Kendrick Perkins says he got death threats over Giannis Antetokounmpo take
A hot take about Giannis Antetokounmpo ended up escalating into something else entirely for Kendrick Perkins.
The ESPN analyst Perkins appeared this week on the “Road Trippin’” podcast with former Cleveland Cavaliers teammate Channing Frye. During the appearance, Perkins revealed that he once got death threats for some comments that he made about the Milwaukee Bucks star Antetokounmpo.
During the 2021 NBA Finals between the Bucks and the Phoenix Suns, Perkins (who was already working for ESPN at the time) gave his opinion on the air that Antetokounmpo was the “Robin” to Milwaukee teammate Khris Middleton’s “Batman.” That apparently prompted an individual to send death threats to both Perkins and his family.
“I started getting a death threat,” Perkins said during the podcast, per ClutchPoints. “It was going to my wife’s account. This dude was sending me threat after threat. ‘I am going to kill your kids. I know where you stay. I am going to murder you.’ This was real life.”
Perkins said that the situation was serious enough that he informed ESPN about the death threats. According to Perkins, the network then investigated the threats, identified the individual behind them, and had him arrested.
The Bucks went on to win the NBA Finals over the Suns that year in six games. Antetokounmpo also ended up winning Finals MVP, thanks in large part to a monster 50-point outing in the Game 6 clincher.
As for Perkins, he has not at all been deterred from doing his pot-stirring on television, even up to this day. Earlier this summer, Perkins drew attention with his ironic opinion about another Eastern Conference star player.
Twins manager ejected vs. Tigers after dropping F-bombs on umpire
Minnesota Twins manager Rocco Baldelli got a little bit colorful during Thursday’s game against the Detroit Tigers.
Baldelli was ejected in the bottom of the 11th inning at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minn. after arguing a strikeout call. The Twins were trailing 4-3 at the time with the ghost runner on second base and nobody out.
On an 0-2 pitch, Minnesota catcher Ryan Jeffers took a hack and foul-tipped it. But the ball was caught before it hit the ground by Detroit catcher Dillon Dingler for an automatic third strike.
Baldelli was incensed by the call, believing that the foul tip had hit the dirt before Dingler caught it. He came storming out of the dugout to confront home plate umpire John Bacon over the call.
Eventually, Baldelli could be heard on the broadcast telling Bacon, “No f–king way! You f–ked it up!” As a result, Bacon immediately tossed Baldelli from the game (with Baldelli proceeding to toss his cap on his way off the field).
Here is the video (but obviously beware of the bad language).
"NO F*CKING WAY! YOU F*CKED IT UP! YOU F*CKED IT UP!"#MNTwins manager Rocco Baldelli ERUPTS on the home plate umpire and gets ejected in glorious fashion! pic.twitter.com/V9Z1grlfON
— Talkin' Twins (@TalkinTwins) August 15, 2025
A foul tip third strike is not reviewable by replay, according to MLB rules. Even if it was reviewable, Baldelli might not have had much of a case as it appeared that Dingler had caught the ball cleanly there.
The Twins went on to lose to the Tigers by that same 4-3 score. With his team now 57-64 and recently trading away nearly half of their roster, perhaps Baldelli is just trying everything that he can at this point to inject some life into the Minnesota clubhouse.
Former 1,000-yard RB retiring from NFL at age 30
A veteran NFL running back is ready to go fishing at the ripe age of 30.
Matt Breida intends to retire from the NFL after seven career seasons, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported on Thursday. Fowler notes that the Miami Dolphins recently requested a workout with Breida, which he declined.
An ex-undrafted player out of Georgia Southern University, Breida managed to have a productive couple of years in the NFL after signing with the San Francisco 49ers as a UDFA in 2017. Breida posted 1,075 yards from scrimmage and five total touchdowns for the 49ers as their full-time starter in the 2018 season. While Breida ended up losing work in the backfield by 2019, he was a member of the San Francisco team that went to Super Bowl LIV that year.
The 49ers eventually traded Breida to the Miami Dolphins in 2020. By 2021 though, Breida had signed with Buffalo Bills, and by 2022, he had signed with the New York Giants.
