Seen on Screen: MLB Breaks Open Vault for 30 Opening Day Re-Broadcasts; NBC Sports Relives Memorable Sunday Night Football Games

Seen on Screen provides a roundup of the current sports programming landscape as networks deal with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. In this week’s edition, major networks like NBC Sports, Fox Sports, and ESPN are combating the silence of no live sports with previously-released, taped, or archival content. Many networks have also continued producing live studio content – often with on-air talent located remotely.

On Thursday, March 26, Major League Baseball presents “Opening Day at Home” – a full slate of 30 games nationally available across various platforms, including digital streaming and social media, creating a full-day event on what would have been Opening Day. The experience is intended to invite fans to feel a sense of community and unity on a day many were looking forward to while underscoring the importance of staying home and staying healthy.

Click HERE for a full schedule

Using the hashtag #OpeningDayAtHome, fans can connect with each other while watching their team’s selected game at a set time. MLB’s “Opening Day at Home” event will be available across many of the league’s platforms and partners including MLB’s multiple Facebook pages (MLB/Las Mayores), Twitter accounts (MLB/Las Mayores/Cut4), YouTube channels (MLB/MLB Vault), MLB.com and MLB.tv. Additionally, all games that are part of the “Opening Day at Home” slate will be streaming on the “winning” Club’s respective home page.

In unlocking its expansive vault to fans last week, MLB is now offering fans special access to the League’s most unforgettable moments. The entire 2018 and 2019 game archives currently available and free to all fans through MLB.tv. Fans can also access more than 100 full classic MLB games on YouTube including timeless World Series games, memorable Postseason matchups, no-hitters, and perfect games. Hundreds of additional games are being added to YouTube in the coming weeks.

On MLB Network, the marathon will begin at 1:00 p.m. ET with Derek Jeter’s standout performance for the New York Yankees against the Cleveland Indians in his first career Opening Day in 1996. MLB Network’s MLB Tonight with Robert FloresMatt VasgersianDan Plesac and Harold Reynolds will air at 12:00 p.m. ET leading up to the first game.

Following the Yankees at Indians game, Clayton Kershaw’s shutout for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants in 2013 airs at 4:00 p.m. ET, followed at 6:00 p.m. ET by the Arizona Diamondbacks’ walkoff victory against the Giants in 2017, which featured Madison Bumgarner’s 11 strikeouts and two home runs. The marathon continues at 9:00 p.m. ET with the Colorado Rockies’ back-and-forth 12-10 victory against the San Diego Padres in 2005, and concludes at midnight with Tuffy Rhodes three home run game for the Chicago Cubs on Opening Day in 1994 against the New York Mets.

To complement its programming, MLB Network’s social media platforms will interact with fans throughout the day on Thursday in a variety of ways, and share vignettes featuring MLB Network analysts recalling Opening Day moments they experienced during their career. Programming highlights, including All-Time GamesMLB Network PresentsMLB’s 20 Greatest Games and Ken Burns’ Baseball, featured on MLB Network this week can be viewed here.

…Beginning Monday, March 30, NBC Sports presents Football Week in America on NBCSN, reliving memorable NBC Sunday Night Football games, including record-breaking performances, unforgettable plays, timeless rivalries, an NFL Kickoff game pitting quarterbacking greats, and a Thanksgiving night game featuring Packers passing legends.

From Monday, March 30 through Sunday, April 5, NBCSN will present two games per night in primetime, with the first telecast kicking off at 7 p.m. ET. In addition, on the three following Sunday nights in April, NBCSN will air one SNF game at 8 p.m. ET.

Encore presentations include a pair of games from the first NBC Sunday Night Football season in 2006, called by Al Michaels and Hall of Fame coach John Madden. Michaels was joined in the booth by Cris Collinsworth for all other games.

Mike Tirico will introduce each night’s matchup on NBCSN, and game presentations will include a specialized ticker featuring live tweets. Fans can tweet #FootballWeekNBCSN for the chance to see their tweets live on air.

For the remainder of this week, through Sunday, March 29, NBC Sports is presenting Hockey Week in America beginning each day at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

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