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The World Baseball Classic Gold Rush

Tuesday’s U.S.–Venezuela blockbuster affirmed the World Baseball Classic as a sports and ratings powerhouse, with an audience equal to some World Series games. Now that the tournament is living up to its name, how can baseball make the most of it?

2026 World Baseball Classic venezuela united states Daniel Palencia
That growth is coming at the perfect time for MLB, which is going to market with all of its media rights in 2028. Streamers and networks alike have made it clear that they are looking to invest in major events that cut through the content clutter, and baseball, almost by accident, now has such a product on its hands—though not without some caveats. Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images
John Ourand
March 19, 2026

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I was in New York on Tuesday night, meeting a source in Midtown for a burger and a beer. The two TVs behind the bar were showing the Knicks crushing the Pacers at MSG, but around 8 p.m., something strange happened. The bar’s manager switched both TVs over to the first pitch of the World Baseball Classic’s championship game between the U.S. and Venezuela. Stranger still: No one complained.