Tigers fans were furious over ESPN’s Little League Classic coverage
Mar 30, 2019; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The hat and glove of a Detroit Tigers player before a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Yankees on Sunday were the main attraction in the MLB’s seventh annual Little League Classic at Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pa. The Detroit Tigers also happened to be there.
That’s how it felt for Detroit’s supporters who tuned in to ESPN’s broadcast of the event.
Detroit had AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal on the mound, but Tigers fans felt like their team was treated like an afterthought all game long. Several of them complained on X about ESPN making the Yankees the sole focus of the broadcast.
ESPN: OH MY GOD THE YANKEES AND JUAN SOTO AND AARON JUDGE WE LOVE THEM
…….
ESPN: I guess the Tigers are here too
— boots just wants treats (@t_kelly15) August 19, 2024
You can’t convince me these ESPN commentators have seen a single Tigers game this year.
— Matt Eifert (@meifert22) August 19, 2024
Yo @espn this is a Tigers home game believe it or not!!!!!!!! With the best pitcher in baseball!!!!! I feel like I’m watching a Yankees broadcast & it’s actually so disrespectful
— Britt (@brittytigs) August 19, 2024
ESPN hates the Tigers, Detroit walks it off to beat the Yankees on national tv then puts on the 28 out perfect game to bring our spirits back down….
— John Schantz (@John_Schantz13) August 19, 2024
Even Tigers owner Christopher Ilitch, who is a billionaire, got slighted by the ESPN broadcast.
Wow.
ESPN doesn’t even mention Chris Ilitch when talking about Little League President and CEO Stephen D. Keener retiring after this year.
They mentioned Keener, Joe Torre and Hal Steinbrenner but not the Tigers owner who are all in the picture.
How does that happen? pic.twitter.com/FZ0kaNr8g2
— Jeff Riger (@riger1984) August 19, 2024
ESPN didn’t even get the Tigers’ record right on their score bug. On the bright side for Tigers fans, the “Worldwide Leader” accidentally chopped off 30 losses from Detroit’s 60-64 record. Had the 60-34 record been real, Detroit would have had the best winning percentage in baseball.
Thank you @espn for making the world think the Tigers are 26 games over .500 pic.twitter.com/IgPbjDnYu0
— Dustin Schandevel (@D_Schandy24) August 18, 2024
The Tigers did get the last laugh as they walked off the Yankees in the 10th inning for a 3-2 victory. The final result may have caught the “SportsCenter” crew off guard after the game.
Parker Meadows is the #walkoff hero for the @Tigers at the #LittleLeagueClassic! pic.twitter.com/bh0WOCZB4i
— MLB (@MLB) August 19, 2024
the cut to a completely unprepared Sportscenter, which clearly did not brace for this outcome and is currently showing old (as in not even from tonight) highlights of Skubal followed by the Tigers' upcoming schedule, is beyond elite https://t.co/XL4LDL5qJn
— Listen Here Baseball Commissioner (@spacemnkymafia) August 19, 2024
Tigers fans may not have been happy, but at least the Little Leaguers in attendance appeared to have the time of their lives.