Tonight, the United States and Venezuela face off in the finals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. And chances are, a lot of you will be watching. Based only on pool play, this year’s WBC viewership is up 142% from the 2023 tournament. 35,000 people have bought tickets to tonight’s final and over 100 million Japanese fans tuned in to watch Shohei Ohtani. Aaron Judge called the crowd at the U.S.-Mexico game on March 10th, “bigger and better than the World Series.”

In this special episode of The Deal, Alex Rodriguez shares his reaction to the phenomenon that is the 2026 World Baseball Classic with his co-host Jason Kelly. Rodriguez talks about the national pride his fellow Dominicans felt over the past few weeks and explains why MLB commissioner Rob Manfred needs to capitalize on this momentum leading into what Rodriguez calls “the most important season in the history of the sport.”

Tonight, the United States and Venezuela face off in the finals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. And chances are, a lot of you will be watching. Based only on pool play, this year&rsquo;s WBC viewership is up 142% from the 2023 tournament. 35,000 people have bought tickets to tonight&rsquo;s final and over 100 million Japanese fans tuned in to watch Shohei Ohtani. Aaron Judge called the crowd at the U.S.-Mexico game on March 10th, &ldquo;bigger and better than the World Series.&rdquo;
In this special episode of The Deal, Alex Rodriguez shares his reaction to the phenomenon that is the 2026 World Baseball Classic with his co-host Jason Kelly. Rodriguez talks about the national pride his fellow Dominicans felt over the past few weeks and explains why MLB commissioner Rob Manfred needs to capitalize on this momentum leading into what Rodriguez calls &ldquo;the most important season in the history of the sport.&rdquo;

When sports, business and culture collide, there’s often a deal to be made. Join Alex Rodriguez and Bloomberg correspondent Jason Kelly as they get the inside track from corporate titans, sports champions and game-changing entrepreneurs on investing, strategy, reinvention and the ones that got away. The Deal is a Bloomberg Podcasts and Bloomberg Originals series that’s passionate, relaxed, insightful and inspirational. If you think you know these icons, prepare to be surprised.

Hosts:

Alex Rodriguez is chairman and chief executive of A-Rod Corp, an investment firm that backs startups and partners with global companies across real estate, sports and entertainment. While best known as a fourteen-time All-Star and World Series champion with the New York Yankees, Rodriguez is now an owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx sports teams and an on-air analyst for Major League Baseball.

Jason Kelly is the chief correspondent of Bloomberg Originals. During his two decades at Bloomberg, Kelly has served as executive editor of Bloomberg Television, hosted Bloomberg Businessweek on television and radio, and also hosted Power Players and Next in Sports series. He’s also the author of two books, The New Tycoons, about the global private equity industry, and Sweat Equity, an inside look at the business of fitness.

When sports, business and culture collide, there’s often a deal to be made. Join Alex Rodriguez and Bloomberg correspondent Jason Kelly as they get the inside track from corporate titans, sports champions and game-changing entrepreneurs on investing, strategy, reinvention and the ones that got away. The Deal is a Bloomberg Podcasts and Bloomberg Originals series that’s passionate, relaxed, insightful and inspirational. If you think you know these icons, prepare to be surprised.
Hosts:
Alex Rodriguez is chairman and chief executive of A-Rod Corp, an investment firm that backs startups and partners with global companies across real estate, sports and entertainment. While best known as a fourteen-time All-Star and World Series champion with the New York Yankees, Rodriguez is now an owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota Lynx sports teams and an on-air analyst for Major League Baseball.
Jason Kelly is the chief correspondent of Bloomberg Originals. During his two decades at Bloomberg, Kelly has served as executive editor of Bloomberg Television, hosted Bloomberg Businessweek on television and radio, and also hosted Power Players and Next in Sports series. He’s also the author of two books, The New Tycoons, about the global private equity industry, and Sweat Equity, an inside look at the business of fitness.

The Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly

Reaction: Alex Rodriguez Says the MLB Needs to Act on the World Baseball Classic’s Momentum 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7676d308-fd32-4884-8fc9-b41001569b46/transcript