Is MLB Losing Viewers? Unpacking the Latest Trends and What It Means

Is MLB Viewership Really Dropping?
If you’ve been scrolling headlines, you might’ve read that MLB is “losing viewers.” But hold on, the data isn’t that straightforward. Let’s break it down and separate doom-saying from reality.
Mixed Signals from Media Deals
In 2025, MLB parted ways with ESPN on a $1.5billion deal. That move raised eyebrows—fewer national broadcasts might mean fewer eyeballs frontofficesports.com+5thechaparral.net+5sfchronicle.com+5timesofindia.indiatimes.com. But ESPN viewership actually rose by 22% this year—while FOX was up 10% apnews.com+1as.com+1. Confusing? Sure. But it suggests shifting, not shrinking, viewership.
Where Are People Watching?
Traditional TV Still Strong
FOX: ~1.84 million viewers per game (+10%)
ESPN: ~1.74 million (+22%)
TBS: +16% growth baseball-almanac.com+15mlb.com+15nypost.com+15apnews.com+10as.com+10mlb.com+10
So traditional TV is thriving—contradicting the “losing viewers” narrative.
Streaming Picks Up
MLB.TV saw viewer minutes rise 27%—a sign that streaming is booming bloomberg.com+4sfchronicle.com+4timesofindia.indiatimes.com+4. The league also started broadcasting locally via MLB-owned ventures due to troubles with regional sports networks frontofficesports.com+15sfchronicle.com+15washingtonpost.com+15.
Global Growth in Japan
MLB viewership in Japan is up ~22%, averaging 2.7 million viewers per game ministryofsport.com+5as.com+5apnews.com+5. Thanks in part to Shohei Ohtani, baseball’s reach overseas is growing fast.
Big Events Driving Interest
The 2024 World Series hit a 67% viewership jump on FOX—about 15.8 million viewers as.comen.wikipedia.org+1en.wikipedia.org+1. And Sunday Night Baseball’s prime games like Yankees vs. Dodgers hit a record 3.1 million audience washingtonpost.com+2as.com+2nypost.com+2.
These big moments are reviving fan attention and making baseball feel relevant again.
Challenges Ahead
Changing Broadcast Landscape
MLB's split from ESPN reflects a bigger shift in media. Streaming took precedence, but with ESPN out, there's a risk that casual fans might drift forbes.com+15washingtonpost.com+15frontofficesports.com+15.
Balancing Local vs. National Coverage
About 80% of MLB viewership is through local broadcasts washingtonpost.com. Regional sports networks are collapsing. And while MLB.TV in-house coverage helps, smaller-market teams may take a hit .
🧩 Final Take: Is MLB Losing Viewers?
Here’s the thing:
Short answer: No—not right now. Actually, viewership is growing across TV, streaming, and globally.
Longer answer: MLB is adapting its distribution model. The landscape is shifting from cable to streaming and local networks. That transition might cause confusion or even temporary dips in some areas.
Bottom line: Baseball isn't dying—it’s evolving. But success depends on how well it manages media rights, accessibility, and fan engagement going forward.
So is MLB losing viewers? Hardly. It's adjusting to a changing media world—and for now, the numbers say it's holding strong.
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The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
---|---|---|
14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
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Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.