The night was filled with bright stars and shining trophies of the sports world. Everyone rejoiced, but no one could compare to how one of baseball’s legends felt when his team won. The celebrated slugger, former Yankee Alex Rodriguez, was clearly delighted by the team’s big success. This zeal was not only for the victory, but also a sign of camaraderie and shared achievement. The buzz truly set the stage for a memorable Emmy evening, proving that teamwork still makes the dream work—even on television.

The 46th Annual Sports Emmy Awards recently lit up New York City. The grand event took place at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall and honored some of the very best in sports television. Despite intense competition, “Fox MLB: The Postseason” won the Emmy for Outstanding Studio Show – Limited Run. This prestigious award paid tribute to its incredible postseason coverage in 2024. Senior Coordinating Producer Bardia Shah-Rais received the award on behalf of the Fox Sports team.

Rodriguez, never one to hide his feelings, celebrated with his trademark flair. On his Instagram handle, he shared a short clip of Shah-Rais accepting the coveted award for the team and congratulated his colleagues, calling out the entire Fox MLB team for their hard work and dedication. A-Rod captioned it, “Emmy for MLB: The Post Season! Congrats to the whole @mlbonfox team.“

This public praise reflected his past sentiments about the crew. “We’ve become a very close family—both on set and with all of the great support we have backstage,” he once said. That’s why this feat felt more personal for the star analyst.

Rodriguez’s journey from superstar athlete to Emmy-winning broadcaster is a story of reinvention. Since retiring from MLB in August 2016, he has impressively reinvented himself in the media. He quickly became an MLB Studio Analyst for Fox Sports. He brings the same passion and energy to the studio that he once showed on the field. People immediately recognized his broadcasting talent—legend Bob Costas even called him “an absolute natural.“

But FOX Sports isn’t the only broadcasting network the Yankees legend contributes to. A year after signing with FOX, he joined ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball and has diversified into shows like ‘Shark Tank.’

Fox MLB: The Postseason dominates studio awards

The Emmy shone a light on the entire Fox MLB production powerhouse with the grand recognition. And among the many who deserve the credit, Bardia Shah-Rais, the Senior Coordinating Producer, is a key figure in this success. With an impressive ‘3 wins & 3 nominations’ to his name, his leadership is undeniable.

You know a fun fact? It’s Shah-Rais who allows talents like Rodriguez to “let their personalities out on air,” as some executive shared.  This unified vision, which extends to executive producers Eric Shanks, John Entz, and other producers, is noteworthy for keeping the show at the top of its game.

Fox MLB: The Postseason consistently excels in the Outstanding Studio Show – Limited Run category. This unique Emmy celebrates studio productions connected to a short-term series or event. It recognizes the intense effort poured into covering high-stakes playoff baseball. The show previously won in this category at the 38th Sports Emmys in 2017.

On an additional note, the 46th Sports Emmys saw some other big names take awards home, too. Charles Barkley from TNT was honored with the Outstanding Personality/Studio Analyst award. Peyton Manning, an ESPN analyst, was named the Best Event Analyst, while Fox’s Joe Davis was lauded for Play-by-Play. NBC and Peacock celebrated ten wins, largely for their Summer Olympics coverage. These varied winners showcase the breadth of talent across the sports broadcasting landscape. It was indeed a fabulous night celebrating diverse excellence in the industry.