Breida was a decent depth piece for the Giants, appearing in all 34 games for them between the 2022 and 2023 seasons. But his last NFL game appearance was in Jan. 2024, and his last time spent on an NFL roster was a brief reunion with the 49ers in Aug. 2024 (before Breida was released).
The 5-foot-10 Breida finishes his NFL career with 2,652 total yards rushing and 19 total rushing touchdowns. He also managed to produce some breathtaking highlights during his time in the league and will likely be remembered fondly by San Francisco fans.
Video shows John Fisher getting cursed at in Sutter Health Park
John Fisher got just the reception you would expect him to at the new (temporary) home of The Athletics.
The Athletics owner Fisher was in attendance at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, Calif. for Wednesday’s game between his team and the Tampa Bay Rays. At one point in the game, Fisher walked down the edge of the field towards a tunnel area in the lower stands.
Once the home crowd saw Fisher, they let him hear it. Fisher (wearing a green hat) received loud boos and even a few expletives. The moment was captured on video, which you can see at the link here.
The 64-year-old Fisher has been a majority owner of the A’s since 2005. He has since managed to become arguably the single most hated man in Oakland after successfully orchestrating the franchise’s move out of the city, which was finalized last year. The Athletics, now no longer known as the “Oakland Athletics,” are playing temporarily at Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park through at least 2027 before their expected move to a new stadium in Las Vegas.
Fisher has been accused of tanking the Athletics in order to facilitate the franchise’s move to Las Vegas (through some alleged combination of penny-pinching, selling off the team’s most popular and talented players, and failing to act in good faith with regard to negotiations on a new stadium in Oakland). As such, Oakland fans managed to make some impressive demonstrations in protest of Fisher before the team eventually left.
At the time of the Athletics’ final game in Oakland last season, Fisher reportedly had not attended a game for nearly two full seasons. But now that the team is playing in Sacramento, Fisher is apparently back (and getting berated).
Report: Celtics plotting 1 surprise move for next season
The 2025-26 season may end up as an experimental year for the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics are planning to move veteran guard Payton Pritchard from the bench to the starting lineup next season, Grant Afseth of FastbreakJournal.com reported this week. Boston reportedly believes that Pritchard has earned a starting role through his years of steady development with their team.
Afseth adds that the Celtics are plotting to bring newly-acquired guard Anfernee Simons, a former 20-ppg scorer, off the bench in a corresponding move. A report emerged earlier this week stating that Boston was having a difficult time trading Simons this summer. As such, they may have to open up the new season with Simons still on the roster.
The news on Pritchard is surprising given that he is the NBA’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year. He has settled into a nice rhythm in his bench role, averaging 14.3 points and 3.5 assists per game last season on exemplary 47/41/85 shooting splits.
On top of that, Pritchard has never been a full-time starter in his NBA career. Through his five seasons up to this point, Pritchard has only started in 17 of his 347 career appearances (almost always as a spot injury fill-in).
But the Celtics are going to have to get creative next season with Jayson Tatum (Achilles) likely out for the whole year and Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis (both of whom started on Boston’s 2024 championship team) having been traded away this summer. As such, Pritchard (who was once unhappy with his diminished role on the Celtics) is reportedly set for a nice promotion.
76ers coach gives notable update on Joel Embiid’s health
The news on Joel Embiid’s health appears to be a mixed bag right now.
Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse spoke this week in an interview with talkSPORT. During the interview, Nurse provided an update on the status of the 76ers star center Embiid.
Nurse said that the news on Embiid was all “positive” right now. However, Nurse added that the 76ers are not sure at the moment if the former MVP will be able to participate in training camp.
“All the news is positive,” Nurse was quoted as saying of Embiid. “I know he’s working very, very hard and I think things look good.
“Whether he’s ready for training camp or not, I think there’s maybe a lot more decisions than that to make before we get there,” Nurse added. “But our main thing is that he’s healthy to play and play to his nearest capabilities, because he’s awesome, no doubt about that.”
It appears that Nurse is attempting to downplay the concerns about Embiid’s health. But with Nurse unable to say for certain whether the seven-footer will be ready when training camp starts around late September, those concerns may just be legitimate.
Earlier this month, we heard a troubling report claiming that Embiid’s left knee (which has been plaguing him ever since he tore his meniscus during a game in Feb. 2024) was doing poorly. Embiid only played in 19 games for the 76ers last season in large part due to that knee, and the report cast a cloud over Embiid’s potential availability for the 2025-26 season as well.
