MLB sees double-digit viewership increases in US and Japan
NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball's viewer numbers in the United States and Japan during the first two months of the season have seen double-digit increases, MLB and Nielsen reported Tuesday.
ESPN's coverage is up 22%, averaging 1.74 million viewers. It is the most-watched season on ESPN through the first two months since 2017.
This might be the last year ESPN is carrying baseball after it opted out of its rights deal in February.
The MLB Tuesday package on TBS has a 16% increase. Fox Sports is up 10%, averaging 1.84 million viewers per game.
Last Saturday night's 18-2 rout by the Los Angeles Dodgers over the New York Yankees averaged 2.2 million on Fox.
The MLB.TV streaming package has seen its viewers increase 27%, with more than 7.5 billion minutes watched through Monday.
Games on the NHK channels in Japan are averaging 2.7 million. The average does not include the Tokyo Series games between the Dodgers and Chicago Cubs which began the regular season.
The ratings are on pace for MLB's most-watched regular season in Japan as the audience has increased every year since 2021.
On MLB.TV, streaming viewership has increased 27% vs 2024, which was the most-watched season in the history of the service. For games through Monday, June 2, MLB.TV has more than 7.5 billion minutes watched this season.
___
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
41 minutes ago
- Fox News
ESPN's Stephen A Smith floats hypothetical Ukraine-Russia strategy if he were president
Stephen A. Smith had a tough question put onto his lap during Wednesday's edition of "First Take" – would he rather be president of the United States or the next New York Knicks head coach? Smith had to think about it as he's floated the possibility of running for president and has added his voice to some of the hot-button political issues debated in that particular arena. But the Knicks also fired Tom Thibodeau and have a position open. The ESPN personality didn't necessarily like the idea of working under Knicks team owner James Dolan and said he may like to be president more than the next head coach for the team in orange and blue. "Can you see Stephen A. trying to negotiate the Ukraine-Russia situation?" Chris "Mad Dog" Russo asked. "I wouldn't try to negotiate it. I would work with the European Union. I would work with the United Nations. I would do what I could to empower us. I don't want to give Ukraine unlimited funds, but I know that Russia's ultimate quest is to recapture Europe and I don't want that to happen. Therefore, I would help out Ukraine." Russo applauded Smith but hedged on going any further in the political realm. Smith told ABC News in April that he had no choice but to consider a presidential run. "I have no choice, because I've had elected officials — and I'm not going to give their names — coming up to me. I've had folks who are pundits come up to me. I've had folks that got a lot of money, billionaires and others, that have talked to me about exploratory committees and things of that nature. I'm not a politician. I've never had a desire to be a politician," Smith said. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Twins pitcher Pablo López out 8 to 12 weeks with strained shoulder
How Minnie and Paul became the logo for the Minnesota Twins How Minnie and Paul became the logo for the Minnesota Twins How Minnie and Paul became the logo for the Minnesota Twins Minnesota Twins right-hander Pablo López is expected to be sidelined 8 to 12 weeks because of a strained shoulder. The Twins said Wednesday that López has a Grade 2 strain of the teres major muscle. López was the winning pitcher Tuesday night in a 10-3 victory over the Athletics, allowing two runs on four hits in five innings before leaving because of the shoulder problem. The 29-year-old from Venezuela is 5-3 with a 2.82 ERA in 11 starts this season. The Twins signed López to a four-year contract extension in 2023. He was named an All-Star that season. As of Thursday morning, the Twins sit second in the AL Central at 34-27.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
Paul Skenes to Red Sox? Insane Trade Thought Pushed by MLB Network Host
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Last year's National League Rookie of the Year Paul Skenes, the 2023 No. 1 overall draft pick, continues to pitch at a Cy Young Award-worthy level, but his talents are seemingly being wasted on the Pittsburgh Pirates. After finishing 10 games under .500 last season, 17 games out in last place in the NL Central, the Pirates are even worse this year — already 15 1/2 games behind the division-leading Chicago Cubs and 13 games under .500 with 100 games remaining. PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 4: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during batting practice before the game against the Houston Astros at PNC Park on June 4, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 4: Paul Skenes #30 of the Pittsburgh Pirates looks on during batting practice before the game against the Houston Astros at PNC Park on June 4, 2025 in Pittsburgh, the same time, Skenes leads the National League in pitcher WAR at 3.2, WHIP at 0.88, and fewest hits allowed per nine innings with 5.8. His 2.05 ERA is second in the league. Skenes has also been a workhorse, with NL-best figures in games started (13), innings pitched (83 1/3), and complete games, though his league-leading total in the latter category is one. Yet with the Pirates, Skenes this year has a losing record of 4-6. The Pirates have lost eight of his 13 starts. In fact, in nine of his starts, Skenes has pitched at least six innings while allowing two or fewer earned runs. The Pirates record in those games is 4-5. With all of that in mind, MLB Network studio host Greg Amsinger threw out a wild idea. "So every fifth day we're going watch Paul Skenes shove and the Pirates lose 1-0 or 2-0. We're going to do that every fifth day?" Amsinger asked his co-hosts, former players Dan PLesac and Harold Reynolds, on a Wednesday broadcast. Then he pitched his trade idea. "If Paul Skenes were traded to the Boston Red Sox for Marcelo Mayer, Roman Anthony, and Kristian Campbell, would you do it if you were the Pirates?" More MLB: Pirates Owner Wasting Paul Skenes Era, 'Should be Embarrassed,' MLB Analyst Says Mayer, Anthony and Campbell are known as the "Big Three" among Red Sox fans, as the organization's three top prospects. Mayer and Campbell have already made it to the Boston big league roster. Anthony is the No. 1 prospect in baseball, though for some reason the Red Sox have kept him at Triple-A Worcester all season so far. Together, that big three, along with several other highly-rated Red Sox prospects, represent the future of the Boston organization. Plesac, who pitched 18 seasons in MLB for six different teams, wasn't having it. "I'm not into trading him," Plesac said, referring to Skenes. "He's the identity of the Pirates. He's the one attraction that you have to get you to go out and watch a Pirate game." The MLB Network hosts did not address, however, the Red Sox's perspective on the proposed trade. Would the Red Sox sell their future for Skenes, even with four years of team control for the 22-year-old prodigy? It should be noted the Red Sox already have a starting pitcher who this season has been arguably as good as Skenes, or at least very close to his level. Has left-hander Garret Crochet fared better with Boston than Skenes with Pittsburgh? Crochet has a better ERA than Skenes at 1.98, and he leads the American League in strikeouts with 101 (Skenes has fanned 85). Crochet has also started 13 games, and thrown a league-leading 82 innings. His won-loss record with the Red Sox is 5-4. In his seven starts of at least six innings, allowing two runs or fewer, the Red Sox are 5-2. More MLB: Red Sox Frustrate Fans With Call-Up of Triple-A Outfielder Not Named Roman Anthony
