Continuing to work around the edges of coveted but highly expensive live sports TV rights, Netflix has announced its first big collaboration with Major League Baseball. 

The streaming company has commissioned two documentaries focused on the Boston Red Sox: one will closely track the coaches and players throughout the 2024 season, as they look to rebound from a last-place American League East finish last summer. 

A second documentary will look back on the Red Sox's unlikely 2004 World Series Championship, which hung on an historic comeback from a 3-0 deficit against the New York Yankees in the American League Championship series.

Netflix's press release announcing the two projects can be found here. 

The as yet unnamed 2024 season project will debut in 2025 and be executive produced and directed by Greg Whiteley of One Potato Productions (Cheer, Last Chance U, Wrestlers). Also serving as executive producers are Andrew Fried and Dane Lillegard of Boardwalk Pictures (Cheer, Chef’s Table, Race: Bubba Wallace).

The 2004 season retrospective, which will drop on Netflix "later this year," is produced by Meadowlark Media, and executive produced by Nick Barnicle, Colin Barnicle, John Skipper, Deirdre Fenton, Howard Bryant, Melody Shaffir, Nick Davis and Nick Trotta. It's directed by Colin Barnicle.

As for the Red Sox upcoming season, pundit expectations aren't necessarily high or a rebound. 

Still, Netflix is convinced that the documentaries, focused on one of sports' most historic franchises, which is rabidly followed by one of the most obnoxious fan bases, will score with subscribers. 

“Our fans love that our sports series focus on the drama of sport and nothing was more dramatic than the 2004 Red Sox season, especially having witnessed their comeback from the bleachers during Game 7 against the Yankees,” said Gabe Spitzer, VP of nonfiction sports for Netflix, in a statement. 

Netflix's successful track record with sports documentaries includes last summer's collaboration with the NFL, Quarterback, which debuted as the No. 1 series in subscription streaming in the U.S. and Canada back in July.

Fox Sports and Religion of Sports will profile the memorable 2004 New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox American League Championship Series in a new sports documentary debuting October 18. 

The Game That Changed Everything: Yankees vs. Red Sox ‘04 ALCS will focus on Game 4 of the baseball series in which the Red Sox — already down 3-0 in the series — scored a come-from-behind win, which served as a prelude to the team’s historic defeat of the Yankees in the series and eventual World Series championship. 

The documentary will feature interviews with players involved in the series, including Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, David Ortiz, Mariano Rivera, Johnny Damon, Kevin Millar, Dave Roberts and Orlando Cabrera. 

The Game That Changed Everything: Yankees vs. Red Sox ’04 ALCS is executive produced by Gotham Chopra, Ameeth Sankaran, Victor Buhler, Eric Shanks, Mark Silverman, Charlie Dixon and Barry Nugent.

“Fox Sports is thrilled to commemorate one of the most iconic stories in baseball as retold through varying perspectives of some of the best players and sports personalities in Major League Baseball,” Fox Sports VP of development and original programming Barry Nugent said in a statement. “As Fox is the exclusive home of the ALCS this postseason, we’re excited to present a never-before-seen interpretation of arguably one of the greatest games in ALCS history to reignite fan enthusiasm behind this iconic series.”

This weekend’s lineup of live TV sports action starts on the baseball diamond as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox continue their longtime rivalry.

On Saturday night Fox will televise the Yankees-Red Sox game from Fenway Park, while ESPN on Sunday will air the rubber game of the series as part of its Sunday Night Baseball presentation.

Also from the baseball diamond, Peacock on Sunday will stream the San Diego Padres-Washington Nationals game.

In the boxing ring, ESPN on Saturday will televise the Teofimo Lopez-Pedro Campa junior welterweight fight, while in the octagon ESPN will air the Marlon Vera-Dominick Cruz UFC bantamweight fight.

On the links NBC and Golf Channel will offer final round coverage of the PGA St. Jude Championship golf championship, while on the soccer field USA, NBC and Peacock will air a combined nine Premier League games over the weekend.

ABC will offer a Sunday WNBA doubleheader telecast featuring the Minnesota Lynx-Connecticut Sun and the Seattle Storm-Las Vegas Aces games. ■  

Dennis Eckersley announced he will depart the Boston Red Sox broadcast team at the end of the season. In the baseball Hall of Fame, Eckersley, who is 67, joined NESN in 2003 as a studio analyst and moved to the broadcast booth in 2009. 

