MLB is averaging 2.28 million viewers per national game through the first weekend in May, a 44 percent increase from the comparable period last year and the best such figure since 2017. The gains span all four national broadcast partners: ESPN, Fox, NBC Sports, and Netflix.

The overall increase includes Opening Day viewership records for both Netflix and NBC, along with a 40 percent lift for Fox's Saturday coverage. This is MLB's first season under a restructured national media deal, with ESPN, Netflix, and NBC all operating under bridge agreements through 2028.

MLB is not alone in its viewership surge. The NBA, NHL, and Kentucky Derby have each posted double-digit audience gains in recent weeks. The NFL Draft was a notable exception, falling 12 percent in part due to limited star power among the selected players following the selection of No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.

Nielsen's evolving measurement methodology is a factor worth noting. The agency has expanded out-of-home tabulation and introduced its Big Data + Panel process, with enhanced co-viewing tabulation expected this fall. However, analysts generally view MLB's gains as exceeding any increases attributable to Nielsen's procedural changes.

On the attendance front, MLB's per-game average sits at 28,141 through Wednesday, up 2.9 percent from 2025. The Toronto Blue Jays lead all teams with a nominal increase of more than 12,000 per game, reaching a home average above 40,000. The New York Mets are the league's largest decliner, shedding more than 3,000 per game from their 2025 average. The viewership and attendance momentum arrives as MLB and the Players Association begin labor negotiations.