Fox's drama "Pitch" has yet to warm up with viewers. Despite its promising storyline featuring the first woman to become a Major League Baseball (MLB) player, the show hasn't been scoring a homerun with ratings.
However, the watchdog group Parents TV Council (PTC) is urging Fox to keep the series instead of cancel it. This is one of those rare times that it has called for the retention of a show when the group usually asks the public to boycott programs.
Deadline reports that PTC has asked Fox to ensure that "Pitch" succeeds as a show. With its reported lagging ratings at only over 4 million viewers weekly, speculations are that "Pitch" might be cancelled soon. There's a 35 percent chance of the series being taken off the air this season, according to The Cancel Bear. The site keeps track of TV's ratings and show standings on a daily basis.
The PTC suggests Fox moves the show to a different time schedule so that "Pitch" can compete better in the ratings. Currently, the drama airs on Thursday nights at 9 p.m., which goes head to head with the NFL broadcast on CBS.
Get the exclusive 411 on pitching phenom Ginny Baker. Watch #Pitch Thursdays at 9/8c on FOX! #Pitch4Kohls #sponsored pic.twitter.com/VMrMCWveAc
— Pitch (@PITCHonFOX) October 6, 2016
"Families are hungry for TV shows that can be enjoyed by, and are safe for, the entire family, and 'Pitch' is a rare option in the TV universe," PTC president Tim Winter told the news outlet. Dubbing the show as inspirational, "Pitch" brings a rookie black female player, Ginny Baker (Kylie Bunbury), to the San Diego Padres amidst barriers and challenges of having a black woman play in a men's league.
"There's huge potential for Ginny to be an icon because not only is she doing something for the first time, but the way in which she got there - which I think is iconic - she worked really hard," Kylie Bunbury told The Hollywood Reporter. In real life, MLB is still a guy's sports. However, Bunbury believes that it's only a matter of time before a woman becomes its first player. "There are two women in the Minor Leagues already. We're pretty much there," the actress said.
