America’s Pastime Should Still Be for America’s Families

Dodgers outfielder Alex Call speaks up for parents who simply want to watch baseball with their children.

A child sitting beside his father, learning the game of baseball. A favorite team. An October evening. The hope that this might be their year. These are the moments that make baseball part of the American story. They deserve to be protected.

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Alex Call spoke up about something that threatens that simple family experience: sexually suggestive commercials appearing during postseason broadcasts.

According to People, Call took to X to ask MLB and its broadcast partners to remove what he described as “soft porn” advertisements. His concern was personal: his young son wanted to watch baseball game with him.

“This is America’s Pastime. Parents shouldn’t have to worry about this,” he wrote (https://people.com/).

He is right.

Parents should be able to share a ballgame with their children without holding the remote anxious to change the channel wondering what the next commercial break might bring. A broadcast that welcomes young fans should consider them throughout the entire viewing experience.

The advertisements count, too.

For generations, baseball has given families something precious and unquestionably American to share.

Grandparents pass down team loyalties.

Dads explain the difference between a curveball and a slider.

Children learn to handle disappointment, cheer for a teammate and believe there is still a chance -- even in the bottom of the ninth.

Those small experiences help carry a our American traditions forward. They create connections across generations and give us all common ground.

When a father asks broadcasters to respect that experience, he deserves to be heard.

Call also offers an encouraging example of using a public platform responsibly. Speaking up begins with recognizing that something matters enough to say so. In this case, the concern is one many parents will immediately understand: wanting to enjoy time with a child while honoring the standards they have established for their home.

At Great American Media, we know families put care into choosing what their children watch. Broadcasters and advertisers should respect that care. They can sell products, entertain audiences and support the game while exercising judgment about what belongs in front of children.

We believe the trust families place in entertainment comes with responsibility, and it's a responsibility we take care to uphold.

Our commitment to faith, family and country shapes the choices we make and the stories we share. Families deserve to feel welcome, respected and confident when they gather around a screen.

That same consideration should have a place in America’s pastime.

We appreciate Alex Call for speaking up. Protecting the traditions we love requires people willing to stand for the families who keep them alive.

A father and his son ought to be able to watch a baseball game together.

A family should be able to tune into television or streaming movies without the worry of agenda-driven programming interfering with their families.

Let’s keep that tradition worth passing down.