Fox is hoping to build off the intense Red Sox-Yankees rivalry and the unusual atmosphere London will provideGETTY IMAGES
This weekend's Yankees-Red Sox at London Stadium is "part of an MLB initiative to help spread baseball more globally," but Fox' main concern ahead of its broadcast of Saturday's game is "making it feel remarkable for the millions of fans who are watching from their couches, just as most would if the game was in Yankee Stadium or Fenway Park," according to Justin Terranova of the N.Y. POST. Joe Buck and John Smoltz will call the game from London, and there have been "London-themed commercials running for weeks during Fox's baseball coverage." The net plans to air "both anthems, the pregame introduction for the players and the other little details that Fox hopes will give more juice to the rivalry" (N.Y. POST, 6/28). Fox Sports VP/Media Relations Eddie Motl said that the net will "go all-out with its coverage ... treating it like an All-Star and postseason contest." Motl: "We are putting a lot into this from a production and operations standpoint. This has included us having specialty shoots with both teams, additional cameras and the addition of our pregame show on-site." Buck said that he "expects the coverage to be flavored by what figures to be an unusual atmosphere." ESPN will broadcast Sunday's game, and in St. Louis, Dan Caesar reports the net's coverage includes planned segments "showcasing the English influences on the game as well as a piece about how the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry compares to the soccer version between Manchester United and Liverpool" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 6/28).
