Of course, it isnt. 4 \n2005 -- No. MLBs record-low ratings for a World Series game were achieved in 2020, with Game 3 drawing 8.16 million viewers. Below, we examine some of the factors that influenced viewership this year and some of the long-term issues MLB has to address. As of July 19, the saw a designated media area (DMA) TV household average for the league of 1,836,749 compared to the 60-game shortened 2020 season average of 1,804,540 a +2% increase. By comparison, the NBC Sports RSNs is up +14% compared to last year and +30% in relation to 2019. After pulling in a smaller audience, compared to the 2019 World Series, MLB and FOX gained a sizable boost in the TV ratings for Game 4 and 5. SOLD JUN 2, 2022. "Since we started playing primetime World Series games in 1971, it's always been on par with the biggest entertainment shows in prime, going back to comparisons to 'All in the Family,' 'M*A*S*H' and [so on]. The most promoted game on the MLB schedule all season promised to be a hit for fans in attendance and watching on television. ESPN expanded its baseball coverage in 1990, but the networks devotion to the game has changed over time The network returned to broadcasting postseason games in 2014, in addition to its Sunday Night Baseball, Monday Night Baseball and Wednesday Night Baseball programming. The network extended its media rights contract in 2018, agreeing to a seven-year deal worth $5.1 billion. The Los Angeles Dodgers had the highest local ratings of any MLB team in 2019, with an 8.10 household rating. This statistic is a reminder that baseball remains a beloved pastime for millions of fans across the country. The seven-year deal begins in 2022 and grants ESPN exclusive rights to broadcast any expansion to the MLB Wild Card round. That is reflected in the recent deal the network signed with MLB. Its why Im a baseball fan and kids arent into baseball because they have to go to bed earlier.. In 2018, the game averaged 452,000 viewers, and in 2017 it averaged 420,000, per Sports Media Watch. It was a slight bump from Game 2 and the most-watched World Series Game 4 since 2018 (Boston Red Sox-Los Angeles Dodgers, 13.56 million). The epic Super Bowl between the Patriots and Seahawks was also the highest rated in nearly 30 years, with 49.7% of households tuning into the big game. Broadcasting contracts also provide significant revenue to the MLB and individual teams, influencing financial decisions related to team marketing and player acquisition. This is an encouraging sign for the future of the franchise, and it speaks to the strength of the MLBs viewership numbers overall. The limited channel options drove everyone to three sources of television content. There was also a big gain in the key 18-to-34-year-old demographic, with viewers up 9% in that category.\n\nMulvihill said this year's World Series audience \"totally met\" FOX's expectations, with a similar matchup to last year's (Astros-Phillies in 2022, Astros-Braves in 2021) and a similarly competitive series (both six games). If they do, a rematch against the Houston Astros or a clash against Boston would pull in huge numbers for the World Series. Whatever the cause, this statistic is a telling sign that MLB needs to take action to ensure that its viewership numbers remain strong. Before other sports exploded in popularity, MLB ratings for the All-Star Game averaged 22-plus million in the early 1990s. 1 (Cubs vs. Guardians)2017 -- No. That certainly explains part of why ESPN has decided to only show Sunday Night Baseball exclusively beginning in 2022 while forgoing mid-week games that are non-exclusive. Every year, it seems, pundits that dont follow the complexities of television viewership over the years, dive into the viewership numbers for the World Series and say the numbers declining are a sign that MLB is dying.. It was the largest LDS audience dating back to Game 4 2018 between the Yankees and Red Sox (7.15 million). MLB viewership tends to be higher among middle-aged and older viewers, particularly men. \"And we actually saw a pretty good pop, especially for Game 1, among 18-34s. Fox saw a 135% increase from the typical overnight rating it saw for a standard broadcast. While the audience size is larger than 2020, that was to be expected. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images), that has been denounced by the National Congress of American Indians. One thing that has had a negative effect is the length of games and more importantly, the pace of play during them. Falling attendance, poor World Series ratings. 