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Why Netflix took over McCovey cove for Yankees-Giants Opening Day MLB game

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Why Netflix took over McCovey cove for Yankees-Giants Opening Day MLB game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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The 2026 MLB season began on Wednesday, March 25, with the San Francisco Giants hosting the New York Yankees. The game was broadcast on Netflix, the platform's first time airing a baseball game. 

Netflix has been getting increasingly involved in live sports and no one can accuse them of not cross-marketing at every chance they get. As the platform does with its NFL broadcasts, it made sure to use many of its other assets from other Netflix projects. This was why stand-up comedian Bert Kreischer was involved in the pre-game show. 

When Kresicher got his chance to talk during the pre-game show, he was in a kayak in McCovey Cove. Not only was it a kayak, but it was a red kayak marked with Netflix's iconic "N" logo. Kreischer and his kayak were surrounded by tons of other kayaks as Netflix had fully taken over the iconic cove. There was even a blown-up baseball, which was an advertisement for the game with yet another logo. 

Here is more on why Netflix took over McCovey Cove for the 2026 season-opener between the Yankees and the Giants. 

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Why did Netflix take over McCovey Cove?

When thinking of the Giants, two of the first things that come to mind are Barry Bonds and McCovey Cove. Bonds is MLB's all-time home run leader, and he helped to highlight McCovey Cove, by depositing quite a few of his home runs into it. Fans got so accustomed to Bonds' power that now the cove just past the right field wall is always inhabited by kayaks during Giants' games with fans hoping to come away with a coveted splash hit, though they are more rare now than when Bonds played. 

When the broadcast spoke with Kreischer, he was in a kayak, surrounded by staff to help steady him. This led many to wonder whether all the kayakers were studio plants or local fans forced to use the Netflix-branded kayaks. The question remains unanswered, but the feeling is that it was a mix of both. 

Why do they call it McCovey Cove?

McCovey Cove is named after Giants legend Willie McCovey. He had a powerful left-handed swing and sportswriters unofficially named the body of water right outside the stadium as McCovey Cove in 2000 as a tribute. McCovey never played at Oracle Park, but the sportswriters liked the name because it was a pun for the former San Francisco slugger, and because they believed if he had played in the stadium, he would have hit many home runs into the cove. 

McCovey Cove is mainly just used by baseball fans, and those local to San Francisco. The actual name of the body of water is the China Basin and it is at the mouth of Mission Creek. 

LIVE: Follow along as Yankees take on Giants on Opening Night

How many balls have been hit into McCovey Cove?

Balls that make their way into McCovey Cove without hitting the stadium or ground before it are called "splash hit."  The Giants have played at Oracle Park since 2000. Bonds actually was the first one to hit a ball into the cove and it came on May 1, 2000. Since then, a total of 108 balls have been hit into McCovey Cove, with the most recent by Rafael Devers on September 24, 2025. 

RankPlayerSplash Hits1Barry Bonds352Brandon Belt103Pablo Sandoval84Mike Yastrzemski75LaMonte Wade Jr.66Denard Span57Joc Pederson4Brandon Crawford49Andres Torres2Ryan Klesko2Aubrey Huff2Michael Tucker2Felipe Crespo214Steven Duggar1Scooter Gennett1Stephen Vogt1Alex Dickerson1Dominic Smith1Jason Vosler1Patrick Bailey1Heliot Ramos1Travis Ishikawa1Tyler Colvin1Rafael Devers1Carlos Beltran1Nate Schierholtz1Fred Lewis1John Bowker1Randy Winn1A.J. Pierzynski1Jose Cruz Jr. 1J.T. Snow1Total108

Can you watch the game from McCovey Cove?

From a kayak in the cove, you might be able to see the jumbotron, but if so, only a small sliver. More often, spectators in the kayaks are known to listen to the game on the radio and wait for a loud crack of the bat and big cheer from the home crowd to alert them to the fact they may have a home run incoming. 

MORE: Sporting News staff predicts the 2026 MLB season results and award winners

How deep is the water in McCovey Cove?

Especially when Bonds was the one hitting the home runs into the cove, many people would abandon their kayaks to try and grab the ball. This led people to wonder how deep the water is in the cove. While it obviously depends on where you are in the cove, it is generally considered 18 to 25 feet deep. 

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