Major League Baseball viewership ratings fell off after opening day as the league embarked on a social justice mission in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
ESPN reported that the opening weekend game between the New York Yankees and the Washington Nationals drew 4 million viewers, making it the most-watched regular-season game since 2011. Viewership dipped back down, however, following its opener.
“MLB really fell off after opening day. In general, both leagues aren’t getting the audience one might expect from a nation that’s been deprived of entertainment for months,” Ethan Strauss, a reporter for the Athletic, wrote in response to a tweet showing that ESPN reported 922,000 viewers for the Mets-Braves game, 1 million for the Brewers-Cubs game, and 797,000 viewers for the Angels-Athletics game on the league’s second night.
MLB really fell off after opening day. In general, both leagues aren’t getting the audience one might expect from a nation that’s been deprived of entertainment for months https://t.co/GazeoR9SNB
— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) August 2, 2020
The sports network also reported 1.39 million views for the Braves-Mets game on Sunday Night Baseball on July 26, a 25% dip in viewership from last year’s first Sunday night game, according to Sports Media Watch.
“You could chalk sagging interest up to pandemic conditions, but 5.8 million tuned in to watch Tom Brady hit golf shots into the woods,” Strauss said, referring to a charity event in May that featured Brady, Phil Mickelson, Peyton Manning, and Tiger Woods.
You could chalk sagging interest up to pandemic conditions, but 5.8 million tuned in to watch Tom Brady hit golf shots into the woods https://t.co/vIPxNc1uDi
— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) August 2, 2020
The MLB has been vocal in its support of the Black Lives Matter movement in recent months, which was sparked by the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis on Memorial Day.
The Boston Red Sox, for example, unveiled a Black Lives Matter billboard at Fenway Park in July, and the pitcher’s mound for the opening game between the Washington Nationals and New York Yankees had “BLM” stenciled on it.
“Tonight, I join our 30 club baseball operations officials as they recognize, on behalf of our entire industry, that systemic racism and inequality are devastating problems, that we can each do more to help, that baseball can do more as an institution, that Black Lives Matter, and that we are united for change,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in June.
President Trump has signaled that he won’t watch sports games if players kneel during the national anthem in protest of racism.
“Looking forward to live sports, but any time I witness a player kneeling during the National Anthem, a sign of great disrespect for our Country and our Flag, the game is over for me!” he tweeted.
