Once renowned for setting viewership records, MLB’s TV viewership numbers have steadily declined in recent years. America’s favorite pastime no longer has the viewership comparable to that of the NFL. Back in 1978, the average viewership number of the World Series was a staggering 44,278,950, followed by another massive viewership turnaround in 1980 when they recorded an average viewership of 42,300,000. Fast forward to 2023 and that number reduced to 9,082,000.
So, is the MLB to blame? Well, the blackout rules aren’t helping. Clearly Rob Manfred has big plans for a centralized TV deal, but big teams like the Yankees and the Dodgers, who have their own local media broadcast partners, may not align.
The Yankees icon Alex Rodriguez is of the view that the divided media rights are likely the reason for the sharp decline in ratings and viewership. Talking about it on WFAN, A-Rod said, “I just read this the other day: the 1986 World Series ball goes through Bill Buckner’s leg in game six; in game seven, 60 million viewers watched that—60 million. I mean, those are footfall numbers, right? And, uh, in 2004, when we were playing in the ALCS against the Red Sox, 30-35 million people watched that.”
He further added, “It’s just phenomenal how much the game of media has changed in the landscape; you know, our parents just had three channels—ABC, NBC, and CBS—and now there are 3000 different platforms. My mom can’t find the Yankees. The Yankees played two weeks ago; the Yankees played five days on five different channels. That’s right; I couldn’t find three of them.”
It’s pretty clear if MLB does centralize the TV rights, it will be hugely beneficial for the league as it will not only guarantee greater game exposure but also enable more people to watch the games. However, for teams like the Dodgers and Yankees, it’s a naysay given the amount of revenue they already generate from the local TV rights. Rodriguez reckons the viewers frequently miss the games because they have limited access to them. Well, he isn’t wrong. But what’s the way out for all parties to align?
As MLB struggles with low TV viewership, the recent fallout with ESPN hasn’t helped.
How did the MLB ESPN fallout take place?
Earlier this year, ESPN issued a statement that they mutually agreed with MLB to terminate their broadcasting rights deal. While it marked the end of multiple decades of partnership, it also came as a shock for many. Primarily because both MLB and ESPN had signed a deal that was valid till 2028. So, what went wrong?
Well, the league Commissioner Rob Manfred was not happy with the amount of coverage the MLB games were getting across the ESPN platforms for the past few years. Adding to the woes, ESPN even demanded cutting down the rights fee by more than half to only $200 million annually. Manfred was clearly not amused by the proposition. The offer was turned down and it ultimately resulted in the fallout.
After the split, it has been reported that NBC is interested in MLB’s Sunday night baseball package. But it’s unclear what sort of offer they have brought to the table! Even if that deal eventually materializes, it might not solve MLB’s TV viewership issues entirely.
The post A-Rod Sends Wake-Up Call to MLB After NFL-Like Ratings Vanish: ‘My Mom Can’t Find the Yankees’ appeared first on EssentiallySports.