Netflix’s first foray into a live MLB broadcast drew strong reactions across the baseball world following its Opening Night presentation last week. Now, one of the faces of the coverage is responding directly to the criticism. During an appearance on Pablo Torre Finds Out, Netflix lead sports anchor Elle Duncan pushed back on the outrage surrounding the platform’s debut, particularly complaints tied to its presentation style and handling of in-game moments.
Duncan dismissed the idea that the broadcast needed to meet traditional expectations for historic baseball moments. She argued that much of the backlash was overblown and suggested viewers were overstating the importance of how certain elements were presented.
“This was not for baseball like purists. You’ll watch it [baseball] anywhere. This was for the baseball curious. We told you that coming in,” explained Duncan. “A lot of what Netflix is doing in the sports world is yes, for the people that are always going to watch those sports. But also for the people that may be tuned in to Watch Love Is Blind. Saw the button for opening day on Netflix and thought, alright, check it out.”
Duncan also addressed criticism of the overall tone, including the use of celebrity appearances and entertainment-driven segments.
“I’m sorry. If you didn’t like Bert Kreischer, I’m sorry he took up six minutes of your four hour viewing experience,” said Duncan. “If you’re asking us to stop being ‘Netflixy,’ and asking us to stop using Jason Bateman or John Cena to explain ABS, or any of these other huge movie stars that every other network would love to have on their broadcast. Ultimately, asking us not to like be Netflix is not a thing that’s going to happen.”
She compared the complaints to expecting something entirely different from what was advertised, noting that Netflix has been consistent about blending sports with its broader entertainment identity.
“This is like going to a Mexican restaurant and then b****ing that they don’t have barbecue,” said Duncan. “Netflix has made no qualms about who they are. We’re going to ‘eventize’ these things. We’re going to pull people from the Netflix universe. That’s what we’re going to do.”
Still, not all feedback was dismissed. Duncan acknowledged that some criticism, particularly regarding the volume of promotional content, was fair.
“Too many promos. Message received,” said Duncan. “The shark one, because it was like Burt Kreischer out in the water. That sounds like the beginning of a shark movie. Speaking of which… You know as broadcaster, whenever you have to say speaking of which, your segue was s**t. I tried so hard to make that work… As soon as we got off air, the Netflix brass was, like, yeah, probably too many promos. Message received.”
The broadcast also mistakenly missed the first ever ABS challenge in MLB history, which was also a sticking point in much of the criticism surrounding the broadcast. Duncan admitted the timing was unfortunate, but the amount of negativity surrounding the error was over the top
“This idea of people being outraged. What you were gonna go to the Smithsonian and watch it over and over again,” questioned Duncan. “You were hoping for its official enshrinement into baseball lore. Get the f**k out of here. Y’all stop. You don’t care that much. Stop it.”
Even with the mixed reception, Duncan’s comments make clear that Netflix views its MLB coverage as an extension of its brand rather than a replication of traditional broadcasts. As the company continues its push into live sports, that philosophy is expected to remain central to its presentation.
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