Overview
- MLB split the 2026 draft across NBC, MLB Network and MLB.com and moved it out of primetime into an afternoon broadcast window, which forced viewers to change platforms to follow picks.
- The NBC portion of the broadcast featured prolonged delays before the No. 1 pick, Commissioner Rob Manfred mispronouncing Roch Cholowsky’s name, and other on-air miscues that drew immediate attention.
- Social media, writers and draft analysts criticized the production, with some calling the day a national embarrassment and arguing the changes made the draft feel more niche than mainstream.
- The decision reduced easy access to early picks for many viewers and came against a backdrop of low historical draft audiences, which averaged about 863,000 viewers across ESPN and MLB Network in 2024.
- Observers say the league prioritized a broadcast window that favored advertising revenue and network placement, and critics warn these choices and the execution could erode efforts to grow the draft unless MLB makes changes.