Netflix will be hiring career home run leader Barry Bonds to join their broadcast team for calling baseball games.
The streaming giant announced the move on Thursday morning, revealing that the seven-time National League MVP would be on the call when the season opens with a game between the New York Yankees and the San Francisco Giants.
Bonds’ role in the growth of the sport is undisputed. But his usage of performance enhancing drugs has made him a controversial figure in the sport.
Bonds has largely stayed out of the spotlight in the days after his baseball career came to a conclusion.
Now, he’ll take a very public-facing role for the streamer’s first foray into baseball broadcasting.
His hire received plenty of mixed reaction on social media due to his reputation.
Controversial baseball star and Home Run record holder Barry Bonds is joining Netflix
Bonds will join the streamer for their first ever broadcast of professional baseball
The addition of Bonds drew mixed reactions from those on social media
‘Will he finally apologize on air for being the biggest cheater in sports history?’ one detractor posted to X.
Another remarked, ‘Nobody wanna hear him crying about being a cheater not in the hall bro.’
‘You forgot “Notorious Juice Head”,’ said a different user. One commenter posted, ‘and now I won’t be watching.’
Others were supportive of the move, with one saying, ‘The GOAT is in the building.’
‘Cooperstown is a fraud until this man is in,’ remarked another supporter.
One poster said, ‘Barry Bonds’ appearances on TV are not all that common, but when he’s talking about hitting, everything he says carries weight. He’s great for an audience because you either love him or hate him.’
‘Holy s**t the greatest player in the history of the sport of baseball is gonna be on desk analytics??? Hell yeah,’ read one comment.
