Major League Baseball (MLB) has reported a significant surge in postseason viewership across the United States, Canada, and Japan for 2025. The League Championship Series (LCS) has experienced its highest ratings since 2017, with an average of 4.48 million viewers. This represents a 13% increase compared to the previous year, largely attributable to the heightened interest during the initial rounds of the playoffs.
Viewership Highlights from the U.S.
The American League Championship Series (ALCS), broadcast on Fox and its affiliates, averaged 4.99 million viewers over seven games. This figure matches the viewership of last year’s series, which saw the New York Yankees defeat the Cleveland Guardians. However, this year’s ALCS ratings faced challenges due to the Los Angeles Dodgers achieving a four-game sweep over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Noteworthy Performances and Game Highlights
- Shohei Ohtani recorded a spectacular three-homer game with ten strikeouts in Game 4, drawing an average of 3.51 million viewers during its broadcast.
- The series averaged 4.7 million viewers, marking a 17% decline from last year’s matchup of the New York Mets and Dodgers.
- Game 7 saw the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners, with an impressive 9.03 million viewers, the highest for an ALCS game in eight years.
- The audience peaked at 12.35 million viewers during the ninth inning of this decisive game.
Canada and Japan Viewing Statistics
In Canada, the Toronto Blue Jays’ advancement to the World Series, their first since 1993, drew an average of 6 million viewers. This marked the most-watched Blue Jays game on Sportsnet.
Japan also displayed remarkable interest in MLB postseason games. Ohtani’s Game 4 performance averaged 10.26 million viewers, making it the second-most-watched League Championship Series game in the history of Japanese broadcasting. The National League Championship Series (NLCS) also set a record in Japan, averaging 7.34 million viewers, reflecting a 26% increase from the previous year.
Factors Fueling International Growth
This surge in viewership indicates a growing international interest in Major League Baseball, particularly due to star players like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki. As baseball continues to capture audiences around the world, the league is expected to build on this momentum heading into the World Series.