He was both a starting pitcher and a reliever in an MLB career that lasted 24 seasons. He played for the Indians, Cubs, A’s, Cardinals and Red Sox before retiring in 1998. 

Eckersley is an outspoken analyst. NESN noted his “effortless banter and smart analysis.”

“We are fortunate that Dennis has been a part of our Red Sox coverage on NESN for 20 years. His unbridled passion, nuanced insights and Eck humor will be dearly missed and we are thankful for his many contributions to NESN,” Sean McGrail, NESN president and CEO, said. “We wish him the best as he embarks on this next chapter of his life as a grandfather, father, husband and member of Red Sox Nation.”

Eckersley went 197-171 with a 3.50 ERA, and saved 390 games. He won an MVP and a Cy Young Award. 

"After 50 years in Major League Baseball, I am excited about this next chapter of my life," Eckersley said. "I will continue to be an ambassador for the club and a proud member of Red Sox Nation, while transitioning to life after baseball alongside my wife Jennifer, my children and my grandchildren."

Eckersley continued, “I’m forever grateful to NESN, the Red Sox, my family and the fans for supporting me throughout my career and through this decision and I look forward to remaining engaged with the team in a variety of capacities for years to come.” ■

This weekend’s list of live TV sports events starts on the tennis court with the final round of the Wimbledon tennis tournament on ESPN. On Saturday Ons Jabeur will face Elena Rybakina in the women’s finals, while on Sunday Nick Kyrgios will battle top-seeded Novak Djokovic for the men’s title. 

ABC will replay the women’s finals match on Saturday afternoon and the men’s finals event on Sunday afternoon. 

On the racetrack, FS1 on Saturday will televise the NASCAR Truck O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 race, while USA Network offers up coverage of the Xfinity Alsco Uniforms 250 race. On Sunday ESPN will televise the Formula One Australian Grand Prix while USA televises the NASCAR Cup Quaker State 400. 

On the links, NBC will televise the final rounds of the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament, while CBS and the Golf Channel will provide weekend coverage of the DP World Scottish Open golf tournament. 

Peacock’s Sunday afternoon baseball game features the Los Angeles Angels against the Baltimore Orioles while ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball telecast will pit the New York Yankees against the Boston Red Sox.

In the boxing ring, Showtime on Saturday will televise the Mark Magsayo-Rey Vargas World Boxing Council featherweight title fight. In the octagon, ESPN will carry Saturday’s Brian Ortega-Yair Rodriguez featherweight match.■  

New England Sports Network, the RSN home to the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins, will become the first regional sports network in America to offer its service outside the pay TV bundle as a direct-to-consumer streaming service. 

Starting Wednesday, NESN 360 will be available in the home market for $29.99 a month, with the first month promotionally priced at $1. An annual subscription is priced at $329.99 and includes eight tickets to see the Red Sox, currently a middling fourth place in the American League East and watching the Yankees run away with the division. 

Subscribers can stream NESN’s live feeds and VOD library directly to their computer, iOS and Android mobile devices, and Apple TV or Roku connected TV gadgets and enabled smart TVs. A page outlining the service can be found here. 

Those who already subscribe to NESN through a linear pay TV operator will be able to authenticate and view NESN 360 the ol’ TV Everywhere way. (The service appears based on the legacy NESN app and NESN TV platform, which has long provided pay TV subscribers TVE streaming rights to the channel.)

NESN is only available in the New England region, with Major League Baseball and its MLB TV product controlling national OTT rights. 

“We believe the direct subscription option will build on NESN’s reach in the region,” said Sean McGrail, NESN’s president and chief executive officer, in a statement.

NESN is majority-owned by Fenway Sports Group, which also owns the Red Sox. Its linear channel is currently available across New England, save for Fairfield County, Connecticut, via pay TV bundlers including Comcast, Charter Communications, Cox Communications, DirecTV, Verizon Communications and fuboTV. 

NESN 360 beat Sinclair Broadcast Group to market, with the station owner planning to launch its own DTC service later this summer for its Bally Sports Group RSNs. 

Sinclair has tied up local OTT rights for teams NBA and NHL teams covered by its 19 Bally Sports channels. Sinclair also has DTC rights to Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays. ■

Tiger Woods’ return to PGA tournament competition leads this weekend’s list of televised sports events.

