It shows that despite the challenges of the 2020 season, viewers were still eager to tune in and watch the action. A "share" is the percentage watching a program among those households with televisions on at the time. It is a sign that the MLB needs to take steps to ensure that its viewership numbers remain high in the future, and that it can continue to attract fans to its games. Manfred must start cracking down this season on pitchers using substances to enhance their pitches and umpires. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Now, traditional linear television on cable or satellite can see thousands of channels, and there are now streaming channels and video game options that were never in place at the time of the lofty 1970s and 80s numbers. They dont. The 2020 MLB World Series averaged 9.8 million viewers on FOX. Furthermore, YouTube is broadcasting 21 games in its third season partnered with MLB. 3 \n_2016 -- No. There are small positives for baseball, largely tied into the growth of streaming. Tied into that conversation is the narrative that because of the late start times in the Eastern Time zone, kids are not able to watch the games to their completion due to school nights, and therefore, MLB is missing out on growing the game with youth. At a time when ESPN has pulled back on some of its MLB broadcasts, the success of the derby is significant. The problem is, in nearly every instance these are a myth. SOLD MAR 31, 2023. Can The Math Game Help The Denver Nuggets Beat The Phoenix Suns? This statistic is an important piece of information for any blog post about MLB viewership statistics, as it provides a snapshot of the sports current standing. It beat every non-NFL show on TV (with a 32% margin over "60 Minutes," as Mulvihill noted in a thread on Twitter). In nearly every case, regional sports networks beat the likes of ESPN, TBS, and FOX during the regular season. TV ratings are even worse: average viewership for the World Series has declined precipitously since the 1970s, from 44.2 million in 1978 to a record low 9.8 million viewers in 2020. . Local ratings for MLB games in Atlanta rose by 68% from 2019 to 2020. 1 / 4. We are having a record revenue year, Sloan said. 8,902 Sq. A 2021 World Series matchup between the Atlanta Braves and Houston Astros was never going to be ideal for MLB ratings. The series was the most-streamed #WorldSeries in @FOXSports history. Tap here for the hottest headlines breaking right now. Not all the myths are here to paint some wholly rosy picture of Major League Baseball. Overall, there has been a significant shedding of pay-TV subscribers. The final games in each series also ended on a bright note, with FOX and TBS pulling in a sizable audience. 82011 -- No. Nov 15, 2022 The games of the 2022 World Series, in which the Houston Astros achieved a six-game series win over the Philadelphia Phillies, were watched by an average of 11.8 million. Part of this problem was recently highlighted by ESPNs Stephen A. Smith, who wrongly blamed Shohei Ohtani for not speaking English and his need for an interpreter harms the game. Hungry for more MLB news? Extreme defensive shifts and hitters focusing on power, which MLB contracts incentivize, arent the leagues biggest problem. 82004 -- No. Well also discuss which platforms are driving more engagement with baseball fans across America. With Spanish-language TV factored in, the weather-delayed 2019 game averaged 808,000 viewers total. As John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal wrote in 2016 when investigating the late start times in 2007, [We] were told that the later the games start and finish, the larger the audiences across all demographics, except for the adults 55 and older. Just as importantly, per MLB Communications, the average viewership for the 2021 MLB postseason through the division series was at its highest marks since 2018. 1 (Nationals vs. Astros)_ \n_2020 -- No. Looking at 2021 compared to the shortened season last year, 12 of 29 see drops in TV households with the biggest drop being the As who are +24% compared to 2019, but down -13% when measured against 2020. "And we actually saw a pretty good pop, especially for Game 1, among 18-34s. SOLD JUN 2, 2022. The 2021 season has also sparked debate about issues on the field, namely the rising strikeout rate and the drop in batting average. Fernando Tats Jr. is arguably the most popular player in baseball today, but he likely still wouldnt be as known across the US as second-tier NBA and NFL players. With all of that in mind, lets examine the MLB ratings from the 2021 season and the playoffs thus far. Television broadcasting rights and contracts play a significant role in MLB viewership, as they determine which networks carry the games and the quality of the broadcast. Before other sports exploded in popularity, MLB ratings for the All-Star Game averaged 22-plus million in the early 1990s. He credited the 2022 schedule change to starting the World Series on a Friday night as helping drive a younger audience to the Series, especially because of strong out-of-home viewership -- people watching at bars, restaurants, hotels, workplaces, etc., which the Nielsen ratings now measure. This year, ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC combined to average 2.8 million viewers across nine games, up from 1.7 million viewers for 18 games in 2020. That's sort of all that we need for it to be, and it delivers on that every year.