How Brewers broadcasts in Milwaukee look unlike anything else in MLB

"It's the first year we're in control of the marketing and sale of DTC [direct-to-consumer Brewers.TV app] product, and the first year, you're doing some walking before you can start running," Schlesinger said. "We literally did not start engagement with MLB Media until Feb. 1 this year. For the fact that we started [planning] 6½ weeks before we started ... for us to be double where we were at the end of last year is a testament to our hard work."

Double the subscriptions, and double the Brewers responsibility

Schlesinger wouldn't reveal exact numbers but insisted that the Brewers have sold twice as many DTC subscriptions as last year, when the Brewers were broadcast by Main Street Sports and its banner of FanDuel Sports Wisconsin.

On the one hand, that's a remarkable feat. On another, part of that equation is the continued steady decline of "linear" television customers – fans who are moving on from cable and satellite subscriptions and turning to the app as their primary source of game coverage.

"Is it replacing the loss of our linear customers? Not yet," Schlesinger admitted. "It will in the future, but we're not there yet. That challenge much bigger than the Milwaukee Brewers or, frankly, sports."

Though for years, the Brewers have employed most of the on-air talent seen during broadcasts, the production team has been employed by the team's broadcasting partner, until now. The responsibility for selling ads into the linear or DTC broadcast (and the revenue that comes with it) likewise belonged to Main Street Sports.

But with the ongoing collapse of the regional sports network (RSN) model, namely the bankruptcy of Main Street Sports that led to a bumper crop of teams moving broadcasts under the MLB umbrella this year, the Brewers suddenly have a new business of expenses and revenue to navigate.

While the Main Street collapse put MLB into scramble mode, the Brewers have been prepared for the eventuality. The team even announced it was switching to MLB-produced broadcasts before the 2025 season, then reversed course to FanDuel for what turned out to be one last year.

Schlesinger said the Brewers are trending ahead of ad-sale projections and have an opportunity to bring broadcast sponsors into a tighter, broader relationship with the club and perhaps advertise in other ways.

Part of keeping that local enthusiasm involves sprucing up the broadcast.

"We kind of went through a period before with the RSNs where things were kind of getting taken away from the broadcasts," Johnson said. "We wanted to go the opposite direction and really reset the expectations of what a broadcast should look like."

The 'wire cam' employed on broadcasts for the 14 teams under Major League Baseball's broadcasting umbrella provides a new look to Brewers broadcasts in 2026.

Yes, dirt cams get stepped on and need replacing (and other odds and ends)

The dirt camera naturally lives near the playing surface, which means it's exposed to the violence of the game-play. Like cleats.

"Most times, they're good the whole game, but then you'll have a run where someone will step on both of them in the first inning," Johnson said.

The drone, which Johnson said weighs less than a small bottle of water, requires an operator and a spotter, and the outdoor and indoor versions are different. An indoor drone needs protective guards on its propellors and can't fly over the field of play once umpires are on-site. The outdoor one can't have the guards or it's at greater risk of getting caught in wind currents. So, for now, the broadcasts will likely only feature one or the other.

The broadcast uses two handheld "remote frequency" cameras that plunge through dugout celebrations. The "wire" cam that catches visuals above the field was inspired by the NFL's own similar innovation, which was itself inspired by the look video-game users experience.

On April 30, the local broadcast featured an in-game manager interview for the first time, which proved timely after starting pitcher Brandon Woodruff left early. The Brewers consult with their own baseball operations staff to ensure the cameras won't be overly intrusive to the players or game play.

The Brewers don't have immediate plans to add more programming to the new channels birthed by the switch to MLB on cable and satellite, with replayed games as the only content aside from live games. But that door isn't closed in the long term. Schlesinger said he wanted to perfect the live broadcasts before moving into other avenues with the Brewers channel.

The indoor drone camera, first used at American Family Field on April 30, 2026, provides a new element to Brewers broadcasts.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: New Brewers game broadcasts have changed TV experience for fans