Off Base
| Off Base | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Baseballcommentary |
| Starring | Lauren Gardner Xavier Scruggs Ariel Epstein Russell Dorsey |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No.of seasons | 3 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | MLB Network |
| Release | April 11, 2022– present |
Off Baseis an Americanbaseballcommentary show onMLB Network.The show airs every weekday at 4:00 p.m.ETduring theMajor League Baseballregular season and is hosted byLauren Gardnerwith analysis fromXavier Scruggs,Ariel Epstein, and various guest analysts.Off Baseis a youth-oriented show featuring a segment highlighting the off-fieldfashionchoices of MLB players and another segment dedicated to discussions about growing baseball's influence with younger audiences.
History
[edit]Off Basewas announced as an addition toMLB Network's programming in April 2022, just after the2021–22 Major League Baseball lockoutand prior to the start of the2022 season.The show's direction was noted as being a part of MLB's efforts to address low viewership with younger audiences, particularly amongGeneration ZandMillennials.A poll conducted bySeton Hall Universitythree months prior to the debut of the show found that MLB viewership was declining, particularly among younger fans.[1]
Lauren Gardner,who has been an MLB Network personality since 2019, was tapped as the show's inaugural host. Former MLB first basemanXavier Scruggs,baseball writer Hannah Keyser, and WFAN Radio sports radio host Keith McPherson joined the show as permanent analysts, with a fourth spot on the set left open for rotating guest analysts,[2]which have included former MLB catcherAnthony Reckerand actress Ellen Adair. The show debuted on April 11, 2022, from a new set at MLB Network's Studio 21 inSecaucus, New Jersey.[3]
For the 2023 season, Keyser and McPherson's spots were vacated and left open for new rotating guest analysts, and the panel was joined byYahoo!sports bettinganalyst Ariel Epstein.[4]Then for the 2024 season, Yahoo! MLB insiderRussell Dorseyjoined the show as a regular guest.
References
[edit]- ^Foster, Jason (6 January 2022)."As lockout drags on, poll indicates MLB could be charting path to irrelevance".Sporting News.Retrieved21 April2022.
- ^"Off Base".MLB Network.Retrieved21 April2022.
- ^Steinberg, Brian (7 April 2022)."MLB Network Makes Play For Younger Fans With 'Top of The Order'".Yahoo! Sports.Yahoo!.Retrieved21 April2022.
- ^An audience with Ariel Epstein, sports betting's Prop Queen