Kevin Millar had already begun preparing for goodbye. Less than two weeks before MLB Network’s show Intentional Talk was scheduled to end, the longtime co-host admitted on-air that he had struggled to process the news that the network was canceling its longest-running talk show.
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“I got a call a few days ago. I’m still processing. I’ve cried. I’ve taken walks. I don’t know how to handle it yet. I don’t know what the future is going to hold,” Millar said.
On Wednesday, however, MLB abruptly changed course. According to The Athletic‘s Andrew Marchand, Commissioner Rob Manfred, senior executive Noah Garden, and other league officials reversed the decision to cancel Intentional Talk after fans and players voiced strong support for keeping the program on the air.
Millar, Ryan Dempster, and Siera Santos were expected to address the decision during Wednesday’s 3 p.m. ET broadcast, which had originally been scheduled as the show’s farewell episode.
The reversal followed a wave of criticism after MLB Network first announced that Intentional Talk would end following the World Series.
Fans across social media reacted negatively to the news, with many expressing disappointment that one of MLB Network’s most recognizable programs was being removed from the lineup after more than a decade on air.
Much of the reaction centered on the chemistry between Millar, Dempster, and Santos, while others questioned why the network would move away from a program that remained one of its most familiar brands.
That support ultimately became impossible for league executives to ignore. According to Marchand’s reporting, the feedback from fans and players played a significant role in MLB’s decision to reverse course.
A Show with A Long History
Intentional Talk debuted in 2011 with Millar and Chris Rose as co-hosts. Rose remained with the program until MLB Network elected not to renew his contract following the 2020 season. Stephen Nelson later stepped into the role before departing in 2023 to join the Los Angeles Dodgers’ television broadcast team.
In March 2023, MLB Network announced that Ryan Dempster and Siera Santos would join Millar, creating the trio that currently hosts the show. Millar later revealed that he and Rose originally believed the program might survive only a few months.
Instead, it became one of MLB Network’s most enduring properties.
ESPN also carried Intentional Talk on ESPN2 beginning in 2017 before removing it from the schedule in 2018. MLB Network continued airing the program throughout that period.
According to Barrett Media, the planned cancellation was part of a broader round of programming changes across the network. Other shows affected by recent cuts included High Heat and The Rundown.
What made this situation unusual was that, despite previous host changes, Intentional Talk had never faced cancellation before. The timing of the decision is notable.
MLB’s current collective bargaining agreement is scheduled to expire on December 1, and concerns about another labor dispute remain a major talking point around the league. The previous lockout lasted 99 days before MLB and the Players Association reached a new agreement in 2022.
While there is no evidence that labor talks directly influenced the decision to keep Intentional Talk, maintaining goodwill with both fans and players is especially valuable at a time when negotiations remain under the spotlight.
For now, however, the focus remains squarely on the program itself. Just days after preparing for its farewell broadcast, Intentional Talk has been given a reprieve. A show that had already begun saying goodbye suddenly has a future again, thanks largely to the fans and players who pushed MLB to reconsider.