\"\n\nThe 2022 World Series checked both of those boxes. \"I sometimes get frustrated when we make those comparisons to 20 or 30 years ago, because the advertisers can't buy the 1990 World Series. That's up from the average 1.07 million viewers who watched the 2020 game on Fox Sports last year, and up 38% from an average of 825,000 viewers for the 2019 game. 1 (Braves vs. Astros)_ \n**_2022 -- No. The World Series still generated top-10 viewership numbers for most of the 2000s, but since 2016 especially it's dominated primetime TV.\n\n\"I think the reason it matters is, in the end, this is an advertiser-supported business,\" Mulvihill said. The most-watched regular-season game in 2020 drew 4 million viewers while the World Series averaged 9.8 million viewers on FOX that same year. 1 (Nationals vs. Astros)2020 -- No. The World Series will be the most-watched television content all year, minus the NFL. The fact that the American League Championship Series (ALCS) averaged approximately 2.7 million viewers in 2020 is a testament to the enduring popularity of Major League Baseball. had to sell off to pass the muster of the feds when the company purchased nearly all of FOX. 9 \n2013 -- No. I believe it. The full Sunday Night Baseball season averaged 1.49 million viewers, up 1% from last year (1.47M). In 2008, MLB local broadcasts averaged a 3.95 household rating, compared to a 2.83 rating in 2019. Because if nothing is done, networks will begin to realize broadcasting MLB games isnt worth the price when baseball cant build a relationship with its future audience nor produce an entertaining game. The reason the comparison is so relevant is that it's a comparison of what marketers can actually buy right now. MLB viewership increased by +4.1% in 2018 but decreased by -1.1% in 2019. This is largely due to the increased number of pitchers being used. Modern technology, allowing pitchers to fine-tune their mechanics and spin rate, has made hitting a baseball harder than ever. This statistic is a great indicator of the MLBs continued success and its ability to draw in viewers. And its near certain when the final numbers come in that the 2021 World Series will be the sixth in a row. In multiple conversations with network executives over the years, the one thing they repeatedly say is that television windows are designed to reach the maximum audience. FeaturedChatGPT Statistics & Facts in 2023, FeaturedStatistics about Fast Fashion in 2023, FeaturedStatistics & Facts About Technology Addiction, FeaturedLearn Everything About Retention Marketing, What Is A Marketing Campaign: Definition & The Best Practices, Account-Based Marketing: Past, Present & Future, Responsibility vs. By comparison, the NBC Sports RSNs is up +14% compared to last year and +30% in relation to 2019. And again, that's only in the DMA. The 2020 World Series Game 3s record-low viewership of 8.16 million viewers is a telling statistic when it comes to MLB viewership statistics. So, the late start for those on the East Coast is nothing new. Ft. condos home built in 1978 that was last sold on 06/11/2020. It shows that even in the face of a global pandemic, baseball fans in Atlanta are still tuning in to watch their favorite teams. This statistic is a telling indication of the state of MLB viewership. With the match-up being the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves, you wind up with a southern regional affair. A result of the merger between FOX and Disney, rights to regional broadcast coverage were sold to Diamond Sports Group, with involvement from Sinclair Broadcast Group. The network extended its media rights contract in 2018, agreeing to a seven-year deal worth $5.1 billion. Unreal engine vs Unity: Which one is better? This year's World Series averaged 11.78 million viewers on FOX alone. 2019s most-watched MLB game on ESPN reached a viewership of 2.442 million. The TV audience for the Fall Classic opener -- a dramatic comeback win for the Phillies in extra innings -- represented a 5% gain compared to Game 1 of the 2021 World Series and a 23% gain compared to Game 1 of the 2020 World Series. Sinclair is reportedly exploring a direct-to-consumer launch for the 2022 MLB season, which would allow fans in their respective regions to purchase access to games for the regular season. They will use as many pitchers and position players as possible to win. Nearby homes similar to 2323 Huntington St #807 have recently sold between $720K to $1M at an average of $600 per square foot. This statistic is a testament to the enduring popularity of the MLB World Series. 