Woods is competing in this weekend’s Masters tournament less than 17 months after suffering severe leg injuries in a horrific car crash. The tournament, which airs live on CBS, is the first major PGA event for Woods since playing in the 2020 Masters tournament.

Also: Tiger Woods' Comeback Gives ESPN Masters Coverage 21% Boost in Viewers

On the diamond, Major League Baseball’s opening weekend showcases five live games on MLB Network, concluding with ESPN’s first Sunday Night Baseball telecast featuring a game between heated rivals the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. 

In the ring, DAZN will feature the International Boxing Federation middleweight title fight between champion Gennady Golovkin and challenger Ryota Murata. Showtime will feature a main event bout between junior middleweights Erickson Lubin and Sebastian Fundora. 

ESPN Plus will enter the octagon Saturday with the UFC 273 pay-per-view event featuring a main event featherweight championship matchup between titleholder Alexander Volkanovski and Chan Sung Jung.

On the ice, ABC Saturday will air the Washington Capitals-Pittsburgh Penguins NHL game, while on Sunday TNT will air a doubleheader featuring the Boston Bruins-Washington Capitals and the Nashville Predators-Penguins game. 

The NBA enters the final weekend of its regular season with Sunday games on ESPN (Indiana Pacers-Brooklyn Nets) and TNT (Boston Bruins-Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors-New Orleans Pelicans.)

USA, NBC and Peacock will feature more than nine Premier League games combined on Saturday and Sunday. ESPN and FS1 will feature Major League Soccer games over the weekend. NBC will feature the IndyCar Grand Prix of Long Beach auto race. ■    

Jerry Remy, broadcaster for the Boston Red Sox, has died following a long battle with cancer. Remy, who also played for the Red Sox, was 68. 

From Somerset, Massachusetts, Remy played for the Angels from 1975 to 1977 and the Red Sox from 1978 to 1984. A second baseman, he compiled a lifetime .275 batting average. 

He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006, and the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2017. He was elected president of fan club Red Sox Nation through a fan vote. 

Remy covered the Red Sox for NESN. He stepped away from his analyst role Aug. 4 to receive treatment for lung cancer. 

“I am heartbroken by the passing of my longtime friend and colleague, Jerry Remy,” said Sean McGrail, NESN president and CEO. “It is difficult to put into words how much Jerry has meant to all of us in Red Sox Nation. His storytelling, humor, and love for the game of baseball were unmatched, and it showed on our broadcast for the 33 years that he was a part of our NESN family. He connected with Boston fans in a way few have ever done. Jerry’s legacy as a phenomenal player, talented broadcaster, and passionate ambassador will live on in the hearts of Red Sox Nation. Our thoughts are with his wife, Phoebe, and the entire Remy family during this very difficult time.”

NESN will air Remy’s first Red Sox game as a broadcaster at 7 p.m. Nov. 1. 

“Red Sox Nation lost a beloved icon,” said on-air partner Dennis Eckersley. “I lost a longtime friend, teammate and broadcast partner. He will be missed by all. Fenway Park will never be the same again.”

Added NESN host Tom Caron, “It’s hard to put into words what Jerry meant to me, and to all of us who love the Red Sox. He was one of us. His voice, his outlook and his style were all uniquely New England, and that authenticity was what made him stand out as a broadcaster. I’ve never met anyone who loved baseball more. That passion for the game, combined with his knowledge and one-of-a-kind sense of humor made him one of the best in the business. It’s hard to imagine a Red Sox season without Jerry. We will all miss him terribly.”

The live TV sports schedule for the last weekend of September starts on the baseball diamond as the race for the playoff heats up with only one week left in the regular season. ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball will telecast the game between bitter rivals the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox as they battle for an American League wild card playoff berth. 

In other sports NBC and Golf Channel will provide weekend coverage of pro golf’s Ryder Cup tournament. NBCSN will offer tripleheader Premier League soccer action on Saturday, while FS1 and ESPN air Major League Soccer telecasts on Sunday.

Week three of the NFL continues Sunday with regional action from Fox and CBS Sunday afternoon along with NBC’s Sunday Night Football game coverage between NFC rivals Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49’ers.

The WNBA playoffs continue on ABC with the Phoenix Mercury traveling to Seattle to meet the defending WNBA champion Storm. 

