Thursday, May 21, 2026

MLB Posts Record Digital Numbers from Trade Deadline

  • The league had 11.5 million article views across its digital platforms Tuesday.
  • MLB Network’s Deadline special was the second-most-watched in its 14-year history.
Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Major League Baseball had one of its most successful days online and on TV in its history thanks to one of the most energetic Trade Deadlines in recent memory.

On Tuesday, MLB had more than 11.5 million article views on its website and apps — the highest single-day traffic in the 22-year history of its digital platforms. It was a 27% increase over the previous record.

The leadup to the Deadline also proved fruitful.

The 20 million article views from Aug. 1-2 was a two-day record for the league, and the 110 million views from July 3-Aug. 2 was the most for a 30-day period in MLB history — a 17% increase from the previous record.

MLB Network also had a great day:

  • Tuesday’s four-hour “MLB Tonight” Trade Deadline program attracted 240,000 viewers on average and 375,000 viewers at its peak — the second-most-watched Deadline special in the network’s 14-year history. The most-watched show occurred in 2015.
  • Total day viewership was up 9% from the 2021 Trade Deadline.

The 2022 Deadline was, of course, headlined by the blockbuster trade of Juan Soto — which is already being considered one of the biggest transactions in league history.

MLB and its accompanying media products now turn their attention to the home stretch of the baseball season.

Soto’s Padres will be featured on MLB Network on Friday, Saturday, and Monday. The network will then broadcast a Cedar Rapids Kernels and Quad Cities River Bandits minor league game on Tuesday from the ballpark near the “Field of Dreams” movie site — leading up to the 2022 Field of Dreams game between the Reds and Cubs on Thursday.

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

Rays $2.3B Stadium Plan Survives Narrow Tampa City Council Vote

The Tampa City Council narrowly approves a non-binding stadium agreement.
May 4, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays left fielder Chandler Simpson (14) greets right fielder Ryan Vilade (26) at home plate after hitting a three-run home run against the Toronto Blue Jays in the first inning at Tropicana Field.

Rays Reach Preliminary Agreement With City, County on Ballpark

The stadium would be located near Raymond James Stadium, home of the Buccaneers.

NFL Rivalries Are Made on the Field, Mocked in Schedule Release Videos

Every year, teams find new ways to one-up themselves (and their rivals).

NCAA Warns Baseball Coaches About Canceling Games to Boost Stats

A myriad of Power Four schools canceled games against lower-ranked opponents.

Featured Today

Bart Swings/Falyn Fonoimoana/Avery Poppinga

OnlyFans Is Paying Pro Athletes What Their Sports Won’t

The adult-content platform is a reliable income source for niche athletes.
May 13, 2026

How Sports Graphic Designers Are Grappling With the Rise of AI Art

The release of ChatGPT 2.0 Images sparked a conversation among sports designers.
May 12, 2026

Collectible Cups Are Sending Sports Fans Into a Frenzy

The drink is secondary to the wild vessel it comes in.
Matt Palumb
May 8, 2026

Pro Lacrosse’s Top Ref Is As Famous As the Players

The last celebrity referee is in the Premier Lacrosse League.
May 16, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Ronda Rousey (blue gloves) celebrates defeating Gina Carano (red gloves) after a women's featherweight bout at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

How Jake Paul’s MVP Plans to Build on Netflix MMA Debut

Saturday’s debut averaged 12.4 million viewers on Netflix.
May 20, 2026

NHL Playoffs Deliver Record Second-Round Ratings for ESPN, TNT

The Canadiens-Sabres series brought additional audience milestones.
May 21, 2026

CBS, TNT Sports Parents Face New Merger Scrutiny by Lawmakers

A group of six U.S. senators raises concerns about the proposed megadeal.
Sponsored

Mark Cuban Peels Back the Curtain

Mark Cuban discusses sports ownership, the rise of NIL, and the evolving media landscape.
The University of Alabama showed off renovations to Bryant Denny Stadium Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020. Sports Illustrated covers decorate the walls inside the new press box. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]
May 20, 2026

Sports Illustrated Defends Its Standards After Plagiarism Incident

SI removed its prediction-markets affiliate following accusations of plagiarism.
Racin' With The Boys
exclusive
May 20, 2026

‘Bussin’ With the Boys’ Launching New NASCAR Show

Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions will produce the show.
May 19, 2026

NFL Pushes Back on Criticism Over TV and Streaming Deals

The league remains steadfast in its overall media approach.
May 19, 2026

Is Sports Coverage the Solution to ‘Google Zero’?

The glossy mag is betting sports coverage can arrest a traffic decline.