Total Television Audience of MLB Plummets for 2023 World Series
The 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series recorded the lowest average total television audience in history. Averaging only 9.11 million viewers across the five games on Fox, the Texas Rangers’ victory marked a significant drop from previous years. This figure falls below the prior low of 9.95 million viewers set during the pandemic-affected 2020 World Series. Representing a 23% decrease from the 2022 World Series, this year’s viewership underscores a concerning trend for MLB. While the final game did attract 11.45 million viewers, it wasn’t enough to offset the record low of 8.13 million viewers for game three, or the generally low numbers throughout the series. Only the final game managed to surpass 10 million viewers.
The declining viewership extends beyond the World Series. Overall, the MLB postseason, broadcast across Fox, TBS, and ESPN, averaged 4.45 million viewers, reflecting an 8% decline compared to the previous season. Experts attribute the lower numbers to several factors, including the perceived lack of national appeal of the participating teams, the Texas Rangers and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Neither team boasts a large national following compared to more established franchises, potentially impacting viewer interest. This marks the ninth different MLB champion in the last ten years, a parity that while arguably good for the sport’s competitive balance, may contribute to lower viewership when less nationally recognized teams reach the finals.
Fox executives acknowledge the challenges of attracting viewers with less prominent teams in the World Series. While acknowledging the benefits of new teams competing for the championship, they conceded the difficulty in drawing large national audiences without traditional powerhouse teams. The sentiment echoes a broader concern within the league about maintaining viewership in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.
The consecutive decline in World Series viewership over the past four years—all of which now rank as the four least-watched on record—raises questions about the future of MLB’s television audience. The trend suggests a need for the league to address the issue and potentially explore new strategies to engage fans and boost viewership.
The decreased total television audience for MLB highlights a concerning trend for the league. While parity in terms of championship winners might be beneficial for the sport’s long-term health, it presents challenges for attracting a large national audience in the short term. Attracting casual viewers remains a key challenge.
Finding ways to boost the Total Television Audience Of Mlb games, particularly for the World Series, is crucial for the league’s continued growth and financial success. The challenge lies in balancing the desire for competitive balance with the need to showcase teams with broader national appeal. The league will likely explore various strategies to address the declining viewership trend and ensure the future of the sport.