1 primetime entertainment program on TV -- comparing the average television audience for the World Series vs. the audience for a full season of any primetime entertainment program. This is an important statistic to consider when discussing MLB viewership statistics, as it shows that the sport is continuing to grow in popularity. While the 29 domestic regional sports networks saw a slight increase in TV households watching Major League Baseball at the All-Star break, compared to the last full season in 2019, the league is seeing a double-digit drop. They're making a choice between entertainment content, news content and the World Series.". Zestimate Home Value: $0. He credited the 2022 schedule change to starting the World Series on a Friday night as helping drive a younger audience to the Series, especially because of strong out-of-home viewership -- people watching at bars, restaurants, hotels, workplaces, etc., which the Nielsen ratings now measure.\n\n\"We felt like by starting on a Friday night, we had a potential to take advantage of that audience that is out enjoying their Friday night and maybe watching some sports at the same time,\" Mulvihill said. The three-game series averaged 3.7 million viewers. Furthermore, streaming platforms such as Fox Sports digital experienced an increase of 13% compared to 2019s numbers which marked the first time since 1992 that U.S television ratings increased from one year to another. Factors that contribute to the popularity of MLB games among viewers include team performance, regional loyalty, player popularity, exciting game situations, and rivalries among opposing teams. Ft. 839 N Summit Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103. In the end, the viewership trend for 18-34 was better than it was across the entire population.\"\n\nBut most important is that the World Series once again outperformed all the entertainment programming in primetime and surpassed every non-NFL program on television this season.\n\n\"The business has obviously changed a lot over the decades; baseball consumption has changed with it. Considering the massive success of this game, its a safe bet that MLB will look to expand on it in the future. There have been no issues on the advertiser front with Major League Baseball as a property for advertisers to line up and get behind.. Major League Baseball (MLB) is a North American professional sports league, made up of 30 teams that compete in the American League and the National League. Even for a game that didnt exactly live up to the hype, the numbers were stellar for ESPN. Along with being the most-watched telecast of the day on any network and FOX's best performance for a Wednesday night since 2019, Game 4 was also the most-streamed Game 4 in FOX Sports' history. Nielsen Media started tracking viewership for the World Series in 1968. In 2020, average game viewership was 2.44 million and national broadcasts on FOX and ESPN averaged 1.84 million viewers in the regular season. The 2021 World Series could come close to 11.2 million average viewers. 11 \n2006 -- No. However, things are looking up in 2021.. During the All-Star Break, MLB announced that ratings for Sunday Night Baseball are up 26% compared to the 2020 MLB season. 8 \n2004 -- No. "Look, there just aren't that many -- as is demonstrated by the fact that [the World Series] beats every entertainment show -- there just aren't that many opportunities to reach 12 or 13 million people," Mulvihill said. It's the seventh straight year the World Series takes the top spot in viewership when ranked against the top primetime TV shows. By comparison, "The Equalizer" on CBS -- the top-rated primetime entertainment TV show -- was averaging 7.07 million viewers per episode for the 2022 fall season at the time the World Series ended. Beginning in March 2021, many regional MLB games shifted from FOX Sports networks to Bally Sports. In the end, the viewership trend for 18-34 was better than it was across the entire population.". MLB ratings are surviving the historic decline in run production for now, but the stats this season hint that might not last for long. This statistic is indicative of a significant decrease in viewership for MLB local broadcasts over the past decade. But, per Sports Media Watch, these numbers are a drastic fall from the last Red Sox-Yankees elimination game in 2004 (31.46 million). The statistic of average MLB game viewership being 2.44 million in 2020 is a telling sign of the sports popularity. Game 7, alone, drew an eye-popping 51.56 million average viewers. They can only buy the here and now. "The business has obviously changed a lot over the decades; baseball consumption has changed with it. \"And we actually saw a pretty good pop, especially for Game 1, among 18-34s. Opening Night drew 1.5 million viewers across ESPN and ESPN2, which was up +4% from 2022. Bally Sports, which is owned by Diamond Sports Group, a partnership between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Byron Allens Entertainment Studios, has been unable to reach distribution with OTT providers such as Hulu, YouTube TV, Sling TV, and Dish, a key factor in some of the drop. It was the largest LDS audience dating back to Game 4 2018 between the Yankees and Red Sox (7.15 million). 