1 (Dodgers vs. Rays)_ \n_2021 -- No. So, in six years, more than 20% of households in the U.S. have dropped pay television. The game topped the Eagles-Texans Thursday Night Football game streaming on Amazon Prime Video that same night -- a matchup between the same cities playing in the World Series -- which had 7.86 million viewers. "So when we get to the Series every year, I always feel like, if the World Series can beat every non-NFL title on television, and if we can get 20-30 hours of content out of it, depending on the length of the series, that's really powerful. The TV audience for the Fall Classic opener -- a dramatic comeback win for the Phillies in extra innings -- represented a 5% gain compared to Game 1 of the 2021 World Series and a 23% gain compared to Game 1 of the 2020 World Series. James Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content, ESPN+ to Stream 31 Major League Baseball Games in May, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians on ESPN Game 1, Philadelphia Phillies vs. St. Louis Cardinals on ABC Game 1, Seattle Mariners vs. Toronto Blue Jays on ESPN Game 1, San Diego Padres vs. New York Mets on ESPN Game 1, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians on ESPN2 Game 2, Seattle Mariners vs. Toronto Blue Jays on ESPN Game 2, San Diego Padres vs. New York Mets on ESPN Game 2, Philadelphia Phillies vs. St. Louis Cardinals on ESPN2 Game 2, San Diego Padres vs. New York Mets Game 3. In comparison, 79% of people were familiar with. The reasons why are numerous. It is considered one of the most. Thus far, the MLB ratings for regionally broadcasted games on Fox have been a mixed bag. If you do look at viewership for The Tonight Show, youll see much the same. Before the current seven-year run, the last time the World Series was the No. 8 \n2004 -- No. The full Sunday Night Baseball season averaged 1.49 million viewers, up 1% from last year (1.47M). The teams managers and general managers are in the business of winning games. This statistic is an important piece of information for any blog post about MLB viewership statistics, as it provides a snapshot of the sports current standing. Don't miss out! $3,800,000 Last Sold Price. Unreal engine vs Unity: Which one is better? Its a myth to say that the networks are unhappy with the World Series as content. How does MLB viewership compare to other professional sports leagues, such as the NFL, NBA, and NHL? In nearly every case, regional sports networks beat the likes of ESPN, TBS, and FOX during the regular season. It shows that despite the challenges of the 2020 season, viewers were still eager to tune in and watch the action. Still, when compared to 2019, TV HHs are down -32%. There are small positives for baseball, largely tied into the growth of streaming. Fast-forward to 2021 and games have moved up exactly 30 minutes to 8pm ET start times. The Bally Sports RSNs are down -8% compared to 2020 and down -19% compared to 2019. While that is a significant spike from last years world series, its the smallest audience for a Game 2 outside of the pandemic WS. However, this varies from region to region and can change during playoff seasons and special events like the World Series. Mailgun vs Sendgrid: Which one is better? From average game viewership and national broadcasts on FOX and ESPN, to local ratings for individual teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers or Atlanta Braves, there have been some interesting trends in terms of who is tuning into Major League Baseball games. As such, this statistic is an important one to consider when discussing MLB viewership statistics. This statistic is a telling indication of the state of MLB viewership. Now, traditional linear television on cable or satellite can see thousands of channels, and there are now streaming channels and video game options that were never in place at the time of the lofty 1970s and 80s numbers. It marked an improvement on the all-time low (10.3 million, 2.7 rating) for the final game in the 2020 World Series. Its an improvement for baseball, but there is one slight cause for concern. MLB on Fox made its season debut on May 23 (Boston Red Sox vs. Philadelphia Phillies). With this as the backdrop, lets dispel some myths. The 2020 World Series Game 3s record-low viewership of 8.16 million viewers is a telling statistic when it comes to MLB viewership statistics. 82011 -- No. This year, ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC combined to average 2.8 million viewers across nine games, up from 1.7 million viewers for 18 games in 2020. MLB lost $1 billion in revenue in 2020, a figure that would have been even worse if not for players taking reduced salaries, the postseason expanding and the league permitting some fans to attend the World Series. 