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Why the biggest battle in Major League Baseball is happening off the field
Published: Feb 23, 2017 7:56 a.m. ET
Baseball has the oldest viewers of major sports, with half of its audience 55 or older
By Kari Paul
As baseball spring training gets under way, many teams are as concerned about TV ratings and the age of supporters the stadium as they are about their own game results.
Although Major League Baseball has brought in record revenues for the past 13 years in a row, including a $500 million increase to $9.5 billion in 2015, the sport risks a steep dip in viewership as the next generation steps up to the plate.
Baseball has the oldest viewers of the top major sports, with 50% of its audience 55 or older (up from 41% a decade ago), according to Nielsen ratings. The average age of baseball viewers is 53, compared with 47 for the NFL and 37 for the NBA, according to the ratings. And fewer young people are playing the sport: The number of people between the ages of 7 and 17 playing baseball in the U.S. decreased by 41% from 9 million in 2002 to 5.3 million in 2013.
Changes are being discussed within MLB to increase viewership and lifelong fandom, including rule changes, partnerships and cutting-edge streaming options, said sports media consultant Lee Berke. “While the flat screen is still the majority of your audience, there is a small but growing number of viewers consuming content on their phones, tablets and laptops, and it’s imperative for baseball — and any sport, for that matter — to make sure their content is on those screens.”
Baseball seems to be working on increasing its presence on the small screen: MLB is reportedly partnering with Facebook in the coming season to stream one game a week free on the social platform, exponentially increasing the number of young viewers it potentially reaches. (Facebook FB, -0.37% declined to comment on the rumored deal.)
Innovating its streaming options
The National Football League offered fans a similar service when it streamed select Thursday night football games last year for free on Twitter TWTR, +0.37% . Though the number of viewers reached — 243,000 a minute — was much smaller than the 15.4 million cable viewers on CBS CBS, -0.03% and the NFL Network for Sunday night games, it was able to hit younger demographics often left behind by traditional forms of viewing. More than half of those who watched on Twitter were under 25.
MLB has devoted a large amount of resources to enhancing its streaming abilities, attracting the attention of Disney DIS, +0.24% , which invested $1 million in its technology unit in August.
“We spent millions of dollars to develop streaming products because we believe that incorporating this technology with the game helps us attract a younger audience,” Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said at an event hosted by Yahoo YHOO, -0.22% in early February.
Currently fans who want to watch digitally can subscribe to streaming packages on MLB.tv for $112.99 a season or $24.99 a month, but soon MLB will reportedly offer a single-team streaming package that allows viewers to pay for games only involving their favorite teams. The package will be cheaper, but its price hasn't yet been announced.
Shortening games with rule changes
Perhaps the most oft-repeated criticism of baseball is that the game is just “too slow,” a problem that has been exacerbated by a public that is hooked on plot-driven television viewing, Manfred said. “In some ways I think that is a TV problem more than a baseball problem — you rarely hear those kinds of complaints in the stadium,” he said. Though many fans attending games at the ballpark are as focused on the food and drinks there as the on-field product.
Proposed changes to shorten game times include instituting a pitch clock, further limiting mound visits and making intentional walks automatic — meaning that rather than have the pitcher throw four balls outside the strike zone the pitcher or manager would signal that he wants to issue a walk and send the batter to first base. MLB has also proposed raising the strike zone, which it says would lead to more hits and more action. However, these rule changes haven’t been agreed to by the Major League Baseball Players Association, which must approve such changes, so none of the changes will go into effect for the 2017 season. Manfred was so disappointed that he said he might unilaterally impose new rules for the 2018 season.
Introducing subscription ticket services
The Atlanta Braves became the first team in Major League Baseball to introduce a subscription option for tickets in 2016, allowing fans to pay a monthly fee of $39 to attend as many home games as they want, making attendance as cheap as $2.60 a game (the average cost of an MLB game ticket is around $20). Subscribers receive a text the day of the game asking if they’ll attend and receive seating assignments once they arrive at the stadium. Manfred said models like this appeal to millennials and other younger fans who prefer a flexible schedule — and who also reportedly spend more money on food and drinks at the park. He said he expects to see results in the coming season.
Encouraging young fans to download apps
Online platforms and digital companions to sports are increasingly driving real-life cable viewership benefits: The use of apps to help fans keep up with stats and scores can increase participation in games throughout the season. Fantasy leagues reportedly push many fans to watch games they wouldn’t otherwise
Manfred said the MLB.com At Bat app, which offers scores, statistics and live audio of games at $2.99 a month, is opened 8 million times a day during the regular season. However, the average user of the app is 30 years old, he said, and MLB is always looking to reach younger audiences.
Getting more children to play Little League
Since starting his tenure at the MLB’s helm in 2015, Manfred has put a huge focus on engaging young fans to increase lifelong participation. Getting youth to play in Little League reportedly boosts viewership online and on cable in the long run. Because of this, Major League Baseball and U.S.A. Baseball launched Play Ball, a program that provides funding, information and training to involve more children and young adults in the sport. Little League engagement has fallen as youth sports have become more intense, discouraging casual play and requiring children to pick a sport at a young age.
