Shohei Ohtani, No. 17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers, hits a two-run home run, his 50th of the season, becoming the first player with a 50/50 season in MLB history, during the seventh inning against the Miami Marlins at LoanDepot park. In Miami on September 19, 2024.
Megan Briggs | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images
The Major League Baseball postseason has knocked it out of the park.
Game 1 of the National League Championship Series between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday averaged 8.26 million viewers across Fox Sports’ television and streaming networks, making it the most-watched LCS game on any network since 2009, according to Fox. Sports. .
Game 1 of Monday night’s American League Championship Series between the New York Yankees and Cleveland Guardians saw a 4% increase from 2023, with 3.9 million total viewers, according to a TNT Sports spokesperson.
Both series were vying for national attention during “Sunday Night Football” and “Monday Night Football,” with New York’s three National Football League teams playing in primetime.
The championship series wins come directly after four successful league series for MLB and its broadcast partners. The American League Series averaged three million viewers, up more than 20% from 2023, according to TNT Sports. Viewership for the National League Series has also risen, with the fourth game in each series rising from 2022.
Concerns have grown in recent years that MLB’s cultural importance is declining, especially as younger generations who are perceived as having shorter attention spans extend to key demographics for media companies. Highlights and segments have become the programs of choice for sports broadcasters.
Last year’s World Series between the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks also tracked with the worst television ratings in the history of the championship series, though some have attributed it to the fact that the teams didn’t have much national appeal.
The 2024 regular season was a success for MLB as well. The league said it recorded increases in attendance, fan engagement, live broadcasts and viewership, something it attributes to shorter games — aided by the stadium clock introduced last season — and rule changes that created more in-game excitement.
“The increased enthusiasm of baseball fans of all ages in the last two seasons has been evident in all the ways we track fan engagement,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “Building on last year’s momentum, the 2024 season was one to remember with historic performances, rising young stars, a series of successful special events and tight pennant races.”
Mr. Met poses before the game between the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets at Citi Field on September 14, 2022.
Rob Tringali | Major League Baseball | Getty Images
MLB has recently implemented several rule changes designed to increase action in games such as making the bases larger and restricting turnovers. The league has also turned to its generational stars like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, who are with the Dodgers and Yankees, respectively, and will face off in the World Series if each of their teams wins the LCS title.
“For the two most iconic franchises in Major League Baseball to come together and play in the World Series, there couldn’t be anything better for baseball,” Todd Buhle, CEO of Eldridge Industries, said Tuesday to CNBC’s Scott Wapner on “Halftime Report.” The Boehly Company is the owner of the Dodgers, among other professional teams.
The other two remaining teams, the Mets and Guardians, have their own ties. The Mets got their season back in June with a winning streak, which followed McDonald’s mascot, Grimace, throwing the first pitch of the game.
The Guardians corrected their season after surrendering the division lead to the Kansas City Royals at the end of August behind a hot September from their star Jose Ramirez.
The Yankees lead 2-0 against the Guardians, and the Mets-Dodgers series is tied at 1-1.
Don’t miss these insights from CNBC PRO