839 N Summit Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103. At home on television where there are thousands of viewing options, its easy to switch to something else. By cutting the number of games ESPN exclusively broadcasts in half, MLB can sell those matchups elsewhere. Ft. condos home built in 1978 that was last sold on 06/11/2020. ESPN Sunday Night Baseball averaged 1.601 million viewers, an increase of +2% . This statistic is indicative of a significant decrease in viewership for MLB local broadcasts over the past decade. 11 \n2006 -- No. This statistic is indicative of the growing popularity of MLB live game streaming on FOX Sports digital platforms. "I sometimes get frustrated when we make those comparisons to 20 or 30 years ago, because the advertisers can't buy the 1990 World Series. Young stars like Fernando Tats Jr., Ronald Acua Jr. and Shohei Ohtani are generating more buzz. This effect is called fragmentation in the media industry, and it's made it difficult for content providers to not only draw viewers in but retain them. 32014 -- No. It's the seventh straight year the World Series takes the top spot in viewership when ranked against the top primetime TV shows. Furthermore, streaming platforms such as Fox Sports digital experienced an increase of 13% compared to 2019s numbers which marked the first time since 1992 that U.S television ratings increased from one year to another. 82004 -- No. With the Atlanta Braves leading the series 3-1, an even bigger audience tuned in for the potential deciding game. This could be due to a variety of factors, such as the rise of streaming services, the increasing cost of attending games, or the changing tastes of the modern sports fan. Game 3 in Philadelphia, when Bryce Harper's home run sparked the Phillies to a win in their first home game of the series, was also the most-watched telecast of the day on any network (11.16 million viewers) -- and was the best-rated MLB game in Philadelphia since the 2010 Phillies-Giants NLCS. 1 (Braves vs. Astros)2022 -- No. 9 \n2003 -- No. This isnt just baseball. 1 (Dodgers vs. Rays)2021 -- No. Bally Sports, which is owned by Diamond Sports Group, a partnership between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Byron Allens Entertainment Studios, has been unable to reach distribution with OTT providers such as Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, and Dish, a key factor in some of the drop. So, baseball, is dying, right? Theres nothing Manfred can do about pitchers taking advantage of tracking data and advanced coaching to improve their game, but MLB must be accountable for the rise in three-outcome ABs. Along with being the most-watched telecast of the day on any network and FOX's best performance for a Wednesday night since 2019, Game 4 was also the most-streamed Game 4 in FOX Sports' history. Major League Baseball couldnt ask for much more from its American League and National League brackets for the MLB postseason. It beat every non-NFL show on TV (with a 32% margin over "60 Minutes," as Mulvihill noted in a thread on Twitter). It suggests that fewer people are tuning in to watch their favorite teams, which could be a cause for concern for the league. Plus, they all embrace the type of game this sport should become, where players are encouraged to have fun and let loose. The 2022 Fall Classic between the Astros and Phillies would rank as the No. In an effort to maximize MLB ratings, it could broadcast one game on Fox for the networks Saturday broadcast and then play a second game on ESPNs Sunday Night Baseball. So, the late start for those on the East Coast is nothing new. "And we actually saw a pretty good pop, especially for Game 1, among 18-34s. Game 1 of the World Series drew 10.81 million viewers and a 6.1 rating. The 2022 #WorldSeries knocked in an average of 12,023,000 viewers across FOX, FOX Deportes and FOX Sports streaming services. Myths need more myth-busting. Fox has been MLBs primary broadcast partner since 1996. 2 Baths. Additionally, both Games 1 and 2 of the series averaged approximately 3.5 million viewers. It wasnt the only game during the LCS to cack 5-plus million viewers. Between ESPN and ESPN2, 7.7 million viewers watched the Red Sox beat the Yankees in the winner-take-all game. Major League Baseball (MLB) is a North American professional sports league, made up of 30 teams that compete in the American League and the National League. Modern technology, allowing pitchers to fine-tune their mechanics and spin rate, has made hitting a baseball harder than ever. "It's been a hit show in primetime for 50 years, and it probably will be for 50 more years.". "In a seven-game series, you want people to get increasingly invested as the series goes on. 1 primetime entertainment program on TV -- comparing the average television audience for the World Series vs. the audience for a full season of any primetime entertainment program. Martn Prez (1-0) L. Bailey Falter (0-1) S. Will Smith (1) League