Apple Push Into Baseball Includes Elevating Female Broadcasters

(Bloomberg) -- Apple Inc.’s push into streaming Major League Baseball games, part of an effort to expand its TV+ service, includes bringing more women into the broadcast booth.

Beginning with Friday’s game between the New York Mets and Washington Nationals, Melanie Newman will lead play-by-play coverage, becoming the second woman to handle those duties for a national broadcast team, Apple said Thursday. The group also includes Brooke Fletcher as reporter and Hannah Keyser as an analyst, with former player Chris Young filling out the team.

Later that evening, the broadcast team covering the Houston Astros playing the Los Angeles Angels will include Katie Nolan as an analyst and Heidi Watney on reporting duties. Stephen Nelson will handle play-by-play coverage, and Hunter Pence will serve as another analyst.

Apple announced plans to stream MLB games last month, marking its first foray into sports broadcasting. The TV+ service will offer two games on Friday nights to fans in eight countries.

The programming, called “Friday Night Baseball,” will have live pre- and postgame coverage hosted by Lauren Gardner, Apple said.

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