MLB sees double-digit viewership increases in US and Japan
Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani rounds the bases on a solo home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the New York Mets, Monday, June 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
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.
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
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.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Guardians at Yankees prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for June 5
It's Thursday, June 5, and the Guardians (33-27) are in the Bronx to take on the Yankees (37-23). Slade Cecconi is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Max Fried for New York. The AL East-leading Yankees are hoping to bounce back from yesterday's shutout loss. Advertisement The Guardian's Luis L. Ortiz was dominant through 5.2 innings. He struck out seven batters and didn't give up a run. Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We've got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long. Game details & how to watch Guardians at Yankees Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025 Time: 7:05PM EST Site: Yankee Stadium City: Bronx, NY Network/Streaming: YES, Guardians TV Advertisement Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out. Odds for the Guardians at the Yankees The latest odds as of Thursday: Moneyline: Guardians (+217), Yankees (-267) Spread: Yankees -1.5 Total: 8.0 runs Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Yankees Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Slade Cecconi vs. Max Fried Guardians: Slade Cecconi, (1-1, 5.28 ERA) Last outing (Los Angeles Angels, 5/31): 4.1 Innings Pitched, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts Yankees: Max Fried, (7-1, 1.92 ERA) Last outing (Los Angeles Dodgers, 5/30): 5.0 Innings Pitched, 6 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type! Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Guardians at Yankees The Yankees have won 4 of their last 5 home series The Guardians' last 4 versus the Yankees have stayed under the Total The Guardians have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 2.95 units Advertisement If you're looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports! Expert picks & predictions for tonight's game between the Guardians and the Yankees Rotoworld Best Bet Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts. Advertisement Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager. Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Guardians and the Yankees: Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline. Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cleveland Guardians at +1.5. Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0. Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
NBC Sports
30 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Guardians at Yankees prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for June 5
It's Thursday, June 5, and the Guardians (33-27) are in the Bronx to take on the Yankees (37-23). Slade Cecconi is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Max Fried for New York. The AL East-leading Yankees are hoping to bounce back from yesterday's shutout loss. The Guardian's Luis L. Ortiz was dominant through 5.2 innings. He struck out seven batters and didn't give up a run. Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We've got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long. Game details & how to watch Guardians at Yankees Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025 Time: 7:05PM EST Site: Yankee Stadium City: Bronx, NY Network/Streaming: YES, Guardians TV Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out. Odds for the Guardians at the Yankees The latest odds as of Thursday: Moneyline: Guardians (+217), Yankees (-267) Spread: Yankees -1.5 Total: 8.0 runs Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Yankees Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Slade Cecconi vs. Max Fried Guardians: Slade Cecconi, (1-1, 5.28 ERA) Last outing (Los Angeles Angels, 5/31): 4.1 Innings Pitched, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 3 StrikeoutsYankees: Max Fried, (7-1, 1.92 ERA) Last outing (Los Angeles Dodgers, 5/30): 5.0 Innings Pitched, 6 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts Guardians: Slade Cecconi, (1-1, 5.28 ERA) Last outing (Los Angeles Angels, 5/31): 4.1 Innings Pitched, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts Yankees: Max Fried, (7-1, 1.92 ERA) Last outing (Los Angeles Dodgers, 5/30): 5.0 Innings Pitched, 6 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type! Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Guardians at Yankees The Yankees have won 4 of their last 5 home series The Guardians' last 4 versus the Yankees have stayed under the Total The Guardians have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 2.95 units If you're looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports! Expert picks & predictions for tonight's game between the Guardians and the Yankees Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts. Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager. Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Guardians and the Yankees: Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline. Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cleveland Guardians at +1.5. Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0. Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
New York Post
43 minutes ago
- New York Post
Jonathan Vilma, NFL analyst and ex-Jets star, arrested in Miami
Former Jets linebacker and current Fox NFL analyst Jonathan Vilma was arrested Wednesday in Miami for driving with a suspended license, according to reporter Andy Slater. Vilma reportedly had been stopped because his tag had expired. He just completed his fifth season calling games for Fox alongside Kenny Albert this past season. 4 Jonathan Vilma in April 2025. Getty Images for Global Champions Arabians Tour Miami Beach The 43-year-old also served as a college football analyst. Vilma joined the media ranks after a successful collegiate and professional career. He was a standout for Miami from 2000-03 before being drafted by the Jets with the No. 12 pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Vilma's collegiate prowess, including 2003 First-Team All-American honors, has him as a candidate for the 2026 College Football Hall of Fame. 4 Vilma in 2005 with the Jets. Anthony J Causi Vilma won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2004 and appeared in 55 games for the Jets from 2004-07, including a 2005 campaign in which he led the league with 173 combined tackles (128 solo) and earned his first Pro Bowl nomination. The Jets then traded him to the Saints for a fourth-round pick and a conditional pick before the 2008 season, and he won his lone Super Bowl with New Orleans in 2010. 4 Vilma with the Saints in 2012. AP Vilma spent six seasons with the franchise from 2008-13 and earned two Pro Bowl selections in 2009 and 2010. He appeared in 70 games for the team. He tallied 110 tackles and two sacks during the team's run to its lone Super Bowl. The Saints inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2017. 4 Vilma in 2012. AP Vilma had a run-in with Miami law enforcers during his time with the Saints after being arrested in 2009 on a felony charge for resisting arrest with violence and being hit with misdemeanor counts of reckless driving and obstruction of justice, according to ESPN. Prosecutors later dropped the charges, per the outlet, and he donated $1,000 to a hospital trauma center as part of the negotiation. 'I appreciate that the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office did their due diligence and decided not to file charges against me regarding the arrest that occurred on January 16, 2009, in Miami,' Vilma said in a statement at the time, according to ESPN. 'I believe the State Attorney's Office did the just and right thing in this matter. I would like to thank my family and friends, the New Orleans Saints organization, and my fans for supporting and believing in me.'
