MLB’s ‘Field of Dreams’ Viewership Plummets in 2nd Year

The most famous quote from the baseball classic “Field of Dreams” is “If you build it, he will come.” 

Unfortunately for MLB, that was not the case for the second-annual Field of Dreams game — held in Dyersville, Iowa, amid the lush cornfields where the film was shot.

About 3.1 million fans tuned into Thursday’s game between the Reds and the Cubs — only half as many as last year’s matchup between the Yankees and the White Sox. (Though the game was the most-watched this season on FOX.)

There was major hype leading up to the inaugural Field of Dreams game, which was scheduled to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the film’s release but postponed due to the pandemic. In year two, though, perhaps the novelty has worn off. 

The Yankees and the White Sox were both playoff-level teams, unlike the Cubs and Reds. The White Sox were also the team at the center of the film itself, adding to the nostalgia.

It also probably didn’t hurt that last year’s game was a high-scoring thriller, while this year’s ended 4-2.