Encyclopedia. Average viewership had peaked at 17.9 million per game, ad revenue had also peaked at $3.8 billion dollars, and daily fantasy sports games from FanDuel and DraftKings were all the rage. As the 2020 MLB season comes to a close, its time to take a look at how viewership has fared over the past few years. Viewership is up 89% from the 2020 MLB playoffs and there is a 3% spike from the playoffs in 2019. In fact, every game between the Dodgers and As in the Fall Classic started at 8:30pm ET. "I think the reason it matters is, in the end, this is an advertiser-supported business," Mulvihill said. But the Series is still one of the most powerful events on the calendar,\" Mulvihill said. Nearby Recently Sold Homes. FOX's World Series TV viewership in 2022 was comparable to last year's Fall Classic (11.94 million) and cemented the gains made from the 2020 season (9.95 million). Saturday nights Game 4 broadcast on FOXaveraged 10.51 million viewers and a 5.65 rating. In 2020, average game viewership was 2.44 million and national broadcasts on FOX and ESPN averaged 1.84 million viewers in the regular season. Mulvihill said this year's World Series audience "totally met" FOX's expectations, with a similar matchup to last year's (Astros-Phillies in 2022, Astros-Braves in 2021) and a similarly competitive series (both six games). For every pitching change it stops the flow of the game, and not only is play stopped, but the networks use it as valuable time to run advertisements to offset the hefty media rights fees they pay to MLB to air the games. What factors contribute to the popularity of MLB games among viewers? This statistic is a testament to the enduring popularity of Major League Baseball, as it demonstrates that even in 2019, the sport was able to draw in a massive audience. 8 Tips For Running A Successful Leadership Meeting, Agile Meetings: The Definitive Guide To Effective Meetings, The Ultimate Guide For Recurring Meetings (2023), How To Reduce Work Meetings: Tips For Fewer Meetings, Too Many Meetings: How To Be More Efficient As A Team, FeaturedAI Replacing Jobs Statistics (2023). \n","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550},"type":"oembed"},{"__typename":"Markdown","content":"It's the seventh straight year the World Series takes the top spot in viewership when ranked against the top primetime TV shows.\n\nThe trend started in 2016, with the instant-classic seven-game World Series between the Cubs and Guardians, when the Cubs won their first championship in 108 years.\n\n\"We sometimes make the mistake of just comparing absolute ratings to what they were 20 or 30 years ago when the business was really different,\" Mulvihill said. How To Handle Conflict In A Business Meeting? 112006 -- No. This myth is the most complex to cover and could fill several articles in doing so, but heres the bottom line: Oftentimes, these comparisons look at viewership numbers from the 1980s and early 90s. Fans have started returning to the ballpark, but the pandemic is still creating a drag on television [+] numbers. SOLD MAR 31, 2023. Manfred must start cracking down this season on pitchers using substances to enhance their pitches and umpires. DIS This could be indicative of a trend in viewership, and could be a sign of a potential decline in the future. Tap here for the hottest headlines breaking right now. 8,902 Sq. pic.twitter.com/JFqfGfsXu3. According to Pew Research, The share of Americans who say they watch television via cable or satellite has plunged from 76% in 2015 to 56% this year, according to their survey of U.S. adults. MySQL vs SQL Server: Which one is better? FeaturedMeeting Opening Reflections To Enhance Business Productivity, Starbucks: Business Model, SWOT Analysis & Competitors, Biomedical Engineer Salary And Job Description, How To Have Structured Meetings Every Day. According to Statista, home games for the Dallas Cowboys were the MOST attended games in 2016 with a total of 740,318 spectators passing through the gates at an average of 92,539 fans per game. 4 \n2012 -- No. Quit perpetuating the myth that this is a new thing. An average of 8.237 million Americans watched the annual American League-National League matchup on FOX this year, compared to 8.162 million in 2019, the network said (the league cancelled the. Starting with the advent of night games on broadcast television, Major League Baseball had games air at 8:30pm ET. If comparing it to other pro sports, the NFL lost more viewers from one Sunday Night Football game to the next than any MLB regular-season game drew this year. Every year, a narrative gets spun that, Back in my day, games didnt go past midnight. Through the first two weeks of the telecast, an average of 1.58 million viewers are tuning into the Sunday Night game. Ft. 19351 Bluefish Ln #106, Huntington Beach, CA 92648. As the broadcasting fee skyrockets, World Series ratings are dropping. 