Netflix signed a three-year media rights deal with Major League Baseball in November last year. The deal runs through 2028 and is approximately worth $50 million annually. It marked a major transition from the era of FOX, TBS, and ESPN, which had held the media rights through 2025. Netflix was also the primary broadcaster for MLB at Field of Dreams. But baseball fans are picky, and Netflix just can’t get it right. Fans were once again disappointed with the streaming giant and its rendition of the scorebug on Thursday. They even called Netflix out for ‘ruining’ their experience.
Fans have been skeptical of Netflix’s venture into baseball from the start, worried it would hamper their gameday experience. Those concerns only deepened during this year’s Opening Night and Home Run Derby broadcasts. When the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants opened the season, fans were stuck squinting at a scorebug so small it drew complaints across the internet. Netflix streamed the Home Run Derby a few weeks later on July 13 without addressing it, so by the time the Field of Dreams Game rolled around, fans had already sat through two broadcasts with the same complaint.
This time, Netflix swung hard in the other direction. The streaming platform debuted a giant, larger-than-usual scorebug occupying the bottom-right corner of the screen. Awful Announcing posted a video showing exactly how it looked as Kyle Schwarber hit a home run during the Phillies’ 7-1 win over the Twins.
“Netflix heard the critics on the Opening Day scorebug… and decided to just make an absolutely enormous one,” wrote Awful Announcing on X. “Here’s how it looks as Kyle Schwarber hits a leadoff homer in the Field of Dreams Game.”
The new design was a far cry from the traditional scorebugs baseball fans are used to. Done up in a blue-and-red theme, everything on it was technically readable, but the word “Netflix” stretched in oversized font across the bases turned out to be its own kind of eyesore.
Netflix faced complaints from fans over streaming issues even before it partnered with MLB. During the Christmas Day coverage of the Washington Commanders vs Dallas Cowboys, fans complained about problems accessing the website.
Netflix streamed the third edition of the Field of Dreams game on Thursday. The last time it was held was in 2022. MLB inaugurated the Field of Dreams game on August 12, 2021, with a match between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox. The White Sox won the 9-8 thriller with a homer from Tim Anderson, who recently retired. FOX was the official broadcaster at the time. They even had a special corn-themed scorebug to fit the occasion.
After consecutive disappointing performances from the Phillies hitters, Thursday was a relief. While Aaron Nola and the bullpen kept the Twins limited to a single run, Schwarber set off the fireworks early. After his leadoff solo shot, Schwarber homered again, adding two more runs and extending the Phillies’ lead to 4-2. Bryce Harper and Bryson Stott both drove in RBI singles, while Brandon Marsh launched a two-run homer to lock the score at 7-1.
It was an entertaining night, but the fans can’t stop being irritated with the scorebug. With the Netflix scorebug being a disappointment every time, fans expressed their frustration with the streaming giant.
Fans React to Giant Netflix Scorebug at Field of Dreams
One fan on X echoed what many baseball fans are thinking at this point: “Netflix ruined everything.” Another called the bug not even fit for a midweek college football match of the Mid-American Conference. He wrote, “This bug isn’t even good enough for Wednesday night MACtion.”
One user took a jab at the graphics team, saying, “Genuinely hideous scorebug. Looks like they got it from a graphics package from like 2007.”
“Wish they’d stop giving Netflix games…. Seriously. Leave it to the professionals,” remarked another. However, much to this fan’s disappointment, Netflix is not going anywhere till 2028.
“And they still don’t have anything for ABS,” commented another.
Fans had multiple problems with Netflix’s broadcast during its first two streaming attempts. Perhaps not liking the scorebug is the least serious allegation. During HR Derby and Opening Night, fans have also complained about buffering, picture quality, and missing crucial moments.
The broadcaster failed to display the moment the game’s first-ever ABS challenge was issued. While it was happening, the camera was turned towards the dugout and missed capturing the moment.
However, not everyone seemed to be as frustrated. Some were just happy to read the scores. After the small fonts that put strain on our eyes during the Netflix Opening Day broadcast, it was a relief on Thursday.
One fan wrote, “Credit where it’s due but it still looks goofy with every bit of the typeface being bolded.”
Netflix won’t get another shot at the scorebug until Opening Night 2027, scheduled for March 24, giving the streamer more than seven months to figure out a design that finally sticks.