In media, we talk a lot about the currency of connection. It’s the ability of a brand or talent to find ways to attach itself to the everyday consumer and become an important part of that person’s daily life. It’s difficult to earn and even harder to maintain in an increasingly crowded content space that continues to grow. When Intentional Talk announced last month that the show would be ending its 16-year run on MLB Network, baseball fans and players alike demonstrated just how strong their connection to the program had become.
Social media was buzzing. Commentators across traditional and digital media were aghast. How could MLB Network decide to cut its flagship program when so much uncertainty lies ahead this winter for the sport itself? The reaction was loud, and MLB heard it. On Wednesday, MLB reversed course and chose connection over cost.
It goes without saying that Major League Baseball has a lot on its plate at the moment. The glory and spotlight of the World Series are now in the rearview mirror. In addition, the hangovers from the Milwaukee Brewers’ first World Series parade have begun to fade. Ahead lies the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement and the potential for a long, drawn-out negotiation.
Yet, amid all the noise and the storm ahead, MLB wanted to ensure that one element of the baseball experience wouldn’t disappear. The one hour each weekday that belonged to Kevin Millar, Ryan Dempster and Siera Santos.
Throw The Curve
Yesterday was originally scheduled to be Intentional Talk’s finale. Moreover, the MLB Network website’s television schedule even listed the program’s timeslot as “Final Show.”
Instead, the episode became a celebration that was never planned. The show wrapped up its 16th season on MLB Network with a “see you next season.” Instead of the depressing “see you down the road.” While the reasons behind the decision to end Intentional Talk were never revealed, the reasons to keep it were evident.
Connection is currency. In media, it’s among the most valuable assets any brand or talent can own. Intentional Talk was never a ratings juggernaut, crushing viewership records year after year. The program rarely broke major news or leaned into the kind of hot takes that drive engagement online.
Instead, Intentional Talk earned its connection through honest, revealing and entertaining conversations that celebrated the game and the personalities surrounding it. For years, I heard people talk about how baseball doesn’t do enough to market its biggest personalities. Of course, superstars from large-market teams are often the ones featured in national advertising campaigns.
However, the underlying roster of talent and the personalities behind those players represent a largely untapped source of interest in the sport. That’s where Intentional Talk swung for the fence.
Intentional Talk was the vehicle that connected fans to that layer of baseball through personality. It took a game some consider boring and made it entertaining by showcasing its lighter side. More importantly, it gave players an opportunity to reveal their personalities. They could crack jokes, answer trivia questions and connect with audiences in ways that no home run or postgame press conference could replicate.
Intentional Talk has become, and continues to be, your favorite baseball player’s favorite baseball show.
Connection Is Currency
It shouldn’t be surprising that the outpouring of support for the program ultimately tipped the scales and prompted MLB to reconsider its decision. I wish more companies would put the viewer’s perspective first when making programming decisions rather than allowing other considerations to take precedence.
Yes, shows and talent come and go. That’s the nature of the industry. However, some programs are outliers that become incredibly difficult to replace. We have this discussion all the time about Pardon the Interruption, Inside the NBA and several other programs. They are built around identities that connect with viewers and make them feel invested in the entertainment value of sports.
Intentional Talk should serve as a reminder to every show, network and talent in sports media that the most valuable connection you can build doesn’t necessarily come through the biggest interview, the loudest opinion or the most viral moment. It comes from finding a way to make sports more personal for the people watching.
Millar, Dempster and Santos, along with former hosts Chris Rose and Stephen Nelson, found that pathway through baseball. They created a space where fans could connect with the personalities behind the game rather than simply the results on the field.
Every show and every talent should be looking for its own version of that connection. What makes your audience feel invested? What makes people want to spend an hour with you when they have countless other options? And what can you offer that makes your relationship with them difficult to replace?
In an industry where programming decisions are often dictated by ratings, viewership and the bottom line. Intentional Talk demonstrated that audience connection still carries tremendous value over all that. Moreover, you can’t always control the decisions made above you, the direction of the industry or how long you have a platform. But you can control the relationships you build with your audience.
If there’s one lesson to take from Intentional Talk’s 16-year run and reverse course by MLB Network, it’s that finding your own pathway to connection through sports might be the best investment you can make in securing your future in sports media.
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