Published: Feb 23, 2017 7:56 a.m. ET
Baseball has the oldest viewers of major sports, with half of its audience 55 or older
By Kari Paul
As baseball spring training gets under way, many teams are as concerned about TV ratings and the age of supporters the stadium as they are about their own game results.
Although Major League Baseball has brought in record revenues for the past 13 years in a row, including a $500 million increase to $9.5 billion in 2015, the sport risks a steep dip in viewership as the next generation steps up to the plate.
Baseball has the oldest viewers of the top major sports, with 50% of its audience 55 or older (up from 41% a decade ago), according to Nielsen ratings. The average age of baseball viewers is 53, compared with 47 for the NFL and 37 for the NBA, according to the ratings. And fewer young people are playing the sport: The number of people between the ages of 7 and 17 playing baseball in the U.S. decreased by 41% from 9 million in 2002 to 5.3 million in 2013.
Changes are being discussed within MLB to increase viewership and lifelong fandom, including rule changes, partnerships and cutting-edge streaming options, said sports media consultant Lee Berke. “While the flat screen is still the majority of your audience, there is a small but growing number of viewers consuming content on their phones, tablets and laptops, and it’s imperative for baseball — and any sport, for that matter — to make sure their content is on those screens.”
Baseball seems to be working on increasing its presence on the small screen: MLB is reportedly partnering with Facebook in the coming season to stream one game a week free on the social platform, exponentially increasing the number of young viewers it potentially reaches. (Facebook FB, -0.37% declined to comment on the rumored deal.)
Innovating its streaming options
The National Football League offered fans a similar service when it streamed select Thursday night football games last year for free on Twitter TWTR, +0.37% . Though the number of viewers reached — 243,000 a minute — was much smaller than the 15.4 million cable viewers on CBS CBS, -0.03% and the NFL Network for Sunday night games, it was able to hit younger demographics often left behind by traditional forms of viewing. More than half of those who watched on Twitter were under 25.
MLB has devoted a large amount of resources to enhancing its streaming abilities, attracting the attention of Disney DIS, +0.24% , which invested $1 million in its technology unit in August.
“We spent millions of dollars to develop streaming products because we believe that incorporating this technology with the game helps us attract a younger audience,” Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said at an event hosted by Yahoo YHOO, -0.22% in early February.
Currently fans who want to watch digitally can subscribe to streaming packages on MLB.tv for $112.99 a season or $24.99 a month, but soon MLB will reportedly offer a single-team streaming package that allows viewers to pay for games only involving their favorite teams. The package will be cheaper, but its price hasn't yet been announced.
Shortening games with rule changes
Perhaps the most oft-repeated criticism of baseball is that the game is just “too slow,” a problem that has been exacerbated by a public that is hooked on plot-driven television viewing, Manfred said. “In some ways I think that is a TV problem more than a baseball problem — you rarely hear those kinds of complaints in the stadium,” he said. Though many fans attending games at the ballpark are as focused on the food and drinks there as the on-field product.
Proposed changes to shorten game times include instituting a pitch clock, further limiting mound visits and making intentional walks automatic — meaning that rather than have the pitcher throw four balls outside the strike zone the pitcher or manager would signal that he wants to issue a walk and send the batter to first base. MLB has also proposed raising the strike zone, which it says would lead to more hits and more action. However, these rule changes haven’t been agreed to by the Major League Baseball Players Association, which must approve such changes, so none of the changes will go into effect for the 2017 season. Manfred was so disappointed that he said he might unilaterally impose new rules for the 2018 season.
Introducing subscription ticket services
The Atlanta Braves became the first team in Major League Baseball to introduce a subscription option for tickets in 2016, allowing fans to pay a monthly fee of $39 to attend as many home games as they want, making attendance as cheap as $2.60 a game (the average cost of an MLB game ticket is around $20). Subscribers receive a text the day of the game asking if they’ll attend and receive seating assignments once they arrive at the stadium. Manfred said models like this appeal to millennials and other younger fans who prefer a flexible schedule — and who also reportedly spend more money on food and drinks at the park. He said he expects to see results in the coming season.
Encouraging young fans to download apps
Online platforms and digital companions to sports are increasingly driving real-life cable viewership benefits: The use of apps to help fans keep up with stats and scores can increase participation in games throughout the season. Fantasy leagues reportedly push many fans to watch games they wouldn’t otherwise
Manfred said the MLB.com At Bat app, which offers scores, statistics and live audio of games at $2.99 a month, is opened 8 million times a day during the regular season. However, the average user of the app is 30 years old, he said, and MLB is always looking to reach younger audiences.
Getting more children to play Little League
Since starting his tenure at the MLB’s helm in 2015, Manfred has put a huge focus on engaging young fans to increase lifelong participation. Getting youth to play in Little League reportedly boosts viewership online and on cable in the long run. Because of this, Major League Baseball and U.S.A. Baseball launched Play Ball, a program that provides funding, information and training to involve more children and young adults in the sport. Little League engagement has fallen as youth sports have become more intense, discouraging casual play and requiring children to pick a sport at a young age.
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