Baseball is deeply rooted in numbers, and the data presented here highlights a concerning trend that many in the sport would rather ignore. Simply put, a smaller fraction of Americans are engaged with baseball now than at any point in the last four decades—likely even longer. It’s not just that viewership has decreased sharply; this decline occurs alongside a U.S. population that has increased by over 100 million people.
From 1973 to 2013, as the U.S. population swelled by nearly 50 percent, the average audience for the World Series saw a dramatic drop, plummeting from 44 million viewers in 1978 to a mere 12.5 million last year. This year’s ratings are similarly dismal. In stark contrast, the most recent Super Bowl attracted 115 million viewers, while a regular-season NFL matchup between the Colts and Steelers on October 26 drew 23.8 million. Last summer, 25 million people tuned in to watch the U.S. face Portugal in the World Cup.
How much lower must the percentage of Americans watching baseball fall before it becomes ridiculous to refer to it as the national pastime? This is not merely a nostalgic reference; baseball enjoys a unique status in American law—exempt from federal antitrust regulations because it is considered an exhibition rather than a business.
Decades ago, baseball was unequivocally America’s favorite sport. During World War II, U.S. soldiers, paranoid about potential spies among them, would ask each other trivia like, “Who won the World Series last year?” Every patriotic American man in 1944 had the answer ready: the Cardinals triumphed over the Browns in an all-St. Louis series. Today, however, such knowledge is rare. A more relevant question would focus on the storyline of popular shows like “NCIS: New Orleans” or “The Walking Dead,” both of which outperformed the World Series in ratings this year.
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In summary, Major League Baseball faces a significant challenge as viewership continues to decline, raising questions about its status in American culture. The numbers indicate a worrying trend that could redefine America’s relationship with the sport.