English-language commentary is to soon be available for all four Taiwanese professional baseball league teams to meet increasing demand from non-Chinese speaking fans, as the CPBL is the only league hosting games worldwide amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The games are being held behind closed doors with just the players, coaches, referees and cheerleaders due to social distancing rules.
The Taoyuan-based Rakuten Monkeys began offering English-language commentary on Wednesday last week through their broadcaster, Eleven Sports, in addition to their existing Chinese-language broadcasts on local cable TV channels and online.
The English-language service, featuring World Baseball Softball Confederation Asia correspondent Richard Wang and Web site CPBL English founder Wayne McNeil is available on the network’s Twitter account.
The service, originally scheduled for just five games, has been extended to all 60 of the Monkey’s home games this season, thanks to funding from the Taoyuan City Government, the team said.
The Monkeys said that the five games they have broadcast with English commentary have been viewed more than 7 million times.
The three other teams said that they would start English commentary services soon.
The Tainan-based Uni-President Lions said that they are preparing to livestream their three consecutive home games against the Monkeys from today to Sunday, with English commentary on the Eleven Sports network’s Twitter account.
The New Taipei City-based Fubon Guardians said that Wang and McNeil would provide English commentary on their games as of today via the team’s official Twitter account.
The team said that it would also have its adviser, Chen Chin-feng, the first Taiwanese to play in US Major League Baseball, participate in today’s broadcast as a special guest.
Taichung-based Brothers Baseball Club said that they would offer English commentary on their home games starting on May 5.
Manchester United on Tuesday confirmed Michael Carrick as interim manager until the end of the season, tasking him with leading the Red Devils back into the UEFA Champions League. “Having the responsibility to lead Manchester United is an honor,” said Carrick, 44, who won 12 major trophies in his 12-year playing career at United. The former midfielder previously had an unbeaten three-game stint as caretaker boss at Old Trafford in 2021. Carrick then took on his first permanent managerial role at second-tier Middlesbrough in October 2022 and was sacked in June last year after the club finished 10th in the
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday sparked defending champions Oklahoma City to victory, while Anthony Edwards led Minnesota’s last-minute fightback to beat San Antonio. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 29 points while adding eight assists and five rebounds in the Thunder’s 124-112 home victory over Miami, improving the NBA’s best record to 33-7 after outscoring the Heat 70-53 in the second half. “We locked in defensively. We were finally able to get some stops,” Thunder guard Aaron Wiggins said. “We were able to get out in transition a little bit, get going offensively and find the flow.” Jalen Williams scored 18 points, while
Mohamed Salah’s Egypt knocked reigning champions Ivory Coast out of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with a 3-2 win in the quarter-finals on Saturday, while Victor Osimhen starred as Nigeria beat Algeria 2-0 to set up a clash with hosts Morocco. In Agadir, Morocco, a thrilling last-eight tie saw Omar Marmoush and Ramy Rabia net in the first half for the Pharaohs before an own goal by Ahmed Aboul-Fetouh brought the Ivorians back into it. Salah then got Egypt’s third early in the second half and they held on after Guela Doue again reduced the deficit. Egypt is to face Senegal
The US’ Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during an alpine ski women’s World Cup slalom in Flachau, Austria, on Tuesday. She won the slalom for the sixth time this season.