Fox Sports will use technology to bring baseball fans closer to the action during its live telecast of the 93rd Major League Baseball All-Star Game tonight (July 11) from Seattle’s T-Mobile Park.
For the first time, Fox during its All-Star Game coverage will employ aerial drone technology to capture the action from unique angles throughout the ballpark, Fox Sports president of production and operations/executive producer Brad Zager said. “We’ll utilize the drone as players come on and off the field at the end of half innings, which is a first for us,” he said. “We’ll continue to push access and let viewers at home learn and hear from these all-star players more than they may get during the regular season.”
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Fox Sports will also look to provide a window into the player’s perspective during its telecast by placing live microphones on players, said Zager. The pregame studio booth featuring former MLB All-Stars Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz and Derek Jeter — who played in nearly 40 All-Star Games between them — will also provide analysis from a player’s point of view, he said.
“Having those guys there will allow viewers to get their perspective and offer context into what it’s like to play in an All-Star Game,” Zager said.
Overall, Zager said baseball’s new rules implemented this season, including a pitch clock to speed up the game, will not alter Fox’s production of the All-Star Game. “We think the rule changes that baseball has put in has done nothing but make this great game even better,” he said. “We look at the All-Star game as an opportunity to look at the game almost half-inning by half-inning in terms of who’s on the field and what stories we can tell.”
Fox’s 2022 MLB All-Star Game telecast averaged 7.51 million viewers, which was down 7% from the year prior. Zager believes that the league's momentum stemming from the strong play on the field and enhanced by the rule changes should bode well for All-Star game viewership.
“It’s been a great year for baseball with the changes that they’ve made, which has translated to fans being excited about watching games,” he said. “With the All-Star game you’ve got a great mix this year of established stars like [Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder] Mookie Betts as well as some of the younger guys you want to show off like [Baltimore Orioles catcher] Adley Rutschman and [Atlanta Braves outfielder] Ronald Acuna Jr. We’re looking forward to a great game.”
Play-by-play announcer Joe Davis and analyst John Smoltz will call the game for Fox. It will also air live on Fox Deportes as well as on the Fox Sports app.
