Major League Baseball is weaving the national story into America's greatest summer tradition. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary in 2026, MLB has announced a sweeping series of initiatives—from coast to coast broadcasts to volunteer efforts to uniform redesigns—that will transform the coming baseball season into a collective celebration of the sport's place in American life.
"Baseball has been part of the fabric of American life since the sport's creation, bringing people together through shared traditions, unforgettable moments and the simple joy of spending time at the ballpark with family and friends," says Uzma Rawn Dowler, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Partnerships at MLB. The league is launching a national "For the People" marketing campaign that will air across broadcast, cable, digital, and streaming platforms throughout the summer, anchored by a fresh mix from the original multi-track tapes of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' "American Girl"—a song first recorded on July 4, 1976, exactly 50 years before this anniversary milestone.
The Fourth of July weekend itself will be a baseball spectacle. On Friday, July 3, Apple TV will stream a Friday Night Baseball doubleheader, with a special free trial available for MLB fans from May 27 through July 5. Saturday, July 4, will bring FOX Saturday Baseball featuring the St. Louis Cardinals versus Chicago Cubs and New York Mets versus Atlanta Braves at 8 p.m. ET. But Sunday, July 5, represents the centerpiece: "Star-Spangled Sunday" will air all 15 scheduled MLB games live across NBC, Peacock, and NBCSN, with the Mets at Braves at 12:30 p.m. ET and the San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers in Sunday Night Baseball at 7:20 p.m. ET.
Beyond broadcasts, MLB is dreaming bigger. Four drive-in theaters—in Vineland, New Jersey; McHenry, Illinois; Blue Ridge, Georgia; and Paramount, California—will screen "The Sandlot" followed by each location's local MLB team's game on July 4, complete with food trucks, PLAY BALL activities, and fireworks. Across all 30 ballparks, players will don Nike jerseys with stars-and-stripes-themed numbers, New Era red, white, and blue caps, and Stance socks featuring an exclusive USA 250 patch designed by Fanatics. These commemorative uniforms will be sold starting June 15 at MLBShop.com, Fanatics.com, and the MLB Flagship Store in New York City.
The digital side is equally ambitious. A new "Baseball in America" content series presented by Booking.com will launch today, spotlighting a unique baseball story from each of the 50 states—beginning with Alaska's Midnight Sun Game. A new "Ballpark Expedition" platform presented by T-Mobile will launch June 1, offering digital Ballpark Guides, a Journey to 30 Sweepstakes with a grand prize of visits to all 30 MLB ballparks, and a road trip content series featuring YouTuber Matthew Beem.
Perhaps most meaningful is the league's volunteer commitment. MLB and the Boys and Girls Clubs of America will refurbish the Shane Victorino Club's facilities and ballfield during All-Star Week in Philadelphia, part of a league-wide goal of 250,000 collective volunteer hours by the end of 2026. The 2026 MLB All-Star Game, presented by Mastercard and hosted by the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, will be the first time that venue has hosted the All-Star Game since opening in 2004—and the first time Philadelphia has hosted the event in 50 years. An All-Star Red Carpet Show will take place at Independence Mall on July 14, free and open to the public, airing nationally on MLB Network.
MLB has also donated artifacts to the American Museum of Natural History's "For the Win" exhibit, including a World Series trophy, Home Run Derby chains, and memorabilia from legendary players like Yogi Berra. It's a summer—and a year—built to remind Americans why baseball has always been more than a game.