42005 -- No. The final MLB game of 2022 reached a peak audience of 14.73 million viewers during the game. Bally Sports intends to go direct-to-consumers in 2022, which MLB supports. It was the most-streamed World Series in FOX Sports' history. 82001 -- No. In the midst of all of the local television data, one thing that stands out is the continued regional interest by fans compared to national broadcasts. How has MLB viewership changed over the past decade? Viewership for ESPN's exclusive coverage of the 2022 MLB Wild Card Series Presented by Hankook Tire was up 64 percent from 2020 - the only other MLB Wild Card Series - according to Nielsen. This has had an overarching effect on all television, minus one, the NFL. So, baseball is "dying", right? With all of this in mind, lets examine what the MLB ratings mean for baseballs future. MLB live game streaming on FOX Sports digital platforms during the 2020 regular season was up 13% compared to 2019. Actually, several problems. If comparing it to other pro sports, the NFL lost more viewers from one Sunday Night Football game to the next than any MLB regular-season game drew this year. Yes, you say, but what about more recent World Series games and viewership. The return of a 162-game season certainly helped the league and the MLB postseason brackets worked out almost perfectly. Ratings have improved throughout the postseason, but they are falling short outside of 2020 numbers. Much like weve seen with the NFL, which is seeing its ratings soar this year, MLB television ratings for the playoffs are strong. The remarkable 68% increase in local ratings for MLB games in Atlanta is a testament to the enduring popularity of the sport. Almost 860,000 on CBS watched the 1-1 draw between Manchester United and Atltico Madrid on Wednesday in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League round. This is an important piece of information for any blog post about MLB viewership statistics, as it shows the level of engagement that the Dodgers have with their fans. While viewership is up compared to the 2020 season, MLB has seen its league-wide household average fall 12% when comparing the 2021 and 2019 seasons. The NFL drew 17.79 million people to live games in 2016. If you took the pulse of social media and sports talk radio, Major League Baseball must be on deaths doorstep. If you do look at viewership for The Tonight Show, youll see much the same. $720,000 Last Sold Price. It was the least-watched Fall Classic game outside of the 2020 World Series, but as SportsMediaWatch notes, was the sixth-most watched sports broadcast outside of the Olympics and football. That's sort of all that we need for it to be, and it delivers on that every year.". 42012 -- No. What is concerning for the league is all RSNs saw a drop compared to 2019, except for the Tigers (+40%), Padres (+71%), As (+24%), Giants (+54%), Dodgers (+49%), and Chicago White Sox (+123%). Major League Baseball couldnt ask for much more from its American League and National League brackets for the MLB postseason. The seven-year deal begins in 2022 and grants ESPN exclusive rights to broadcast any expansion to the MLB Wild Card round. The current TV rights package with ESPN, Fox and Univision is valued at a combined $720m over eight years with the deal up for renegotiation in 2022. And theres more to support that. That game started at 8:30pm ET. 2000 -- No. Falling attendance, poor World Series ratings. Accountability for Leaders, 8 Ways to Meet Your Goals with Time Management, Property Management Goals To Set In 2023 And Beyond, Human Resources Goals To Set In 2023 And Beyond, Accounting Goals To Set In 2023 And Beyond. The 2021 World Series also sees a cyclical effect based upon the teams that are in the Fall Classic. While the league started falling behind before Manfred took over, nothing he has done very little to inspire confide for baseballs long-term outlook. But this seasons numbers are promising for the game. 1,079 Sq. This could be due to a variety of factors, such as the rise of streaming services, the increasing cost of attending games, or the changing tastes of the modern sports fan. MLB smashed its revenue record in 2016, blew past that mark in 2018 and the league still cried poor after setting a new record ($10.7 billion) in 2019. Kirk Gibsons miraculous home run off Dennis Eckersley in the bottom of the 9th during the 1988 World Series? Q Score, a marketing research firm that tracks the popularity of celebrities, found that Trout had a 22% familiarity score among Americans. You may opt-out by. SEO Marketing: Importance, Definition And How To Do It, The Importance Of SEO In Advertising Strategies, What Is Local SEO: Definition And Importance. James Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN and Sports Content, ESPN+ to Stream 