Major League Baseball

MLB: Could FOX's "Pitch" Bring in New Fans?

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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“Pitch”, a new series about a female pitcher making the major leagues, will premiere on FOX this week. Could the show help expand MLB’s reach?

For those few who have missed the incessant trailers or ads, the FOX network is launching a new baseball series called “Pitch.” It will be about a young woman breaking barriers in baseball and becoming the first woman to pitch in the major leagues.

The series is a unique idea that no doubt, will attract a lot of baseball fans. But could the series bring some new fans over to baseball?

The series will be focusing on the character’s struggle as she tries to adjust to life in baseball. The series will attract an audience that doesn’t follow baseball all that closely. No question, “Pitch” will attract new fans to baseball as well as perhaps inspiring the fictional part of this story to turn into a reality.

Actress Kylie Bunbury plays Ginny Baker, the first woman to play in Major League Baseball. She plays for the San Diego Padres. MLB allowed FOX access to the Padres’ park as well as uniforms. They provided plenty of opportunities for filming and have helped with the authenticity of the series.

It will hopefully help attract a larger female audience to baseball, and perhaps open the door to discussions about whether or not the gender barrier in baseball could ever truly be broken. While there are some very obvious issues with the idea, there is no reason it could not work at some point in the near future.

In a society so obsessed with equality and ensuring fair treatment regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, it is a bit surprising it has taken this long for the subject to be talked about. Women’s softball leagues as well as women baseball players have been around for many years. Why is it so unthinkable to consider the possibility of allowing women opportunities in the major leagues?

Not to say that it should be done as a sideshow to sell tickets (aka Tim Tebow). There simply should be opportunities for equality in baseball. Not for the sake of equality itself, or to prove a point, but to give equal opportunity. Who knows someday soon the story of “Pitch” could become a reality.

Former major league players Gregg Olson, Chad Kreuter, C.J. Nitkowski and Royce Clayton were brought in to help the actors brush up on the game of baseball. Olson had this to say of Bunbury: “Her mechanics are solid. You wouldn’t know she’s an actress.” That is pretty high praise coming from a former major league player, especially the fact that he specifies she doesn’t appear to be an actress.

The project has been in the works for a very long time and will premiere this Thursday, 9/22 at 8:59/7:59c on FOX.

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