2025 World Series Sees Record Viewership, Global Fan Engagement
The 2025 World Series, featuring the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Dodgers, is breaking viewership records and demonstrating a significant expansion of baseball’s global reach.
Yesterday’s Game 3 between the Dodgers and Blue Jays captivated audiences for six hours and 39 minutes, tying the record for the longest game in World Series history at 18 innings, and averaged 11.31 million viewers in the United States alone, according to Nielsen and Fox. While competing with Monday Night Football, which drew 17.6 million viewers, the World Series has seen a 25% increase in viewership across the U.S. and Canada compared to last year, reaching a combined average of 18.73 million viewers through the first three games. This surge in interest highlights the growing appeal of Major League Baseball beyond its traditional North American fanbase.
The international flavor of this year’s series is undeniable, with a total of 13 internationally-born players from eight countries represented on both rosters, including Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani of Japan. Jersey sales reflect this global interest, with five players from the two teams – Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Clayton Kershaw, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – ranking among the 20 best-selling jerseys this season. Fan engagement extends to social media, where the Dodgers boast 5.4 million Instagram followers and the Blue Jays have two million, further amplifying the series’ reach. You can find more information about international players in MLB on MLB.com’s international section.
Broadcasting figures show a particularly strong interest from Canada, with games airing live on Sportsnet, and Japan, where an average of 10.7 million viewers tuned in for the first two games primarily to watch Ohtani. The increased global viewership is expected to drive further investment in international player development and marketing initiatives for Major League Baseball. Officials stated they will continue to analyze viewership data to optimize broadcast schedules and content for future international audiences, as reported by Nielsen.