It is probably too early to tell at this point whether Embiid, now 31, will be on the floor for the 76ers on Opening Night 2025. But if he is unable to do so, many of the reported tensions between Embiid and the Philly organization may begin to flare up once again.
Pitcher at Little League World Series clocked at an absurd 82 mph
A pitcher at the Little League World Series this year is putting up some velocity numbers that would make Aroldis Chapman jealous.
Lin Chin-Tse, a 12-year-old pitcher for the team representing Taiwan in this year’s Little League World Series, was clocked at 82 mph on consecutive pitches during his appearance against Mexico on Thursday.
12 year old Lin Chin-Tse casually hit 82 MPH on back-to-back pitches for Chinese Taipei in the Little League World Series pic.twitter.com/SNYQXyayan
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) August 14, 2025
That is some serious heat. Since the Little League World Series is played with a 46-foot pitching distance, that pitch would be the equivalent of an MLB pitcher throwing 107 mph (MLB pitchers throw 60.5 feet away from home plate).
Lin Chin-Tse pitches for Tung-Yuan Little League, which is the Asia-Pacific and Middle East representative for the international group at the LLWS. Taiwan beat Mexico 3-0 in the game. That batter did a nice job attempting a swing on a pitch that has a 107-mph equivalent for the majors. It’s not easy to get a bat on a pitch thrown that hard.
For reference, Danny Almonte was throwing up to 79 mph at the Little League World Series in 2001. Almonte, of course, turned out to be two years older than the 12-year-old age limit for the Little League World Series.
Jets work out infamous NFL QB
The New York Jets on Thursday worked out an infamous NFL quarterback.
The Jets worked out both Nathan Peterman and C.J. Beathard on Thursday. Peterman has been around the NFL since 2017, when he became a fifth-round pick of the Buffalo Bills. The 31-year-old has appeared in 15 career NFL games — most of which came during his first two years in the league.
In 2017, Peterman appeared in four games for the Bills and the team went 1-1 in his starts. In his first career start, he went a brutal 6/14 for 66 yards, no touchdowns and 5 interceptions. His performance was remembered as one of the worst by a starting QB. Peterman also appeared in the Bills’ playoff loss to the Jaguars that season and threw an interception in that contest.
Peterman wasn’t much better in 2018. He threw for just one touchdown and 7 interceptions in four games that season.
Peterman spent time in training camp with the Las Vegas Raiders last season, though he didn’t make their roster during the regular season. For his career, he has passed for 712 yards, 4 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 15 games.
The Jets worked out Peterman and Beathard because their backup quarterback, Tyrod Taylor, will miss the rest of the preseason with a knee injury. Justin Fields is slated to be the team’s starter.
Insider reveals whether Jon Gruden could land an SEC coaching job
Jon Gruden made it clear in a recent viral clip that he would love to coach in the SEC, but the feeling may not be mutual.
ESPN college football reporter Pete Thamel appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show” Thursday and was asked if Gruden might receive any consideration if an SEC job opened up. Thamel was not particularly bullish on Gruden’s chances.
“Look, there’s 136 of these Division 1 FBS jobs. It’s a Star Wars bar,” Thamel said. “You go from Miami to Seattle, from Phoenix to Chestnut Hill, Ma. There’s a lot in between. I think Jon Gruden could land somewhere amid that. I would not project him to go to the SEC.
“I think there’s just better college coaches available. I don’t believe he’s ever coached in college. I just think that the university hiring process for Jon Gruden, who’s amid ongoing litigation, could add some complexities to that.”
As Thamel noted, Gruden is suing the NFL. That is not necessarily relevant to NCAA matters, but could give some larger schools pause. He has never been a college head coach, and his last college job was as a tight ends coach for Pacific in 1989.
Gruden sparked a lot of speculation when he was recorded talking about how much he would love to coach in the SEC. The size of that conference and the relative expectations, however, might mean schools are reluctant to take a risk on someone untested at the college level like Gruden, despite his impressive NFL credentials.
