Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers achieved a significant milestone by hitting his 50th home run of the season during a game against the Miami Marlins on September 19, 2024. This accomplishment made him the first player in Major League Baseball (MLB) history to achieve a 50/50 season.
The postseason for Major League Baseball has drawn substantial viewer interest. The first game of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers attracted an average of 8.26 million viewers across Fox Sports’ television networks and streaming services, marking the highest viewership for a League Championship Series (LCS) game since 2009, as reported by Fox Sports.
Similarly, the first game of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians saw a 4% increase in viewership from 2023, attracting 3.9 million viewers, according to a spokesperson from TNT Sports. Both series had the challenge of competing with “Sunday Night Football” and “Monday Night Football,” which featured all three of New York’s National Football League teams in primetime.
These viewership gains in the championship series follow successful league division series for MLB and its broadcast partners. The American League Division Series attracted an average of three million viewers, representing more than a 20% increase from 2023, according to TNT Sports. The National League Division Series also saw a rise in viewership, with game four of each series showing growth from 2022.
In recent years, concerns have arisen regarding MLB’s declining cultural relevance, particularly as younger demographics, who are perceived to have shorter attention spans, become key targets for media companies. As a result, highlights and clips have become crucial programming for sports broadcasters.
The previous year’s World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks registered the lowest TV ratings in the history of the championship series, a situation attributed by some to the limited national appeal of the teams involved.
The 2024 regular season proved successful for MLB, with increased attendance, fan engagement, streaming, and viewership reported by the league. These improvements are credited to shorter games facilitated by the introduction of a pitch clock last season and other rule changes aimed at enhancing in-game action.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred noted, “The increased enthusiasm baseball fans of all ages have shown the last two seasons is evident in all of the ways we track fan engagement.” He highlighted the 2024 season as being memorable due to historic performances, emerging young stars, successful special events, and closely contested pennant races.
Recently, MLB has implemented several rule changes to increase game action, including larger bases and restrictions on defensive shifts. The league has also focused on its generational stars, such as Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge of the Dodgers and Yankees, respectively, who could potentially face off in the World Series if their teams win their respective LCS.
Todd Boehly, CEO of Eldridge Industries and owner of the Dodgers, stated that a Yankees-Dodgers World Series would be ideal for baseball, given the storied history of both franchises.
Meanwhile, the Mets and Guardians have their own appeal. The Mets rejuvenated their season with a winning streak in June, following McDonald’s mascot, Grimace, throwing out a first pitch at a game. The Guardians regained their division lead from the Kansas City Royals in September, thanks to a strong performance by their star player, Jose Ramirez.
The Yankees currently hold a 2-0 lead against the Guardians, while the Mets-Dodgers series is tied at 1-1.
