The New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals faced off in Game 4 of their American League Division Series at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday, October 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Missouri. AP Photo
As Major League Baseball (MLB) heads into the league championship series, viewership for the postseason is showing a significant boost. This year, the playoffs are averaging 3.33 million viewers, which marks an 18% increase compared to last year’s average of 2.82 million. The division series alone saw an average of 3.56 million viewers across 18 games, representing a 14% increase from the previous year.
The surge in ratings can be linked to a few key factors. Notably, two series went the full distance, and the presence of both New York teams, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Philadelphia Phillies, attracted more fans. For example, Friday's fifth game of the National League Division Series (NLDS) between the Dodgers and the San Diego Padres drew a staggering average of 7.5 million viewers across Fox, Fox Deportes, and streaming platforms. This was the most-watched division series game since 2017.
Additionally, Saturday's deciding matchup between the Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers attracted an impressive 3.42 million viewers on TBS. This was especially notable as it became the most-watched division series game in the daytime (before 4 PM) in 17 years. Originally scheduled for the evening, this game was moved to the afternoon due to potential bad weather, which likely helped boost its viewership.
For the National League games, Fox and FS1 reported an average of 4.09 million viewers, the highest figures since they began airing postseason baseball in 2014. The excitement surrounding the Phillies-Mets series, which the Mets wrapped up in four games, contributed to this increase. On the American League side, TNT Sports averaged around 3 million viewers for the ALDS games shown on TBS and TNT, with the New York Yankees defeating the Kansas City Royals in four games.
The growth in viewership highlights the increasing interest in postseason baseball, driven by competitive series and prominent teams. As fans continue to tune in, MLB is set to capture even more attention in the upcoming league championship series.
