YouTube Set To Live Stream 21 MLB Games During The 2021 Season
Major League Baseball and YouTube extended their content partnership for a third year. The revised deal allows the Google-owned video-sharing platform to live stream 21 games over the 2021 season.
“Our partnership with MLB is always a highlight on the sports calendar for us and 2021 is going to be our biggest year yet,” stated Tim Katz, YouTube’s head of sports and news partnerships.
“With two successful seasons under our belts, we look forward to delivering 21 games this season to fans who have come to expect our creative presentation.”
The global partnership once again will present the “MLB Game of the Week Live on YouTube” beginning on April 7th with the Boston Red Sox playing the Tampa Bay Rays. Other confirmed games include the Houston Astros versus the Los Angeles Angels on April 22nd and the Cleveland Indians versus the Minnesota Twins on April 28th. Other matchups are set to be announced soon.
Fans will have the ability to access the broadcasts through the MLB’s YouTube channel, the league’s dedicated YouTube channel, and the YouTube app on one’s smart TV.
The 21 games are set to be produced by the MLB Network production team. Coverage will also include 30 minutes of pre-game content.
Making its debut this season is the “YouTube Player of the Game,” which allows fans to vote for the player they want to receive the trophy during the post-game show. This season’s additional exclusive features include a live chat function that includes game commentary from 40 sports-minded YouTube creators and in-game polls. YouTube subscribers will also have the ability to get real-time stats and to watch key replays.
“MLB content on YouTube continues to play a pivotal role in showcasing our club, player and baseball storylines to new audiences; and extending our live game offering across a full season is a significant step in the evolution of our partnership,” stated Dominick Balsamo, senior vice president of global media and business development at MLB.
MLB first partnered with YouTube in 2019, with the platform streaming 13 games over the entirety of the season. YouTube’s first broadcast brought in more than 200,000 viewers. Overall, the 13 games averaged 1.2 million views, including pre and post-game shows.
