• Loading stock data...
Friday, October 17, 2025

World Baseball Classic Setting Records For Viewership, Attendance

  • Team USA vs. Great Britain most-watched game in the U.S. since 2009.
  • Overall opening round attendance is up 98% to over 1 million fans.
Baseball World Baseball Classic Opening Day
Syndication: Arizona Republic

New York Mets fans are not enamored of the World Baseball Classic after closer Edwin Diaz suffered a knee injury that will cost him the 2023 season. But the global tournament generates substantial bottom-line numbers for Major League Baseball. 

Baseball is one of the most successful global sports. 

The WBC’s First Round set records for TV viewership and attendance. The numbers from baseball-crazed countries like Japan and South Korea indicate the Grand Old Fame has room for global expansion.

This year marks the fifth iteration of the WBC since its launch in 2006. Consider some of the numbers generated by the WBC’s first round of action in four locations around the world:

  • USA: Team USA’s first game versus Great Britain on FOX/FOX Deportes averaged 1.592 million viewers. That made it the most-watched first-round game in America since 2009.  
  • Japan: Japan vs. South Korea on March 10th pulled a 44.4 TV rating, out-rating all sports competitions during the Tokyo Olympics. The island nation’s first four games averaged a whopping 42.3 ratings.
  • South Korea: The four games, including South Korea, averaged 1.781 million viewers, up 35% from 2017. South Korea vs. Japan averaged 2.709 million viewers – making it the most-watched WBC game in Korea since their championship game against Japan in 2009. 
  • Taiwan: Chinese Taipei’s four First Round games averaged 1.301 million viewers in Taiwan. That was up 151% from 2017.
  • Caribbean: The numbers for games involving Caribbean nations aren’t complete yet. But MLB said viewership for first-round games in Puerto Rico was up 77%. Puerto Rico’s game against the Dominican Republic averaged a massive 62% share of people watching TV then.

The first round also sets new overall and average attendance records. 

This year’s games drew 1,010,999 fans. That’s up 98% vs. the previous record of 510,056 in 2017. The average game attendance of 25,275 was up 24% from 2017.  

For example, the Pool B games at the Tokyo Dome in Japan set new tournament records for overall attendance (361,976) and average attendance (36,198).

Javy Baez, Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, Vinny Pasquantino

The International Baseball Stage Has Never Been Bigger

The top two teams in the 2023 World Baseball Classic are separated…
March 10, 2023

Meanwhile, the Pool D games in Miami posted a new US record for attendance, drawing 295,850 fans. That was up +81% vs. 2017. Mexico’s win over Team USA on March 12th drew 47,534 fans, a new WBC record for any opening-round game.

As with the upcoming MLB season, two-way Japanese star Shohei Ohtani is looming large.

He gained the most new social media followers of any player, with a 1.36 million increase since March 1st.

“My friends, the World Baseball Classic is officially one of the world’s biggest tournaments,” tweeted Fox MLB analyst Ben Verlander.

The action will resume Saturday night, with Team USA playing Venezuela at 7 p.m. ET.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

For Yankees, It May Be ‘Business As Usual,’ but Title Drought Lingers

GM Brian Cashman says a salary cap is not at the forefront of his mind.
Apr 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; The Chicago Cubs flag sign is seen prior to a game between the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field

Facial Recognition Tech Suit Against Cubs Dismissed

The Cubs said they don’t use the technology protected by Illinois law.

MLB Postseason TV Ratings Surge to Highest Levels Since 2010

Audiences continue to grow, extending a season-long trend.

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

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

Featured Today

May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Derek Jeter walks the red carpet on Sunday, May 25, 2025, ahead of the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway

The Players’ Tribune Is Still Kicking 11 Years Later

Founder Derek Jeter is still closely involved in the publication.
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
October 10, 2025

Standoff Over WNBA’s Future Has Dominated Finals

CBA negotiations have stolen the spotlight from the Aces’ dominant performance.
Paul Cartier
October 5, 2025

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.
Mar 12, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; General view of ESPN broadcast camera during a game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.

ESPN’s New NBA Segment Resists Hot Takes

LeBron James tweeted in favor of the new segment.
Oct 10, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson (22) celebrates with teammates after game four of the 2025 WNBA Finals at Mortgage Matchup Center.
October 14, 2025

WNBA Finals Draws 1.5M Viewers, Second-Highest Series on ESPN

The four-game series averaged 1.5 million viewers.
Aug 30, 2025; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Brandon Inniss (1) attempts to make a catch over Texas Longhorns defensive back Graceson Littleton (29) in the first half at Ohio Stadium.
October 16, 2025

SEC Games Help ABC Dominate College Football Ratings at Midseason

Texas–Ohio State on Fox remains the most-watched game of the season.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
MLS
October 14, 2025

MLS Publishes Unchecked AI-Generated Game Recaps

Humans are not reviewing the articles for accuracy.
Micah Parsons
exclusive
October 14, 2025

NFL Scorigami Creator Blames Glitches on Twitter Platform Changes

The bot has been glitching all NFL season, and fans have noticed.
Sep 5, 2025; Flushing, NY, USA; Carlos Alcaraz of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia embraces after their match in the semifinal of the men’s singles at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
October 13, 2025

Six Kings Slam Returns With Record $6M Prize, Netflix Deal

The Six Kings Slam is held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mar 5, 2023; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the NBA logo and NBA app logo and basketballs in front of the base during warms up before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Suns at the American Airlines Center.
October 13, 2025

NBA Will Take Over League Pass After WBD Divorce

The league now has full operational control of those media assets.