Major League Baseball (MLB) is riding a significant wave of momentum in 2025, with soaring viewership figures across the US and Japan reinforcing the sport’s growing global relevance—and adding fuel to an already heated media rights landscape.
US Viewership Surges Across Networks
Two months into the regular season, all major US broadcasters have recorded substantial audience growth:
- FOX: Averaging 1.84 million viewers per game—a 10% YoY increase
- TBS (WBD): Viewership up 16%, including a staggering 69% growth in the 18–34 demographic
- ESPN: Leads the surge with a 22% YoY spike, averaging 1.74 million viewers per game—its best start since 2017
A marquee clash between the Yankees and Dodgers on ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball drew 2.73 million viewers, peaking at 3.08 million—the highest for the slot in seven years and a 65% leap from last season’s equivalent fixture.
Japan Sees Record-Breaking Growth
In Japan, MLB’s partnership with NHK has produced a 22% YoY rise in average viewership, with the Tokyo Series drawing a colossal 24 million viewers per game. The 2025 season is projected to become the most watched MLB campaign in Japan’s history.
Strategic Implications: Rights in Flux
These viewership highs come at a critical inflection point—ESPN is walking away from its US$550M/year rights deal at the end of the season, believing it’s not extracting full value. That deal currently includes:
- 30 Sunday Night Baseball games
- Opening Night
- The Home Run Derby
- Wild Card postseason games
Who Steps Up?
- Apple TV+: Already hosting Friday Night Baseball, now front-runner to grab the Sunday slot. Willing to pay more than NBC for a smaller game package.
- NBC: Has reportedly made a bid for the entire ESPN package, aiming to align MLB with its existing NFL and NBA Sunday programming.
MLB’s Dilemma: Reach vs. Revenue
A shorter-term, 3-year deal is likely, aligning with the expiration of existing rights agreements (Apple, Fox, WBD in 2028). The decision MLB now faces:
- Apple offers premium dollars and youthful reach, but risks alienating legacy fans used to linear TV.
- NBC delivers mass exposure and cross-sport synergy, but likely at a lower financial ceiling.
Meanwhile, MLB is strengthening its DTC strategy:
- MLB.TV viewership is up 27% YoY, totaling 7.5 billion minutes watched pre-June
- MLB Network has seen a 13% YoY rise
Media Rights at a Crossroads
For sports rights holders, MLB’s current moment offers a case study in media evolution strategy:
- Short-Term Vision, Long-Term Positioning: MLB’s likely 3-year bridge deal allows flexibility in 2028 to reset the entire rights ecosystem.
- Streaming vs. Broadcast: The league’s choices will set the tone for how legacy sports properties straddle audiences both old and new.
- International Growth = Untapped Revenue: With Japan delivering astronomical viewership, the focus should now shift to global packaging and monetisation of regional rights beyond the US core.
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At 365247 Consultancy, we help leagues and brands engineer winning commercial partnerships for today’s fragmented media environment.
IMAGE: Reuters
