MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred’s rule changes may not be loved by baseball purists, but the proof is in the pudding.

As the length of games has significantly shrunk in recent years, Major League Baseball saw increased attendance in back-to-back years for the first time since the early 2010s in the last two seasons.

A Dodgers-Yankees World Series was going to bring in plenty of viewers anyway, but nonetheless, it’s all a good sign for the sport.

Two of the biggest names in the game know that they, too, have a job to do off the field as well.

“I think it’s important to grow the sport,” Milwaukee Brewers star and 2018 NL MVP Christian Yelich told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. “I think it’s important to attract as many new viewers as possible, obviously keep your existing audience and have it be a good product for everybody to consume. I think if you can have an impact like that as a player, you should do it.”

So, in order to do that, Yelich, Dodgers star pitcher Dustin May, and Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson teamed up with DirecTV, whose “Nothing On Your Roof” campaign with the MLB stars is telling potential providers that dishes are no longer necessary to enjoy ball games.

Yelich, May and Swanson star in the commercial for the campaign where there is nothing on their roofs – in this case, their heads. Each wore bald caps, which is quite the look for the long-haired May.

“I like my hair, and I have a lot of it, and then they wanted to do the Nothing On Your Roof, and I thought it was really cool twist on things,” the 27-year-old May, who began growing it out as a junior in high school, said. “I was excited to be a part of the commercial to kind of boost that they don’t need anything on your roof to be able to broadcast baseball.”

Don’t expect May’s real hair to be gone any time soon, though.

“I definitely think my wife would be kind of irritated if I cut them off,” he said.

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Dustin May warms up during spring training camp. (Rick Scuteri-USA Today Sports)

“It was a cool concept that I thought was really unique, and an opportunity to have some fun with a couple of other guys around the league,” added Yelich. “DirecTV did a great job with the set and the concept, and I thought everything turned out awesome. People are able to watch baseball, access Major League Baseball games without having to have satellite. I think it was a unique way for DirecTV to get that message across, putting us in bald caps and the Nothing On Your Roof campaign. I didn’t really know how I’d look bald and stuff, but I thought that was a cool part because it looked so realistic. Once they finished with all the hair and makeup stuff, it was a lot of fun.”

“So being able to partner up with DirecTV with this campaign, show baseball fans that they can consume Brewers games, Major League Baseball games without satellites, it was an easy decision to do the commercial.”

Milwaukee Brewers’ Christian Yelich follows the flight of his solo home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chad Kuhl, Sept. 6, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

As for continuing to grow the game, “We’re here to put out a good image,” added May. “So people want to come back and want to watch.”

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Can any team defeat No. 1 Mira Costa in girls’ beach volleyball?

We’ll find out this week as the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals will be held in Southern Section Division 1.

Edison will take the first chance against Mira Costa in the quarterfinals on Tuesday. The other matchups have Santa Margarita facing Los Alamitos, Redondo Union taking on San Marcos and San Juan Hills playing JSerra.

Redondo Union has the only win against Mira Costa this season.

The championships will be Saturday at Long Beach City College.

The City Section will hold its beach championships on Friday at Santa Monica State Beach. Venice is seeded No. 1 in the 16-team field.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Philadelphia Eagles star Jalen Hurts reportedly made a decision on whether he would attend the team’s Super Bowl celebration at the White House with President Donald Trump on Monday.

Hurts will not attend due to “scheduling conflicts,” Fox News confirmed.

The word of Hurts’ decision came hours before the celebration was set to take place. Hurts raised eyebrows last week when he dodged a question on the red carpet for the Time100 Gala about attending the celebration.

Hurts didn’t give a glowing review of the president’s decision to attend Super Bowl LIX, which saw Philadelphia defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22.

“He’s welcome to do what he wants,” Hurts said in February.

NFL NETWORK’S KYLE BRANDT SLAMS MEDIA OVER SHEDEUR SANDERS DRAFT COVERAGE

Honoree Jalen Hurts attends the Time100 Gala, celebrating the 100 most influential people in the world, at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 24, 2025, in New York.  (Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Meanwhile, running back Saquon Barkley was seen with Trump at his golf course in New Jersey on Sunday. He rode back to Washington on Air Force One with the president.

Barkley pushed back on the criticism he received on social media for his interactions with Trump.

“lol some people are really upset cause I played golfed and flew to the White House with the PRESIDENT,” Barkley wrote on X. “Maybe I just respect the office, not a hard concept to understand. Just golfed with Obama not too long ago… and look forward to finishing my round with Trump ! Now ya get out my mentions with all this politics and have amazing day.”

President Donald Trump talks to Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley before boarding Air Force One at Morristown Municipal Airport, Sunday, April 27, 2025, in New Jersey. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Eagles team owner Jeffrey Lurie and head coach Nick Sirianni have both expressed their excitement to head to the White House.

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