- The LA and New York franchises are already serving up a series for the ages after just two games
- MLB’s recent expansion into the UK and Europe will benefit massively from such a newsworthy World Series
- TV viewership is at a seven-year high across the first two games of the 2024 series between the Yankees and Dodgers
As the consecutive crowds of 50,000+ at London Stadium have proven since 2019, there is a burgeoning appetite for baseball in the United Kingdom. Three wildly successful London Series, featuring the likes of the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets have left the UK hungry for more. So the current World Series, between the Yankees and the LA Dodgers, could not have arrived at a more opportune time.
Two of the most successful franchises in MLB history, operating out of the two biggest sport and media markets in the United States, going head-to-head with crossover stars-in-waiting slugging Home Runs for fun all season in Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. It’s a Goliath vs Goliath series for the ages and, just two games in, we’ve already witnessed history being made and television viewerships peaking at a seven year high.
Freddie Freeman’s jaw dropping 10th inning walk-off Grand Slam that handed the Dodgers victory in game one was the first of its kind in World Series history. It proved to be the culmination of one of the greatest game ones in Fall Classic history. Game two continued at a frenetic pace, with Freeman once again homering and Juan Soto immediately matching him. Then there was Ohtani’s injury to his left shoulder which had everybody talking. History upon rivalry upon intrigue.
Ohtani will play in game three, thankfully, it has been confirmed by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and, hopefully, from a neutral’s standpoint, it is the third game where the Yankees begin to force this series beyond a fourth. No offence, Los Angeles fans.
With the 2024 series currently drawing the largest viewership for a Fall Classic since 2017, averaging 14.5 million viewers per game across FOX, FOX Deportes and FOX Sports streaming services, MLB will want not only all the star players to be available, but they’ll also want seven games if possible. A recent broadcasting partnership with the BBC in the UK saw several postseason games and highlights packages aired live and on iPlayer in September and October. History making dingers like Freddie Freeman’s extra-inning effort at the end of game one will go a long way to enrapturing a larger fanbase across the pond for MLB.
An all-timer of a seven game series could be the lighting of the blue touch paper that sees baseball’s popularity supernova from a ‘once-a-year-UK-special’ that casual fans turn out for to NFL-esque conversion into dyed in the wool hardcores who’s appetites for the game bring with it more coverage from across the Atlantic.
MLB European ambassador and 2008 World Series champion Chase Utley recently spoke exclusively to Pubity and explained how the atmosphere has shifted so positively towards America’s pastime over the last five years.
“I’ve seen baseball grow immensely from the first year I was here to this year. Obviously I’m a little biased as I played for the Phillies, but when they were in town playing the Mets it was a phenomenal weekend. Sold out crowds, great atmosphere, really good baseball games to watch and I think that momentum and that success has led to these games being on BBC, which is wonderful.
“To that point, I think that’s the next step to engage the audience here in the UK. They need to be able to see it on TV. Baseball’s a great product live, like all sports, it’s hard to beat a live product but to get familiar with it you need to be able to understand it and that’s by watching it on television. So now I’m extremely ecstatic that not only do I get to watch baseball here but everyone else in the UK can as well.”
Nothing, of course, is more engaging than a titanic back-and-forth World Series. Much like Magic and Bird jumpstarted the flagging NBA in the ’80s, the Dodgers and Yankees could perform a Grand Slam in the UK and Europe, broadening the sport’s appeal to tens of millions of potential new fans across the continent.
With viewership soaring domestically, there is no shortage of reasons why the same cannot happen across the pond for MLB in the next 12 months or so. Watch this space.
