Fans want to be as close to the field as possible. People not only want to see athletes play at the highest stage but get a glimpse into what they are thinking during crucial elements of the game. During the 2022 MLB All-Star Game, MLB and FOX put a spotlight on all its players by giving them the microphone during the entire game and showcased the competitiveness—and fun—of a baseball game.

The more a fan hears from figures they have come to idolize larger than life, the more fans get satisfaction from the game. Even though All-Star game fan voting remains contentious, with players with a right to participate in the All-Star game not receiving a spot in the fan vote, fans make or break the league. Giving fans an inside look during the All-Star game benefits fans as much as the league itself.

Between giving the microphone to an electric personality in Manoah and the real-life battery of Nestor Cortes and Jose Trevino, the MLB and FOX crushed the entertainment. Both parties identified players they believed would resonate with fanbases and chose right. It was terrific to get an inside look at the game from the players and become a memorable All-Star game.

The 2022 MLB All-Star Game was not the most exciting baseball game without the entertainment factor. There was only one lead change on a Byron Buxton solo home run. The game may not have been outwardly entertaining, but factoring in the player’s voices elevated every moment of the game.

While giving players microphones during live gameplay remains controversial due to the distraction a broadcast team can invoke on a player, exhibition games are the right spot to get players to talk during the game. Fans understand the excitement and difficulty of a game when players are on air. The 2022 MLB All-Star Game was the perfect showcase to give players a national spotlight, not during regular season games, and will forever be looked back upon as a day when players received a voice many wanted them to have.

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