31 Major League Baseball Games in May, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians on ESPN Game 1, Philadelphia Phillies vs. St. Louis Cardinals on ABC Game 1, Seattle Mariners vs. Toronto Blue Jays on ESPN Game 1, San Diego Padres vs. New York Mets on ESPN Game 1, Tampa Bay Rays vs. Cleveland Guardians on ESPN2 Game 2, Seattle Mariners vs. Toronto Blue Jays on ESPN Game 2, San Diego Padres vs. New York Mets on ESPN Game 2, Philadelphia Phillies vs. St. Louis Cardinals on ESPN2 Game 2, San Diego Padres vs. New York Mets Game 3. Before the current seven-year run, the last time the World Series was the No. 839 N Summit Ave, Pasadena, CA 91103. It suggests that fewer people are tuning in to watch their favorite teams, which could be a cause for concern for the league. The World Series delivers approximately the same amount of time as a full season of a one hour primetime entertainment. Our newsletter is packed with essential growth strategies for your business. Compared to 2019, the last full 162 game season, the 29 regional sports networks measured by Nielsen saw a drop of -12%. 8 Tips For Running A Successful Leadership Meeting, Agile Meetings: The Definitive Guide To Effective Meetings, The Ultimate Guide For Recurring Meetings (2023), How To Reduce Work Meetings: Tips For Fewer Meetings, Too Many Meetings: How To Be More Efficient As A Team, FeaturedAI Replacing Jobs Statistics (2023). 1 (Astros vs. Dodgers)_ \n_2018 -- No. Ohtani, Tats Jr, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are the future of baseball and their roots across the globe, along with their ability to speak multiple languages, make them the perfect faces for MLB. The World Series still generated top-10 viewership numbers for most of the 2000s, but since 2016 especially it's dominated primetime TV. What Is SEO Positioning, And Why Should You Start Using It? The American League Championship Series (ALCS) averaged approximately 2.7 million viewers in 2020. The average MLB game in 2019 lasted three hours and ten minutes, a record-high and a full 40 minutes longer than the average game that 44 million fans watched . Better yet, teams in big markets (Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox and New York Mets) all project as World Series contenders this year. Myths need more myth-busting. With marquee teams like the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, paired with the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves, MLB tapped into big markets. If teams are limited to specific defensive positioning on the field and hitters are the only ones asked to change, the issue wont go away. (The World Series delivers approximately the same amount of TV time as a full season of a one-hour primetime television show.). This myth is the most complex to cover and could fill several articles in doing so, but heres the bottom line: Oftentimes, these comparisons look at viewership numbers from the 1980s and early 90s. The Intriguing Finances Surrounding $66 Million Takefusa KuboTracked By Real Madrid, Coach Darryl Sutter Fired As Calgary Flames Continue Summer Of Change, Philadelphia 76ers Look To Win First Playoff Series Over Boston Celtics Since 1982, FC Barcelona Tell Newcastle United Their Raphinha Asking Price: Reports, Inflation Of Sports Media Rights Is Unsustainable, JPMorgan Analysts Say, For The New York Islanders, The End Of A Season Is Also Likely The End Of An Era, How Jamal Murray Dissected The Phoenix Suns In Game 1. And without the White Sox dramatic increase, decline for the league compared to 2019 would assuredly be lower still. While MLB has seen some fluctuation from 2000-19, the 2020 World Series finished with troubling numbers. And there is still the belief that the pandemic is weighing down on the numbers. In terms of weekdays, a 8pm ET start allows for the broadest reach across the U.S. and Canada. View detailed information and reviews for 20823 Beach Blvd in Huntington Beach, CA and get driving directions with road conditions and live traffic updates along the way. When Major League Baseball announced its plans for a game to honor the classic baseball film Field of Dreams, everyone was excited. With Ohtani leading off for the American League and starting on the mound, there was more interest in this years MLB All-Star Game. In comparison, 79% of people were familiar with. Mike Trout is arguably the best player of his generation, but it hasnt translated to recognition. Media data provided by Home Team Sports, a division of Playfly that purchased the company from FOX Sports that tracks the media landscape. This statistic is indicative of the growing popularity of MLB live game streaming on FOX Sports digital platforms. For years now, MLB has utterly failed to market its stars. DIS \"But some of those high-rated World Series of the past didn't beat everything that was on in entertainment programming. This statistic is a testament to the Los Angeles Dodgers immense popularity, demonstrating that they are the most watched MLB team in 2019. It is a sign that MLB is expanding its reach and gaining more fans from around the world. As the 2020 MLB season comes to a close, its time to take a look at how viewership has fared over the past few years. An AL Wild Card Game between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees proved to be ratings gold. That number was roughly 1.19 million throughout the 2020 season. 