Johnny Manziel has surprising pick for his favorite Heisman winner to hang with
Johnny Manziel is notorious for having a good time and partying, but he named a surprising figure as his pick for who he most likes spending time with at the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
Manziel appeared on the “Mostly Sports” podcast released Thursday and was asked which of his fellow Heisman winners he most looks forward to seeing when attending the annual ceremony. The former Texas A&M star offered a somewhat surprising answer: Doug Flutie.
“Ricky (Williams) is always a really, really good one. The guy who flies under the radar but is the best time, always has been, and everybody in the Heisman fraternity will tell you this: Doug Flutie. Doug Flutie is the guy,” Manziel said.
A former Boston College star and the 1984 Heisman winner, Flutie is not the first person many would think of when it comes to someone who would get along with Manziel. The undersized quarterback carved out a long career in both the CFL and NFL, in contrast to Manziel’s short-lived NFL career that was marred by off-field controversy.
For a while, Manziel was committed to skipping the Heisman ceremony in protest, but no longer has to do that. Evidently, he can look forward to hanging out with Flutie on an annual basis now.
WR prospect Isaiah Bond signs with NFL team after being legally cleared
Former Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond is getting a chance in the NFL after the sexual assault charges against him were dropped.
Bond confirmed on social media that he will not face charges stemming from the assault allegation, which emerged prior to the NFL Draft. He added that he has signed with the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent.
“I’m determined to prove the Browns organization and everyone who believes in me right for putting their trust in me,” Bond said in his statement.
— isaiah “007” bond (@isaiahbond_) August 14, 2025
Bond consistently denied the allegations against him, and even attempted to counter-sue his accuser for defamation. He had originally been projected as a potential Day 2 draft pick, but he ultimately went undrafted after the allegations surfaced against him. He had already generated some negative publicity when he disappointed by his own standards at the NFL Combine.
The Browns are not reluctant to take chances on players who have had legal troubles. They are likely to be welcoming another controversial rookie to camp soon, though those issues arose after the team had drafted him.
A highly-touted recruit coming out of high school, Bond committed to Alabama before transferring to Texas for the 2024 season. He had 34 catches for 540 yards and 5 touchdowns with the Longhorns last season.
Video: Udonis Haslem had a brutal time pronouncing Zaccharie Risacher’s name
Zaccharie Risacher was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, but that is not enough for Udonis Haslem to have any idea how to pronounce his name.
Haslem butchered Risacher’s name during a segment on ESPN’s “NBA Today” on Thursday. The longtime Miami Heat player tried to mention Trae Young as one of his players to watch during the upcoming NBA season, but in trying to discuss the core of players surrounding Young in Atlanta, he completely stumbled on Risacher’s name.
“You got your young core in Jalen Johnson and Rosh — Rosh Hashanah, however you say his name. Excuse me, I’m sorry,” Haslem said.
Zach Rosh Hashanah??!!
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) August 14, 2025
Come on UD lmao https://t.co/CcTFpkjIz8 pic.twitter.com/f0YPIvfBGm
Haslem finally settled on something approximating Risacher, though it still wasn’t quite accurate. The rest of the crew was chuckling at the analyst’s troubles, and likely knew immediately that this was going to be a viral moment.
Haslem is not the first person to completely stumble over a player name on live television. He’s probably the first to accidentally call someone the Jewish New Year instead, though.
Risacher averaged 12.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game in his first NBA season and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting. It’s a name Haslem and everyone else should probably know how to pronounce going forward.
JJ McCarthy shares what he learned from Tom Brady
Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has said that he considers fellow Michigan alum Tom Brady to be a mentor, but McCarthy is not about to give away any of the secrets the seven-time Super Bowl champion has shared with him.
The Vikings held joint practice with the New England Patriots on Thursday, which gave reporters an opportunity to ask McCarthy about his relationship with Brady. The second-year quarterback said he did not want to go into detail about what he has learned from Brady, but he did share a funny tidbit.
McCarthy says Brady taught him the importance of developing a weekly routine. Brady also told McCarthy that one of Brady’s regrets is that he did not hydrate more while in college.
JJ McCarthy says Tom Brady taught him the importance of developing a weekly routine and provided some pointers on how to do it.
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) August 14, 2025
McCarthy won’t share any of Brady’s secrets, but said Brady told him he wishes he had hydrated better while in college. pic.twitter.com/2mdqPySApV
Any pointers McCarthy got from Brady are probably useful. McCarthy is also smart to hoard as much of that information as he can, at least while he is just beginning his career.
