The crack of the bat and the smell of fresh-cut grass weren't the only things generating heat at a recent New York Mets spring training game. Veteran SNY play-by-play voice Gary Cohen found himself at the center of a digital debate after shifting focus from the diamond to discuss a global music superstar.
During the broadcast of the Mets' exhibition matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals, Cohen brought up Bad Bunny's recent Super Bowl LX halftime performance. Despite the Big Game being weeks in the past, Cohen called the Puerto Rican artist's show "spectacular," praising the historic achievement. The comment immediately sent fans to social media, creating a clear divide.
A Record-Breaking Performance
Cohen's praise referenced a genuinely landmark event. Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show shattered records, becoming the most-watched performance on YouTube within 24 hours, surpassing the previous mark set by Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. The impact was even more profound on Spanish-language television, where Telemundo's broadcast averaged 3.3 million viewers, a U.S. record for a Super Bowl on Spanish-language TV. Viewership peaked during halftime at 4.8 million, making it the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show in Spanish-language history.
For some listeners, Cohen's nod to pop culture was a welcome diversion. "Gary has always been a man of culture," one supporter declared online. Another fan appreciated the announcer's signature style, writing, "This is peak Gary. Mets down by six, two out. Convo on absolutely anything than the game. I love it." Others saw it as deliberate provocation, with one social media user noting, "Lmao he knows what he's doing. Gary likes triggering people."
The Other Side of the Aisle
Not everyone was amused. Critics found the commentary unnecessary for a baseball broadcast. "Spectacularly uninspiring is more like it, but we all know where Gary is coming from," a skeptical fan replied. The comment also reopened old wounds for some, who connected it to past controversies involving the longtime broadcaster.
This incident is not Cohen's first brush with contentious commentary. During the 2025 MLB season, he publicly questioned Chicago Cubs infielder Matt Shaw's decision to attend the funeral of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, a personal friend of Shaw's. "I don't want to talk about any of the politics of it, but the thought of leaving your team in the middle of a race for any reason other than a family emergency really strikes me as weird," Cohen said on air at the time.
The remark drew a sharp rebuke from Kirk's former Chief of Staff, Michael McCoy. "A little over a month ago Charlie's dream came true… he got the opportunity to walk on Wrigley Field and after – see his friend Matt Shaw hit a home run. A month later, Charlie is gone and Matt Shaw is receiving backlash for attending his friend’s memorial. Shame on Gary Cohen…" McCoy wrote on social media platform X.
The latest debate over his Bad Bunny comments highlights Cohen's unique position—a beloved yet occasionally polarizing voice for a generation of Mets fans. His willingness to venture beyond pure baseball analysis keeps broadcasts unpredictable, for better or worse. As one detractor bluntly stated, "Cohen is an established [expletive]."
With the long MLB season on the horizon, this spring training sideshow serves as a reminder that in today's sports media landscape, the conversation often extends far beyond the lines of the field. Whether discussing a player's personal choices or a pop icon's stagecraft, Cohen's microphone guarantees reactions will follow. As the regular season approaches, it seems only a matter of time before his commentary creates the next viral moment.
