Netflix Sports is trying to land Hollywood star Kevin Costner for its first-ever coverage of Major League Baseball’s Field of Dreams game, according to Elle Duncan.
During an interview with Front Office Sports discussing Netflix’s coverage of the Home Run Derby on July 13, the ex-ESPN star also mentioned her excitement about hosting the MLB at Field of Dreams game between the Twins and Phillies on Aug. 13. And who better to be a part of the coverage than Costner, who starred in 1989’s Field of Dreams, as well as other baseball-themed movies?
“Netflix always makes a really compelling pitch,” Duncan told FOS on Monday. “So I’m certainly hoping that he’ll want to be a part of it in some kind of way. Because he is the face of the Field of Dreams and I know he’s still a really big baseball fan. So hopefully we can get him.”
Costner previously participated in Fox Sports coverage of the first Field of Dreams game in 2021. Costner walked out of the cornfield and narrated the pregame. Fox also showed him addressing the crowd before the game and shaking hands with Yankees and White Sox players. “Is this heaven?” Costner asked the crowd, mimicking his famous line from the movie.
Duncan, the former SportsCenter anchor who leads Netflix coverage across multiple sports, will host a loaded team of analysts and announcers for the streamer’s Home Run Derby coverage from Philadelphia’s Citizens Bank Park. Former MLB stars Barry Bonds, CC Sabathia, Hunter Pence, and Anthony Rizzo will serve as analysts, while announcer Matt Vasgersian and reporter Lauren Shehadi will provide additional coverage along with Duncan. As far as the format, this year’s Home Run Derby will be the first without a timer in a decade.
