MLB and Zoom to bring fans into review replays

Major League Baseball has partnered with Zoom to allow fans to watch its replay review system from the 2023 season.

Viewers of the competition on MLB Network and Apple TV+ will be able to see the Zoom Replay Operations Center in action live during replay reviews and hear from an expert rules analyst who will discuss replay reviews with the broadcast team.

Previously, the league’s replay review was reliant on disparate technology and audio-only communication with umpires on the field, and this new system aims to bring a “more transparent and engaging review process”.

The Replay Operations Center will have the Crew Chief, the most senior member of the four-man umpire crew, connect to it using Zoom’s Contact Center solution during any replay review.

In addition to the replay review system, Zoom will also be used during day one of the MLB Draft, and its services will be used by clubs, platforms, and broadcast outlets.

MLB chief operations & strategy officer Chris Marinak, said: “We are always looking for innovative ways to leverage best-in-class technology to advance the MLB experience and deliver more to our fans. Partnering with Zoom, a category leader that reinvented the way we connect, was a natural next step for us. We are excited to integrate Zoom Contact Center and other Zoom platform technology into our gameday operations and continue to modernize experiences in a secure, reliable, and innovative way.”

Zoom chief marketing officer Janine Pelosi added: “MLB brings together tens of millions of passionate fans every season. Zoom’s rapid pace of innovation and obsession with making human connection easier and better, is crucial to help MLB evolve its experience and deliver unprecedented transparency and access to its fans. With MLB leveraging Zoom Contact Center and Zoom’s all-in-one collaboration platform, we are able to truly show the world how a historical brand can continue to innovate and unlock new possibilities.”