MLB Drops Derby Clock for 20-Swing Format as Netflix Targets 2-Hour Global Broadcast
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jul 13
MLB Drops Derby Clock for 20-Swing Format as Netflix Targets 2-Hour Global Broadcast
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 13
Summary
MLB will stage Monday’s Home Run Derby without a clock or bonus rounds, shifting to 20 swings in Round 1 and 15 in the semifinals and final.
Fan and player feedback drove the change after the timed format was criticized as both too fast to follow and too long, with hitters also wearing down early.
The new setup lets a batter continue after a final-swing homer until he fails to go deep; first-round ties go to longest homer, while later ties trigger a three-swing swing-off.
Netflix expects the Philadelphia event to run about 2 hours and is keeping the presentation largely familiar while adding multilingual feeds for a broader international audience.
The overhaul is MLB’s biggest Derby tweak since the 2015 clock era and comes as Netflix expands its selective live-sports push around marquee events rather than full-season coverage.