McCarthy sat out his entire rookie season last year after he suffered a knee injury during the preseason. The Vikings traded up a spot to draft the former national champion 10th overall last year, and it became clear during the winter that they are still very high on him.
McCarthy is sure to experience some growing pains in his first season as an NFL starter. If he remains in contact with Brady, he will have that much easier of a time working through them.
Davis Schneider makes crazy catch to rob Owen Caissie of his first hit
Owen Caissie had a welcome-to-the-big-leagues moment on Thursday, but it was not the kind he would have wanted.
Caissie was called up by the Chicago Cubs to make his MLB debut in his team’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on Thursday. The Canadian slugger was batting fifth as his team’s designated hitter, and he looked like he would have his first career hit in his first at-bat. But Davis Schneider had other ideas.
Schneider made a crazy diving catch in the left-center gap to rob Caissie of what would have likely been an extra-base hit.
Davis Schneider lays out to make an INCREDIBLE catch to rob Owen Caissie of his first hit 😱 pic.twitter.com/OAIwzetXH3
— MLB (@MLB) August 14, 2025
That was full extension awesomeness by Schneider. He may not have taken the most direct route to the ball, but he sure made a great grab.
Imagine being Caissie and you sting a ball like that to the gap off future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, only for the left fielder to make a diving catch to get you out. Everything is better in the majors — including the defense. Maybe Schneider used his lost-and-found glove to make the catch.
Mike Vrabel jumps into the middle of another training camp fight
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has taken quite the beating during training camp this year, and it seems like that is just the way he wants it.
Vrabel made headlines last week when he jumped into the middle of a fight to separate his Patriots players from Washington Commanders players during a joint practice. The coach was left bleeding from the side of his face when the dust settled.
The minor injury did not deter Vrabel. When the Patriots got into another scrum on Thursday, this time during a joint practice with the Minnesota Vikings, Vrabel was quick to put himself right in the middle of the action again.
You can see a video here.
Vrabel, a former Pro Bowl linebacker, is known for being hands-on during practices. The 50-year-old has an intense side to him, which is something a lot of players respond to. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye had a great reaction the last time Vrabel jumped in to break up a fight.
Vrabel played for the Patriots from 2001-2008 and won three Super Bowls with the team. This is his first year as the head coach in New England, but he has plenty of experience from the six seasons he spent as head coach of the Tennessee Titians from 2018-2023.
The Patriots are hoping Vrabel can lead them back to the playoffs after they won just four games in each of the past two seasons. It remains to be seen if he can do that, but there is no denying his level of intensity on the practice field.
Major news emerges in Quinshon Judkins case
Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins appears to be in the clear legally as he looks to begin his NFL career.
Prosecutors have declined to move forward with charges against Judkins from an alleged incident in Florida, according to Andy Slater of FOX Sports 640 in Miami. With no formal charges, Judkins would presumably be cleared to begin his NFL career.
SLATER SCOOP: Cleveland Browns RB Quinshon Judkins will not face any formal charges from the alleged incident in South Florida, I've learned.
— Andy Slater (@AndySlater) August 14, 2025
Prosecutors have declined to move forward with the case.
Judkins was arrested in July on a domestic violence charge, and concerning details later emerged about the alleged incident. The Browns had told him to stay away from training camp to deal with his legal issues, and he is the only 2025 draft pick of any team that has not yet signed a contract. Presumably, that will change in the days to come.
This does not necessarily mean Judkins will avoid NFL discipline. The league has already started investigating him, and even without charges being filed, he could face a six-game suspension under the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.
Judkins played for Ohio State last year and was a part of the team’s national title win. He rushed for 3,785 yards and 45 touchdowns during his college career, including a career-high 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns as a freshman with Ole Miss in 2022.
John Stockton has sharp criticism of Jazz
Legendary Utah Jazz point guard John Stockton had some critical things to say about his former team in a new interview.
Stockton appeared on “The Ultimate Assist” podcast and was asked if he still kept up with how the Jazz are doing. The legendary guard said he did not pay close attention, and was not exactly complimentary of the organization.
