V.

Impact of Television

Television brought a new dimension to the World Series in the decades after World War II. The new technology was first applied to the World Series in 1946, when games between the Cardinals and the Boston Red Sox were broadcast locally in Boston. Baseball on television grew in popularity during the 1950s, as more homes acquired television sets and broadcasters improved their coverage of the games.

During the 1960s, black-and-white telecasts were replaced with color, and major networks negotiated exclusive rights to broadcast postseason games. Networks provided detailed World Series coverage, featuring close-up images of play, instant replays of exciting moments, and analysis from baseball commentators. Television enabled fans to closely follow each play from their homes. Today, television coverage is an integral part of the World Series, allowing millions of people from all over the world the opportunity to follow every pitch of each game.