3 \n2010 -- No. ESPN is never going to see the audience it pulls in for Monday Night Football, averaging nearly 12 million viewers per game. Finding the Best Free Online Meeting Software. Thanks to the Los Angeles market, NLCS Game 4 (5.37 million) and Game 5 (5.1 million) pulled in huge numbers. 1 (Dodgers vs. Rays)_ \n_2021 -- No. Those RSNs were the former FOX Sports networks that Disney "Just the sheer scale of the audience is a big positive for baseball. Making sense of the numbers is a bit of apples to apples, apples to oranges, and apples to apple pie comparisons. At the time, it was shocking to note that the 6- to 17-year-old demographic made up the same percentage of viewers at 8 p.m. as it did at midnight. When he came back to the topic in 2016, he found out that that those numbers still held water. How does MLB viewership compare to other professional sports leagues, such as the NFL, NBA, and NHL? It greatly surpassed Game 6 from the 2020 World Series (10.06 million viewers) and beat out the 2019 World Series (11.39 million). Fringe fans are the ones left on the outside when the games turn into slogs that move at the pace of cold molasses. They can only buy the here and now. NLSN As such, this statistic is an important one to consider when discussing MLB viewership statistics. Fans have started returning to the ballpark, but the pandemic is still creating a drag on television [+] numbers. MLB.TV finished with its most-watched first half in its history, More than 6-plus billion total minutes swatched, 67% increase from 2020 season. A greater issue, one that MLB has ignored until now, is the use of sticky substances that many players viewed as the biggest scandal in sports. This is an important statistic to consider when discussing MLB viewership statistics, as it demonstrates that the league is continuing to grow in popularity and reach a wider audience. It shows that despite the pandemic, baseball still managed to draw in a large audience, indicating that the sport is still a major draw for viewers. The results have led to regional ratings dropping in several markets. Game 3 of the San Diego Padres vs. New York Mets series generated nearly four million viewers (3,961,000), peaking with 4.73 million viewers from 8-8:15 p.m. The deciding game five recorded an average audience of 4.95 million viewers on TBS, . Former Natl Sportswriter Of The Year Nominee, BBWAA, MLB, Motorsports, numbers. This isnt just baseball. To bolster the idea that while the numbers are down, advertisers still see exceptional value in showing their products and services on regional sports networks that host Major League Baseball, Sloan said that advertisers are flocking to baseball. "But some of those high-rated World Series of the past didn't beat everything that was on in entertainment programming. The league could host multiple games at the stadium, featuring some of the most popular teams. The biggest U.S. soccer audience last week? 8 \n2008 -- No. League Championship Series matchups between the Atlanta Braves-Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox-Houston Astros proved fruitful for MLB and its broadcast partners. While that seems like it could be the case, its exactly shown to be the opposite. "Since we started playing primetime World Series games in 1971, it's always been on par with the biggest entertainment shows in prime, going back to comparisons to 'All in the Family,' 'M*A*S*H' and [so on]. From then until the 1980s, the overwhelming majority of households had just three channels on over-the-air television. The Bally Sports RSNs are down -8% compared to 2020 and down -19% compared to 2019. ET on Sunday, October 9. There was also a big gain in the key 18-to-34-year-old demographic, with viewers up 9% in that category.\n\nMulvihill said this year's World Series audience \"totally met\" FOX's expectations, with a similar matchup to last year's (Astros-Phillies in 2022, Astros-Braves in 2021) and a similarly competitive series (both six games). Fast-forward to 2021 and games have moved up exactly 30 minutes to 8pm ET start times. MLB viewership has experienced fluctuations over the past decade, showing a slight decline in recent years. Moving forward, there is some hope in that regard for baseball. 2 Baths. On the @MLB social channels, the engagement for the opening games of the 2022 World Series included a 196% increase in Instagram video views, a 240% increase in TikTok views, a 77% increase in YouTube views, a 10% increase in total Twitter engagements and an 84% increase in Facebook engagements. FOXs broadcast averaged a 5.8 rating with 10.28 million viewers across all platforms.