Saturday, September 5, 2026
The FOS App is Live Download It Now

MLB All-Star Game Ratings Slump Continues

  • The MLB ASG has set a low viewership in five of the game’s last seven editions.
  • It remains the most-watched All-Star event in sports, beating the NBA and NFL.
The MLB ASG has set a low viewership in five of the game’s last seven editions.
Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game averaged a 3.9 Nielsen rating and 7.01 million viewers on FOX, slumping to record-low viewership for the Midsummer Classic.

The game reached 7.09 million viewers across all FOX platforms and was down 7% from the previous MLB ASG ratings low set last year, according to SportsMediaWatch. Viewership for the MLB All-Star Game has now set a new low in five of the past seven years the game was played (2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023).

In 2014, the MLB All-Star Game averaged a 7.0 Nielsen rating 11.34 million viewers. This year’s game topped out at 7.57 million peak viewers, still serving as the most-watched All-Star event in sports. Disney’s coverage of the NFL Pro Bowls Games in January mustered 6.28 million viewers, while February’s NBA All-Star Game on TNT and TBS had 4.59M viewers.

Host city Seattle was Fox’s leading market for MLB ASG viewership, followed by Atlanta, Baltimore, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia to round out the top five.

Both of MLB’s marquee All-Star break events face declining viewership, as ESPN’s coverage of the Home Run Derby on Monday averaged 6.11 million viewers, its lowest total since 2018.

However, MLB’s All-Star Game and Home Run Derby still performed favorably compared to last year’s MLB Postseason games outside of the World Series. The most-watched 2022 playoff game before the World Series was Yankees-Astros Game 2 in the ALCS, which averaged 5.89 million viewers on TBS.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

PGA Tour Viewership Stays Steady in 2026 After Big Increase Last Year

All four majors also saw viewership increases this season.
Sep 1, 2021; Anaheim, California, USA; A general overall view of the Angel Stadium exterior. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Stan Kroenke’s $4 Billion Angels Deal Puts a New Ballpark in Play

The factors supporting a stadium replacement continue to grow.
Connor Onion RG3

Connor Onion Plans to ‘Go With the Flow’ With RG3 on Fox CFB

Onion and Griffin will call USC–Fresno State on Friday night.

Streamer Victory+ Abruptly Collapses After Missing Payments

The free streamer had deals with NWSL, NHL, MLB, and WNBA teams.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

9/4/26 – Judge Clears Pros for College, Good Good CEO Out, Russini Plots Comeback

0:00

Featured Today

Wild Transfer Window Shows How Premier League Towers Over Soccer

Spending in England vastly outstripped the rest of Europe.
September 3, 2026

Teams Are Spending Millions to Build Luxury Locker Rooms

It’s a recruiting pitch, a retention tool, and a seven-figure line item.
September 1, 2026

High School Football Sidelines Are Clogged With Content Creators

Administrators call these amateur newcomers the “pajama paparazzi.”
Aug 3, 2026; Washington, D.C., USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) kisses the championship trophy during the trophy ceremony after her match against Jessica Pegula (USA) (not pictured) in the women's singles final of the 2026 Mubadala DC Open at Rock Creek Park Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
August 30, 2026

How Alex Eala Turned the Philippines Into a Tennis Nation

A December homecoming match could break tennis’s attendance record.
August 26, 2026

Deshaun Watson Has Done the Impossible: Unite Browns Fans

Watson was named the starter after complaining boos were “personal.”
hanson_smiling
First at FOS
September 4, 2026

Scott Hanson Promises Fewer RedZone Ads to Start 2026 Season

Hanson emphasized such decisions are out of his hands.
Exclusive
September 4, 2026

NFL Players Quietly Dropped Push for Media Locker Room Ban

Talks have been dormant after a 2024 effort.
Sponsored

Kerri Walsh Jennings’s Playbook for the Future of Volleyball

The former gold medalist talks NCAA, the Olympics, & investing in volleyball.
Jan 23, 2020; Kissimmee, Florida, USA; ESPN NFL Countdown analyst Dianna Russini poses during AFC practice at ESPN Wide World of Sports. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Exclusive
September 3, 2026

Dianna Russini ‘Absolutely’ Planning Sports Media Comeback

Multiple outlets have publicly stated they’d be willing to hire her.
Opinion
September 3, 2026

Winners and Losers of NBA’s Stiff Clippers Ruling

The punishments have sent shock waves around sports media.
Feb 7, 2022; Westlake Village, CA, USA; ESPN reporter Dianna Russini at Los Angeles Rams Super Bowl LVI Opening Night at Oaks Christian High School. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
September 3, 2026

The Athletic Concludes Dianna Russini Investigation, Suggests Editor’s Notes

Russini resigned from The Athletic in April.
Sep 30, 2024; Inglewood, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) talks with team owner Steve Ballmer during media day at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
September 2, 2026

Clippers Punishment Puts Disputed ESPN Report Under Spotlight

An NBA spokesperson previously called the ESPN report inaccurate.