8 \n2008 -- No. Thus far, Game 5 has had the largest average audience at 13.993 million. Fernando Tats Jr. is arguably the most popular player in baseball today, but he likely still wouldnt be as known across the US as second-tier NBA and NFL players. Television broadcasting rights and contracts play a significant role in MLB viewership, as they determine which networks carry the games and the quality of the broadcast. Fans of the teams may not like how it turns games into grinds, but if it results in a win, so be it. This year, ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC combined to average 2.8 million viewers across nine games, up from 1.7 million viewers for 18 games in 2020. It shows that even in the face of a global pandemic, baseball fans in Atlanta are still tuning in to watch their favorite teams. Is that myth that the pace and length of games are enough to undermine the World Series as a prime piece of network broadcast content? I just dont think fans are acting the way that they have done previously before the pandemic.. One huge positive for MLB, per SportsMediaWatch, this was ESPNs most-watched broadcast since the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. As John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal wrote in 2016 when investigating the late start times in 2007, [We] were told that the later the games start and finish, the larger the audiences across all demographics, except for the adults 55 and older. They can't buy the 1980 World Series. The biggest U.S. soccer audience last week? "60 Minutes," the top-rated news program, was averaging 8.92 million viewers. But the Series is still one of the most powerful events on the calendar," Mulvihill said. This year's World Series averaged 11.78 million viewers on FOX alone. This isnt such a big deal when you attend a game. They will use as many pitchers and position players as possible to win. This statistic is a reminder of the resilience of the sport and its fans, and serves as a beacon of hope for the future of MLB viewership. Plenty can be made of the MLB ratings on cable and what it means for the games future. Local ratings for MLB games in Atlanta rose by 68% from 2019 to 2020. Quite the contrary, FOX is happy about it. It shows that more people are turning to digital platforms to watch their favorite teams play, which is a testament to the increasing accessibility of MLB games. He credited the 2022 schedule change to starting the World Series on a Friday night as helping drive a younger audience to the Series, especially because of strong out-of-home viewership -- people watching at bars, restaurants, hotels, workplaces, etc., which the Nielsen ratings now measure. For the sake of comparison, via Sporticos Anthony Crupi, ratings over several decades highlight the declining popularity. The results have led to regional ratings dropping in several markets. Zestimate Home Value: $0. Baseball will never return to its peak as Americas Pastime, both the NFL and NBA evolved much faster. Each year around the World Series there are countless conversations around TV viewership numbers and late start times that have a throng shouting that the game is too old. Ratings for Sunday nights weekly broadcast dipped in 2020 and have steadily decreased in recent years. The AT&T SportsNet family is flat compared to 2020 while running -3% against 2019. The deciding game five recorded an average audience of 4.95 million viewers on TBS, . It is a sign that the MLB needs to take steps to ensure that its viewership numbers remain high in the future, and that it can continue to attract fans to its games. 42005 -- No. Houston is one of the most hated teams in baseball and the Braves have a smaller market size than Los Angeles. Game 1 of the Philadelphia Phillies vs. St. Louis Cardinals series, which aired exclusively on ABC on the afternoon of Friday, October 7, averaged 3.1 million viewers. It was the most-watched baseball game on ESPN since 1998, per Nielsen, and the. Those RSNs were the former FOX Sports networks that Disney A "share" is the percentage watching a program among those households with televisions on at the time. They dont. And NBC was one of the three-channel options all of America had at their disposal over the air. Ratings have improved throughout the postseason, but they are falling short outside of 2020 numbers. And there is still the belief that the pandemic is weighing down on the numbers. It is a sign that MLB is expanding its reach and gaining more fans from around the world. Q Score, a marketing research firm that tracks the popularity of celebrities, found that Trout had a 22% familiarity score among Americans.