MLB attendance reaches 71.4 million; three straight years of growth for first time since 2007

Image Credit: Simon Lindenblatt/Latino Sports

MLB registers viewership increases across all national television packages, local RSN games, on MLB.TV and in Japan; MLB Audience Continues to Get Younger in Ballparks and Viewership; All-Time Record Seven Players Reach 30/30 in Same Season

Major League Baseball finished the season with its third consecutive season of attendance growth, viewership increases across its television partners, and growth with younger audiences both in ballparks and on television. The momentum has continued following the establishment of MLB’s on-field rule changes, incorporation of a balanced schedule, expanded Postseason, and remarkable individual player performances.

Game Time

The third season of the Pitch Clock, the hallmark of the rule changes, continued to generate crisper games with less dead time and more action. The average game time for the 2025 season was 2:38, marking the third consecutive season that time of game was at 2:40 or below. This is the first time in 40 years (1983-85) that average game time clocked in at 2:40 or below for three straight years. In addition, there were only three nine-inning games that lasted 3:30 or longer this season compared to 391 such games in 2021.

Attendance

Final attendance for the 2025 MLB season reached 71,409,421, which marks the third straight year of attendance growth for the first time in 18 years (2005-2007). As the most-attended sports league in the world, MLB also recorded attendance that surpassed the 70 million milestone for the third consecutive season, which is the first time that has occurred in eight years (2015-2017). Numerous MLB Clubs set attendance records or reached totals they haven’t achieved in years including:

• The Dodgers and Padres both set all-time attendance marks with Los Angeles surpassing 4 million for the first time in franchise history (4,012,470) and the first time any Club has passed 4 million since the Yankees and Mets in 2008. San Diego set a franchise record for the third consecutive year (3,437,201).
• The Mets (3,184,570) and Diamondbacks (2,393,973) both had their best attendance since 2008.
• The Phillies (3,375,457) had their best attendance since 2012.
• The Reds (2,170,963) had their best attendance since 2015.
• The Tigers (2,413,442) had their best attendance since 2016.

National Viewership

Viewership for Major League Baseball games nationally, locally, on MLB.TV and in Japan all increased over last year with most platforms achieving double digit percentage increases for their audiences.

FOX had its most-watched season since 2022 averaging 2.04 million viewers for an increase of +9%. FS1 had its most-watched season in six years (2019) with an average audience of 324,000 for its non-exclusive games marking a +10% increase over last year.

ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball game coverage recorded its best season in 12 years (2013) with an average viewing audience of 1.8 million viewers, a +21% increase over last year’s total.

TBS drew its largest viewership in 14 years (2011) with an average of 462,000 per game, which are not exclusive. This marks a +29% increase over last year.

Through Wednesday, September 23rd, MLB Network recorded its most-watched regular season for game coverage since 2018. With average viewership of 261,000 for its out-of-market “Showcase” telecasts, the total represents a +13% increase over 2024. MLB Network’s out-of-market telecast of the Rays and Yankees on July 30th was the network’s second most-watched regular season game ever, averaging 708,000 viewers. All of MLB Network’s studio shows have seen an increase in viewership over 2024 through this past Wednesday, including MLB Central(+48%), MLB Now (+10%), Intentional Talk (+19%), MLB Tonight: National Pregame Show (+12%), Quick Pitch (+19%) and Big Inning (+18%).

Streaming, Japan and Local Viewership

NHK in Japan recorded its highest regular season viewership ever with an average audience of 2.65 million viewers up +20% vs. last season. This year marks the fifth straight season NHK recorded a viewership gain, dating back to 2021.

Despite the declining number of cable subscribers nationally, viewership for MLB games on regional sports networks increased slightly (+2%) for the season. MLB games continue to lead local viewership in the markets where games are played. In 17 of the 26 MLB markets in the U.S., primetime MLB games on RSNs ranked number one compared to primetime averages on all stations in the market. In 20 of the 26 MLB markets in the U.S., primetime MLB games on RSNs ranked number one compared to primetime averages on all cable stations in the market.

