Netflix adjusted its virtual on-screen scoreboard for Thursday's "Field of Dreams" game after facing criticism for its opening-day broadcast. The adjustments, however, did not entirely satisfy fans, who took to social media platform X to voice new complaints.
Following the game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Minnesota Twins in Dyersville, Iowa, viewers expressed that the revamped scorebug was excessively large, reportedly occupying a significant portion of the screen. The graphic also prominently featured the Netflix logo, which some fans found to be larger than player names.
This marks the second instance of Netflix broadcasting a Major League Baseball game. The initial broadcast on March 25, featuring the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants, also drew criticism for its scorebug. At that time, fans described the graphic as "ugly" and "hideous," with some noting that the text for players and game statistics was unusually small.
Thursday's game was the third installment of MLB's "Field of Dreams" series. In previous years, the event featured the Chicago White Sox against the New York Yankees in 2021, and the Chicago Cubs versus the Cincinnati Reds in 2022. On Thursday, the Phillies defeated the Twins with a score of 7-1, highlighted by two home runs from Kyle Schwarber.
Netflix has also recently expanded its live sports coverage to include the Home Run Derby last month, which attracted 5.3 million viewers, according to Sports Business Journal. This move into live sports broadcasting has presented challenges, as streaming platforms navigate the expectations and preferences of sports audiences.
