“Pathetic Output by MLB” – Furious Braves-Reds Fans Slam Fox for Botched Speedway Classic After Rain Chaos

When the first pitch of a historic event is thrown, the world usually watches. But this time, many fans across the U.S. weren’t even sure if the game had started at all. The MLB Speedway Classic at Bristol had the ingredients for a blockbuster moment—an iconic racetrack turned diamond, two playoff-hopeful teams: the Braves and Reds, and an electric atmosphere. But as rain disrupted the original game and Fox’s coverage stumbled during the resumption, confusion took over, especially for viewers in select regions who couldn’t even access the broadcast.

Fox eventually picked up the game—but not everywhere, and not on time. The delayed telecast and spotty regional availability left many fans fuming. Across social platforms, complaints poured in from viewers who either couldn’t find the game or were abruptly switched to unrelated programming. “How does MLB hype this up for a year and then not even air it properly?” one furious fan wrote. The frustration wasn’t just about rain—it was about the lack of coordination between the league and its broadcast partner.

Making matters worse, communication was nonexistent. There were no timely updates from Fox, and MLB’s official channels offered little clarity. Fans sitting at home were left guessing: Had the game resumed? Was it available to stream? If so, where? Meanwhile, those lucky enough to attend in person got the baseball they came for—albeit a day late. For everyone else, the experience felt like a blackout-era throwback in the age of streaming.

Even when Braves and Red coverage finally rolled out in most regions, it did so with delays that stripped away the game’s momentum. Some viewers joined mid-inning, while others still couldn’t find it at all. The moment MLB had worked so hard to build was unraveling in real-time, not because of the rain, but because fans couldn’t actually see it. It was a failure in logistics, plain and simple, and one that sent fans straight to social media with one collective verdict: “pathetic output.”

Ultimately, what should’ve been a pioneering moment in baseball’s effort to reach new audiences became a case study in how not to handle a marquee event. Between the weather, the broadcast blackout, and the radio silence from the league, fans were left with soggy seats, late feeds, and a bitter taste—something MLB and Fox will need to reckon with before trying anything this ambitious again.

While the broadcast chaos sparked criticism from analysts and media professionals, it was the fans—those who bought the hype, wore the jerseys, and cleared their weekends—who voiced the loudest outrage. From social media threads to Reddit rants, the Speedway Classic debacle became a symbol of how MLB and Fox still can’t get the basics right in the streaming era.

Fans erupt over botched coverage and communication breakdown

The most stinging backlash came from fans who expected a marquee national game and got nothing but reruns. In several regions, particularly where the Braves and Reds don’t dominate the local market, the Speedway Classic was pre-empted by unrelated content on MLB Network and Fox affiliates. One furious fan summed up the widespread confusion with brutal honesty: “MLB and Fox screwed up big time. This game should be on TV instead of whatever else is on MLB Network right now.” For an event billed as historic, the viewing experience fell painfully short.

Even fans who managed to catch the game on Fox had bones to pick. A major gripe was the lack of a visible strike zone box—a standard feature in most modern broadcasts that helps viewers evaluate umpire calls. One user didn’t hold back, tweeting: “Watching the #SpeedwayClassic25 #Braves game on #Fox and they still can’t get with the times and put a White Strike Zone Box up so folks at home can see how bad the calls are!” It wasn’t just about missing the game—it was about watching it without the tools that have become standard in 2025.

But perhaps the biggest letdown came for fans in large baseball markets like Chicago, where the game wasn’t shown on local Fox stations or made available on the MLB app. “This Speedway Classic isn’t even on FOX in Chicago 😂 And it’s not in the MLB App either. What a pathetic output by the MLB for this whole Speedway Classic,” a fan vented. For a game meant to unite new and old fans in a unique venue, this exclusion felt like a slap in the face.

A few lucky fans did manage to stream the game—but even they weren’t impressed with how things were handled. “Thankfully, I have the MLB app. FOX Sports is so soft,” one user wrote. The sarcastic undertone in the praise for MLB’s own app showed how low expectations had fallen. It also reinforced just how fragmented the viewing experience had become—with no single source reliably delivering the game nationwide.

And then there were fans who were simply lost. With no official guidance from broadcasters and minimal updates from MLB, many were left wondering if they were missing something or just looking in the wrong place. One confused viewer wrote: “How do we watch the game? It’s not the same as yesterday??” The inconsistency between Saturday’s glitzy broadcast and Sunday’s bare-bones follow-up created an identity crisis for the Speedway Classic, making it feel like two different events instead of one cohesive showcase.

What was meant to be a landmark event for baseball turned into a frustrating ordeal for many fans, thanks to inconsistent coverage and communication lapses. From missing broadcasts to absent strike zones, the Speedway Classic’s execution left viewers more confused than captivated. For MLB and Fox, this should serve as a wake-up call—fans won’t stay loyal if the product keeps falling short. Let’s hope the next big showcase doesn’t come with this kind of fine print.

`