• Loading stock data...
Monday, October 13, 2025

MLB Attendance Surges Past 70 Million, Tops League Projections

  • League posts best year-over-year increase at the gate since 1993
  • New rule changes are a key factor in helping attract fans
Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

Major League Baseball’s 2023 attendance resurgence beat even the most optimistic internal projections.

After predicting a full-season lift of 6% to 8% in June, the league ended the regular season with a total attendance of 70.75 million, a 9.6% increase. The total is the MLB’s largest since 2017 and the first above 70 million since that same year. 

Aside from COVID-impacted seasons, the 2023 figure is also the greatest year-over-year increase at the gate since 1993, when MLB expanded from 26 to 28 teams. 

A key factor in this year’s attendance bump was a trio of new on-field rules that introduced a new pitch clock, larger bases, and a ban on extreme defensive shifts. Aimed at eliminating dead time within games and creating a crisper, more action-filled product more relevant to younger fans, those changes helped generate a massive 24-minute reduction in average game times to two hours, 40 minutes — MLB’s lowest such number since 1985.

Also contributing were an influx of newly competitive teams, with Arizona, Baltimore, Miami, Minnesota, and Texas all returning to the postseason after multiyear absences. Each of those teams were up by double-digit percentages in attendance. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers led the league in attendance for the 10th consecutive year with a total of 3.84 million. The Oakland A’s ranked last with a figure of 832,352 and are now preparing for a formal league vote next month on their Las Vegas relocation bid. 

Seventeen clubs reached 2.5 million in attendance, matching a league record, while 11 separate weekends reached 1.5 million — a figure more than twice the combined total of five such weekends for the 2018-19 and 2021-22 seasons.

Overall, 26 of MLB’s 30 teams posted total attendance increases in 2023. The Dodgers recorded a marginal decline on that perennially league-leading total, and St. Louis, Washington, and the Chicago White Sox each posted disappointing campaigns on the field. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates with her teammates after her last second shot to take the lead 90-88 against the Phoenix Mercury in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix on Oct. 8, 2025.
exclusive

Standoff Over WNBA’s Future Has Dominated Finals

CBA negotiations have stolen the spotlight from the Aces’ dominant performance.

The Yankees’ $319M Roster Flopped. Now Comes the Hard Part: 2026

The MLB club’s current contracts limit its flexibility somewhat for next year.
exclusive

Bud Selig: ‘Remarkable’ Brewers Run Can’t Mask MLB’s Money Divide

The former commissioner lauds his hometown team while raising economic concerns.

MLB’s Rare October Day: Four Playoff Games, Four Possible Clinchers

Four separate clinching opportunities are available during the day.

Featured Today

Paul Cartier

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Kōloa Rum Company Rum Rusher
September 27, 2025

Panthers Bubbly, Jets Wine, Manning Whiskey: The Sports Booze Boom

A sommelier dives into the sports booze trend—and tries Jets wine.
Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave Terrible Towels against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium
September 26, 2025

Steelers’ Irish Roots Are Deeper Than NFL Dublin Game

The Steelers have history and the foundation for a future in Ireland.
Sep 29, 2025; Inglewood, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) poses during media day at Intuit Dome
opinion

Clippers’ Aspiration Fiasco Recalls Another Doomed NBA Sponsorship

The Kawhi controversy has shades of the still-recent FTX scandal.
Athlos
October 10, 2025

Track Start-Up Athlos Makes ‘Millions’ but No Profit Yet

Alexis Ohanian called being profitable by the 2028 Olympics a “great goal.”
Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates a made shot as Phoenix Mercury guard Kahleah Copper (2) looks on during Game 3 of the WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025.
October 10, 2025

Aces Win WNBA Title, Starting Offseason of Uncertainty

The Aces won their third trophy in four years.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
Cheryl Reeve
October 10, 2025

WNBA Officiating Task Force Still Taking Shape After Outcry

How refs are trained and instructed was a major issue this year.
Aug 3, 2024; Villeneuve-d'Ascq, France; NBA commissioner Adam Silver talks to International Basketball Federation board member Mark Tatum in the fourth quarter between the United States and Puerto Rico during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
October 9, 2025

NBA Aims for Drama-Free Return to China After 6-Year Hiatus

The league looks to rebuild its presence in the populous country.
Bad Bunny performs on stage for his “Most Wanted Tour” at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, May 11, 2024.
October 9, 2025

Charlie Kirk’s Turning Point USA to Run Alternate Super Bowl Halftime Show

Group announces “The All-American Halftime Show” on Feb. 8.
Mar 15, 2025; Buffalo, New York, USA; Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) reacts after scoring a goal during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center.
October 8, 2025

How Connor McDavid’s Extension Set Off a Wave of Big-Money Deals

Several notable contracts are completed in the wake of the superstar’s deal.