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With March Madness in full swing, the sports world continues to ramp up as Major League Baseball readies for Opening Day this week. The Dodgers and Cubs kicked things off in Tokyo last week, a move that resonated with Japanese audiences thanks to Shohei Ohtani and other Japanese-born players. While the league saw success abroad with the series, the bigger picture is just unfolding—CivicScience has the latest MLB intent data to track fan engagement as the season begins.
Major League Baseball Scores With Gen X, but Is Missing With Gen Z
The Tokyo Series was a hit, but CivicScience data suggests some concerning signs for baseball heading into 2025. New CivicScience polling shows 35% of U.S. adults plan to follow the season at least ‘somewhat’ closely, down from 41% ahead of the 2024 season—a notable dip of six percentage points YoY.
Further viewership intent data underscores the concern. While most fans expect to maintain their viewing habits from last year, more say they plan to watch ‘fewer’ games this year (19%) than those who plan to watch ‘more’ (17%). While Gen X bucks this trend, the red flag comes from Gen Z—36% of Gen Z adults who watched baseball last year plan to watch less of it this year, nearly double the percentage expecting to watch more.
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What Can MLB Do? Access to Broadcasts Tops the List to Address
Major League Baseball’s broadcasts are largely carried by regional sports networks (RSNs), which can result in local blackouts. With this in mind, it’s unsurprising that 50% of those who follow MLB cited access to their team’s broadcast as a factor shaping how often they watch. For its part, the league is expanding its direct-to-consumer streaming offerings this year, which could make a big difference in this regard. Awareness about these new options will be key. Broadcast access, however, is a little bit less of a factor among Gen Z, likely with this generation being heavy on streaming services as it is.
Other in-game factors, such as the amount of game action and length of the game, also prominently shape viewership frequency, particularly among Gen Z viewers. Will MLB’s last couple of years of rule changes meant to address these concerns be enough without alienating more traditional fans? It will be a fine line to toe.
Unsurprisingly, in today’s economic climate, the cost of the gameday experience ranks among the top drivers. Meanwhile, whether fans consider the league’s star players relatable is less of a motivator among Gen Pop, though Gen Z is likely to value it more.
Use this Data: CivicScience clients use real-time data like this to understand what matters to their customers that may drive shifts in behavior that could impact retention and growth.
Here’s What Sets Likely 2025 MLB Season Viewers Apart
CivicScience data reveals key characteristics that distinguish those planning to follow the season at least ‘somewhat’ closely from those who won’t be tuning in:
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MLB’s ability to grow its fanbase—especially among Gen Z—will hinge on addressing accessibility, game engagement, and evolving viewer habits. As the league expands streaming options and refines rule changes, its success in striking a balance between tradition and modernization will be key to retention and grown, particularly among Gen Z.