National broadcast and cable networks will carry college football games from nine of the top 10 ranked teams in action as the season enters its fourth week. The SEC Network’s cameras will follow top-ranked Alabama as the team travels to play Southern Miss, as well as second ranked Georgia as it plays Vanderbilt.

ESPN will air third ranked Oregon’s game against rival Oregon, ABC will televise No. 4 Oklahoma against West Virginia and FS1 will carry No.5 Iowa versus Colorado State. The rest of the games include No. 6 Penn State-Villanova (Big Ten Network), No. 7 Texas A&M-No. 16 Arkansas (CBS), No. 9 Clemson-NC State (ESPN) and No. 10 Ohio State-Akron (Big Ten Network). 

ESPN Plus will distribute the UFC 266 pay-per-view fight card featuring a main event match between featherweights Alexander Volkanovski and Brian Ortega. 

NESN has apologized for remarks made by network baseball analyst Jerry Remy surrounding New York Yankees’ starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka during NESN’s Yankees-Boston Red Sox telecast last night.

NESN in a statement said: “Relative to last night's NESN telecast from New York, NESN does not agree with any such views expressed by Jerry Remy and we know from talking to Jerry that he regrets making them. The network sincerely apologizes to anyone who was offended by Jerry’s comments,”

During the fourth inning of last night’s Yankees-Red Sox game, Remy commented that Tanaka, who speaks Japanese, shouldn’t be allowed to have a translator present when the team’s coaches visit the mound. Tanaka’s translator Shingo Horie joined Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild on the mound to speak to Tanaka.

‘‘I don’t think that should be legal,’’ Remy said, according to the Boston Globe. ‘‘Learn baseball language. You know, learn, it’s pretty simple. You break it down pretty easy between pitching coach and pitcher after a long period of time.”

The comment drew criticism on social media. 

 Remy also issued an apology via twitter:  

I sincerely apologize to those who were offended by my comments during the telecast last night.

— Jerry Remy (RemDawg) (@Jerry_Remy) June 7, 2017

RELATED STORY: 'Home Run Derby' Pulls 4.9 Overnight Rating

Ahead of tonight's Major League Baseball All Star Game on Fox (July 14), the Harris Poll and digital network 120 Sports each released some stats of their own about America's favorite pastime.

Who's on First?
32% of Americans say they follow Major League Baseball (vs. 37% last year). Of those:
- 43% are men; 22% are women;
- 38% live in the West, 36% in the Midwest, 34% in the East and 25% in the South;
- 36% are suburbanites, 26% live in rural areas; and
- 41% are college grads, 39% have attended grad school, 33% have some college and 26% have a high school education or less.

Top 5 Favorite Teams

(1) New York Yankees
(2) Boston Red Sox
(3) Chicago Cubs
(4) Los Angeles Dodgers
(5) Detroit Tigers

Top 5 Picks to Win the World Series

(1) St. Louis Cardinals (17%)*
(2) New York Yankees (11%)
(3) Kansas City Royals (10%)
(4) Los Angeles Dodgers (9%)
(5) San Francisco Giants (7%)

*The last time the Cardinals were the top pick (in 2013), they made it to the series but were defeated by the Red Sox.

Instant Replay Reaction
- 75% of fans are aware of this season's new instant replay rule.
- 61% believe it has slowed down the pace of a typical game at least a little.
- 80% believe it has been good for the game overall.

SOURCE: The Harris Poll online survey of 2,200 adults, of whom 700 follow Major League Baseball; conducted June 17-22

120 Sports's Top 5 Millennial Players From the "MLB 25 and Under" List

(1) Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels, 23
(2) Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals, 22
(3) Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins, 25
(4) Manny Machado, Baltimore Orioles, 22
(5) Anthony Rizzo, ChicagoCubs, 25

Random Notes About the Top 25 "MLB 25 and Under" Players
- 17 are on the 2015 All-Star team rosters.
- They represent 15 MLB teams, with the most coming from the Houston Astros and the St. Louis Cardinals (3 each).
- 16 are from the National League; 9 are from the American League
- 7 are pitchers, 1 is a catcher, 3 play first base, 2 play second base, 4 play third base, 1 is a short stop, and seven are outfielders.
- 14 were first-round MLB Draft picks.

SOURCE:120 Sports

The All Star Game airs live from Great American Ball Park (home of the Cincinnati Reds) at 6 p.m. on Fox.