listen to a different announcing crew, you would expect the announcers’ parents to at least be super excited about the opportunity. Not so for Hannah Keyser, a journalist for Yahoo Sports, who expressed her excitement about the Apple TV+ opportunity on Twitter, but also shared her mom’s surprising reaction.
“Tonight I’ll help broadcast the Mets-Nationals game on Apple TV+, the first time I’ve ever done anything at all like that. Which is, frankly, surreally cool,” Keyser tweeted Friday morning. “When I told my parents about it, my mother — diehard Mets fan — said: “Oh, I hate when it’s not Gary, Keith, and Ron.”
Tonight I'll help broadcast the Mets-Nationals game on Apple TV+, the first time I've ever done anything at all like that. Which is, frankly, surreally cool.
When I told my parents about it, my mother — diehard Mets fan — said: "Oh, I hate when it's not Gary, Keith, and Ron."
— Hannah Keyser (@HannahRKeyser) April 8, 2022
What a response. And kudos to Mets SNY announcers Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez and Ron Darling for creating that type of connection with the team’s fans.
“So yeah, I’m aware there are some big shoes to fill. Maybe tune in anyway (it’s free!) and please be patient,” Keyser added on Twitter.
It’s hard to argue with Keyser’s mom, I also prefer local MLB announcers. That’s my biggest gripe with the various MLB broadcast partnerships, regardless of whether or not it’s a streaming or linear deal. The national announcer doesn’t know a baseball team as well as the local broadcaster who’s around the club for the entire 162-game regular season. But I’m not a close family member to one of those national announcers.
And while I too will miss Gary, Keith and Ron, I’m definitely rooting harder for Keyser to crush it on the Apple TV+ broadcast. Congratulations, and good luck winning over your mom!
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com