Massive TV Ratings for Fox as Nation Delights in Yankees' Defeat by Dodgers
The Game of Diamonds Thriving: Been a hell of a run for Major League Baseball (MLB) in the US, and ESPN decides now's the time to ditch baseball, huh? Not so fast, pal!
This past weekend, the world was treated to a rematch of the 2024 World Series – the Los Angeles Dodgers squared off with the New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium. And let me tell you, folks were glued to their screens. Ratings were off the charts, even with strong competition like the UFC and NBA.
As if firing up the packed stadium wasn't enough, the series kicked off in a major way. On Friday, titans Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani sent crowd-pleasing homers soaring into the air in the first inning.
READ: Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani Show Power House in Inaugural Homers
Saturday saw Judge elbowing his way back into the limelight, blasting two awe-inspiring homers. But even in a 16-2 thrashing by the Dodgers, the ratings were staggering–a whopping 2.2 million viewers, marking a 16% increase year-over-year.
Guess when America loves to cheer? When the Yankees collapse, hard. As Los Angeles celebrated another win, Americans surely let out a collective R-I-P Yankees.
Home Runs and Ratings Galore
Following Fox Sports' announcement of their impressive ratings, the MLB Communications account wasn't far behind. They couldn't help but share the good news across the board for their major television partners. TBS, ESPN, Fox, MLB Network, broadcasts in Japan are all up, sometimes by Double-Digit percentages. And their streaming service saw an astounding 27% increase!
What a time to be shunning baseball, huh ESPN?
This ratings boom strengthens MLB's position and signals that their recent rule changes are hitting it out of the park (pun intended). Game times are dropping by an average of 20 to 30 minutes, and the matches feel swifter, more engaging. The league's new rules are clearly resonating with audiences, drawn in by the emerging stars and their historic feats.
Judge and Ohtani are quickly becoming the faces of the sport, but there are plenty of others to watch. Players like Bobby Witt Jr., Gunnar Henderson, Paul Skenes, Jackson Merrill, James Wood, and Pete Crow-Armstrong are generating buzz in their hometowns, drawing crowds and promising exciting competition.
To add insult to injury, the Yankees had a rough year – losing the World Series in a series of humiliating defensive blunders, then losing big on a national stage. Sounds like more where that came from, Yankee fans.
[1] Source: Sports Business Daily, April 8, 2025[5] Source: Chicago Tribune, May 2, 2025
- "Despite ESPN's decision to dismiss baseball, the MLB continues to thrive, as evidenced by the 2024 World Series rematch between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, which garnered impressive ratings."
- "With emerging stars like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, along with new rule changes that are decreasing game times and increasing engagement, the MLB is experiencing a ratings boom that seems to be reaching new heights each day."