MLB.TV set another consumption record this season with 19.39 billion minutes watched, an increase of +34% over last year. Seven of the 10 most-watched games on MLB.TV have taken place this season including the top game all-time which was Padres vs. Dodgers on June 16th, which marked Shohei Ohtani’s return to the mound, and the number two game, which was the Mets vs. Yankees Subway Series game on July 4th. In addition, nine of the 10 most-watched days ever on MLB.TV have taken place this season. The most-watched day ever was on July 29, which featured 16 games.

The MLB App registered its most-trafficked season ever with daily traffic increasing by +18% over 2024. The final three days of the 2025 Regular Season was the most-trafficked three-day period in the history of the MLB app.

Younger Audiences

MLB’s significant efforts to expand its younger fan base resulted in lowering its average age of ticket buyers and increasing the number of young fans tuning into games. The average age of single game ticket buyers on the primary market this season is 43, down from 46 in 2023. The average age of ticket buyers on the secondary market is 39, down from 42 in 2023.

In addition, MLB national broadcast partners all recorded increases in their youth (17 and under) and young adult (18-34) audiences during the regular season helping to drive the overall audience higher. In the 17 and under audience, all national broadcasters registered double digit percentage increases: FOX (+13%), FS1 (+31%), ESPN (+19%), TBS (+41%) and MLB Network (+57%). The networks also drove higher young adult (18-34) audiences this year: FOX (+5%), FS1 (+25%), ESPN (+12%), TBS (+74%) and MLB Network (+19%).

Social Media

The 2025 MLB regular season was the most-viewed season on record totaling more than 17.8 billion views across all MLB and MLB Español social accounts. This year’s figure is a +20%increase over last season’s total.

YouGov Research

According to YouGov’s SportsIndex research, Major League Baseball recorded the highest brand health score (26.9) of any sports league measured during this season coming in +39% higher than its 2022 score.

Outstanding Player Performances

The remarkable talent on the field continues to draw fans to the ballpark and screens as the top players in the game compile historic seasons. Some of the highlights from the 2025 season include:

• 30/30 Record: Seven 30/30 players this season (Corbin Carroll, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Francisco Lindor, José Ramírez, Juan Soto, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Julio Rodríguez) mark the all-time single-season record in MLB history.
• 50+ Home Runs: Four players hit 50+ home runs this season (Cal Raleigh, Kyle Schwarber, Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge), matching the most such players in a season in MLB history.
• Most Home Runs by a Catcher: Raleigh hit 49 home runs as a catcher, shattering the record for homers in a season as a catcher. Javier Lopez had held the record with 42 in 2003. Raleigh became the first non-Yankee in American League history to join the 60-homer club, joining Hall of Famer Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, and Aaron Judge.
• All Rise: Judge has tied the all-time Major League record for 50-homer seasons in a career with four. He became the fifth player since 1961 (Expansion Era) to lead the Majors in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging in a single season (previously: Miguel Cabrera, Barry Bonds, Larry Walker, and George Brett).
• Ohtani’s Different 50/50: Ohtani became the first player ever to hit 50 home runs and record 50 strikeouts as a pitcher in the same season following his groundbreaking 50/50 (homers and stolen bases) season of 2024. Previously, the only other 50-homer hitter with any pitching strikeouts in a season was Ruth in 1921, when he fanned three batters to go along with his 59 homers.
• Kershaw’s Career Excellence: With a win in his regular season finale on Sunday to cap an 11-2 season, Clayton Kershaw will retire with a career record of 223-96 (.699). Among all-time pitchers who have not lost 100 games, Ron Guidry (170-91 career record) is the next closest to him in wins with 53 fewer, followed by Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax (165-87 career record), with 58 fewer wins.
• Skenes Dominance: With a 1.97 ERA in 2025, Paul Skenes became the first qualified pitcher with an ERA below 2.00 in his age-23 season or younger since Dwight Gooden in 1985.

Information Courtesy of Major League Baseball

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