“I haven’t been tracking them. I know that there doesn’t seem to be a mission to win,” Stockton said. “If that’s true, that’s frustrating, because I think that culture is so hard to come by. I knew how hard it was for the Utah Jazz to become a winning organization to begin with, and I came in on the tail end of that. I got to build from that with my teammates.
“I wouldn’t give up that fight to try to win every single game, every single quarter, for anything — for draft choices, for future anything. Because the future, it moves.”
The Jazz have been criticized in recent years for tanking, and they bottomed out at 17-65 last season. Team executives have asserted that things will be changing this season, but many are still skeptical of that.
Stockton spent his entire 19-year NBA career with the Jazz and still holds the NBA records for career assists and steals. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009.
There are a lot of things Stockton dislikes about the modern NBA. Tanking is obviously one of them, and seeing the only team he ever played for doing it clearly does not sit well with him.
Brian Flores scores legal victory in his case against the NFL
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores scored a noteworthy legal win against the NFL in his ongoing racial discrimination lawsuit.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan on Thursday upheld a previous ruling that will allow Flores’ case to go ahead. The NFL sought to force Flores to submit his claims to an arbitration hearing under commissioner Roger Goodell.
In a statement, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said the league “respectfully disagree(s)” with the ruling and is planning an appeal.
The ruling against the NFL is quite similar to the one former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden won against the league earlier this week. Gruden has alleged that the NFL leaked offensive emails to force him out of his job, and the league unsuccessfully sought to resolve the dispute through that same arbitration process. In both cases, the league has sought to avoid a potentially damaging public discovery process.
Flores sued the NFL in February 2022, claiming that he and other Black coaches face discrimination in hiring processes. Other coaches later joined the suit as plaintiffs, which also names the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Houston Texans as defendants.
Despite the suit, Flores successfully landed another coaching job after being let go by the Dolphins, and currently serves as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.
ESPN could run into 1 roadblock with college football RedZone idea
ESPN would face several obstacles if the network attempted to launch a college football version of RedZone, and it sounds like at least one of them cannot be overcome.
One of the biggest issues with a potential college football RedZone is that ESPN does not have the media rights to every college conference. ESPN has the rights to the SEC, ACC, Big 12 and American Conference, but not the Big Ten or Big 12. It would be difficult to imagine a whip-around program that covers all of the best college football moments without including at least every Power Four conference.
FOX, CBS and NBC collectively hold the rights to the Big Ten. According to a Thursday report from Amanda Christovich and Ryan Glasspiegel of Front Office Sports, FOX is not interested in licensing any of its Big Ten or Big 12 games to ESPN.
The only way FOX would be willing to work out an arrangement with ESPN is if FOX were to receive “significant ownership” in a college football RedZone endeavor, a source told FOS.
The SEC and Big Ten are the two best conferences in college football. ESPN and FOX have been competing for years for college football viewers, and ESPN now holds the exclusive rights to the SEC. It makes sense that FOX is unwilling to allow ESPN to have a piece of the Big Ten pie as well.
ESPN reached an agreement last week to acquire NFL Network, and RedZone is part of the deal. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that the deal, if and when it is finalized, will allow ESPN to apply the RedZone format to other sports should the network want to do that.
As current NFL RedZone host Scott Hanson laid out, there would be several challenges standing in the way of ESPN launching a successful RedZone program for college football.
Home Run Derby broadcast could move to streaming service
Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby could be heading to a streaming service next year as part of negotiations on new TV rights deals.
Netflix has emerged as a potential landing spot for the Home Run Derby starting in 2026, according to Andrew Marchand of The Athletic. Those rights are available after MLB walked away from its deal with ESPN earlier this year.
MLB has also been in discussions with NBC and Apple for the rights to “Sunday Night Baseball,” but the Home Run Derby appears likely to be separated from that package. A one-off event like the derby fits Netflix’s strategy, as they have also used it to acquire one-off Christmas Day games from the NFL.
The Home Run Derby is not the marquee event it once was for MLB. The league often struggles to get star players to participate, and is constantly changing the format to try to make it flow more smoothly. Players are still capable of putting on a show, but the length of the event can be a big drawback.
ESPN has aired the Home Run Derby since 1993, and has shown it live since 1998. That appears almost certain to change in 2026 and beyond.
