MLB television ratings were up 44% in the early season before the potential shutdown
Major League Baseball is booming. And they better not disturb you.
Over the past few years, MLB and Commissioner Rob Manfred have made changes aimed at speeding up the game with a better pace of play, keeping the same amount of action in baseball while reducing the time it takes for each game to end.
The pitch clock quickly shortened game times, and more importantly, made them feel faster. Physically large bases were introduced to encourage more stealthy attempts, which worked quickly. In 2022, the last season before the big bases, there were 3,297 stolen base attempts league wide. In 2023, there were 4,369. About 1,100 more attempts in just one year.
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Major League Baseball Commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. speaks during the 2024 Grapefruit League Training Media Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Fla., on Feb. 15, 2024. (Photos by Mike Carlson/MLB)
Preventing excessive infield shifts meant fewer regular hits, especially for left-handed hitters, were taken away by fielders. And in 2026, an automated system for balls and strikes was added to eliminate surprise missed calls. That was a resounding success as well.
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And despite the offseason hand-wringing, baseball is in a better place than it has been in decades. Attendance is up. The stakes for the World Series in 2025 were huge. The World Baseball Classic has become must-see TV. Momentum is stronger than it has been in decades. On Wednesday, that was confirmed by the latest viewership data from national broadcasters.
MLB Communications reported to X that, early in the season, television ratings for “national sports specials” exploded. “Viewers for MLB’s special national games on the first weekend of May were 2.28 million, a +44% increase over last year and the best start in 9 years,” the post said.
That’s an impressive increase and it comes just months after many fans and members of the media heavily criticized the Los Angeles Dodgers for “ruining” baseball by signing free agents. It’s one thing for outsiders to have those concerns, but reports were rife that opposing teams and owners would use the Dodgers’ money to force the salary cap.
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after hitting a home run during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game three of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif., on Oct. 27, 2025. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Labor negotiations between the league and the MLB Players Association are expected to begin soon, and a shutdown in December when the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires appears imminent. And if there’s one line in the sand for players, it’s the salary cap. The cap, in their view, would limit potential revenue while doing little to achieve a competitive balance. A position supported by the current standings, where teams like the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets have struggled in the first quarter of the season.
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If the cap becomes the owners’ priority, and the players don’t agree, the game can be thrown into an extended lockout. An extended lockout that results in canceled games would be catastrophic for baseball, and jeopardize the league’s impressive growth.
A general view of Petco Park during a game between the Detroit Tigers and the San Diego Padres on March 26, 2026, in San Diego, California. (Photos by Rob Leiter/MLB via Getty Images)
Baseball is finally going in the right direction, and hopefully these numbers are enough to make those in charge see it. And they fear wasting it and hurting themselves more than limiting players’ salaries would help them.
