Who said baseball was dead? MLB reports huge Father’s Day attendance numbers

Something that hasn’t happened for quite a while but baseball is back in vogue. Suddenly, people are discussing Paul Skenes’ changeup, Elly de la Cruz’s electrifying run, or Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani’s monstrous hits.

If it feels like baseball became more relevant in 2025, you’re not hallucinating, it’s for real.

The MLB is not only filling your timeline with hits and spectacular plays, it’s also filling stadiums and capturing television ratings records like it’s 1998 all over again.

A television comeback

Fox reported a 10 percent increase in MLB coverage year on year, averaging 1.84 million viewers per game, according to Front Office data. ESPN, which ironically wants to exit its MLB rights deal early, saw a 22 percent jump to 1.74 million viewers per game. That’s its best showing since 2017. The sport seems to be finding a new audience without losing its roots.

In Japan, the Shohei Ohtani phenomenon isn’t just an export story: average MLB game viewership is up 22 percent to 2.7 million. And that’s not even counting the Tokyo International Series in March, which was a veritable explosion of interest.

But the real thermometer is in the big events. The June 1st Yankees-Dodgers game on Sunday Night Baseball, a sort of emotional rematch of the 2024 World Series, peaked at 3.1 million viewers. The highest number in seven years for that primetime slot.

Packed stadiums

The boom isn’t limited to screens. Stadium attendance has grown 1.8 percent so far this regular season. That may sound modest, but in terms of live entertainment after the pandemic, it’s a grand slam. The current average crowd is approaching 28,000 fans per game. If the trend continues, it would be the third consecutive year of growth. And in an industry that seemed resigned to aging with its fans, it’s as much of an incentive as tying the game in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Much of the credit goes to more strategic programming, but also to the magnetic power of names that operate as personal franchises: Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Elly de la Cruz, Juan Soto. All of them are trending topics in the flesh.

Last weekend, with Father’s Day on Sunday, the MLB reported attendance numbers that haven’t been seen for almost 20 years.

The key to this new vitality is not just in the names, but in the rules. And we’re not talking about just any rules, but the one that many purists considered more untouchable than the US Constitution.

The pitch clock, the bigger bases, the automatic runner in extra innings... all decisions have added dynamism and rhythm to the game to attract generations born with TikTok. Baseball stopped asking for patience and started delivering excitement without so much formality. The average game time has dropped more than 25 minutes compared to 2022. Watching a game no longer requires the same commitment as watching the Sopranos boxset.

MLB as a global product

MLB.TV, the league’s official streaming platform, has also seen double-digit percentage increases. The same goes for TBS’s Tuesday night coverage.

Related stories

MLB

Ohtani's pitching return in numbers

MLB

Why the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the Giants

Baseball has always been a sport that demanded time, attention, and patience. But the 2025 version seems to have understood the logic of this century: the excitement should be immediate, but the romance should be long-term.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.