Inaugural Rivalry Weekend generates record numbers
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Major League Baseball’s first-ever Rivalry Weekend presented by Booking.com generated extensive fan excitement across the sport, which resulted in attendance, viewership, streaming engagement and merchandise sales increases. The three-day matchups featuring many Interleague, geographic and other rivalries across MLB resulted in the league’s best pre-Memorial Day attendance in 13 years, the most-viewed regular season game on ESPN in seven years, and the second most-watched day ever on MLB.TV.
VIEWERSHIP
- Sunday’s New York Mets vs. New York Yankees Subway Series game averaged 2.539 million viewers on ESPN, making it the most-watched Sunday Night Baseball game in seven years (2018). The game registered an increase of +69% compared to last year’s Sunday Night Baseball average.
- Saturday’s Atlanta Braves vs. Boston Red Sox game on FOX averaged 1.906 million viewers, marking a +74% increase over last year’s MLB on FOX game. This comes on the heels of 2.021 million viewers for a two-game Baseball Night in America slate on Saturday, May 10th featuring the Chicago Cubs’ win over the New York Mets – this season’s previous most-watched telecast of any network.
ATTENDANCE
With a total attendance of 1,608,475 and average attendance of 35,744, Rivalry Weekend was MLB’s best-attended weekend prior to Memorial Day Weekend since 2012 on both measures.
Saturday’s total attendance of 568,186 and average of 37,879 were both MLB’s best Saturday prior to Memorial Day Weekend since 2012.
Sunday’s total attendance of 533,435 was MLB’s best 15-gate Sunday prior to Memorial Day Weekend since May 20, 2012 (550,956), and the average of 35,562 was the best Sunday overall prior to Memorial Day Weekend since that same date in 2012 (36,730).
In 2023-24, MLB finished with its first back-to-back seasons of attendance growth since 2011-12.
STREAMING
The Saturday (May 17th) of Rivalry Weekend marked the second most-watched day ever on MLB.TV, trailing only 2023 Opening Day.
Rivalry Weekend saw the third and fourth most-watched games ever on MLB.TV.
The return of Mets All-Star Juan Soto to the Bronx resulted in the Subway Series registering as the third (May 17th) and fourth (May 16th) most-watched games ever on MLB.TV.
MERCHANDISE SALES
Total merchandise sales increased +45% during Rivalry Weekend across the Fanatics network of sites – including all clubs on MLBShop.com – in comparison to the same weekend last year.
The most popular merchandise was the debut of the new Green Monster-inspired Boston Red Sox City Connect uniforms.
SOCIAL MEDIA
- Views on MLB’s social media accounts increased +42% compared to last year.
- In addition, social engagements on MLB platforms increased +37% compared to last year.
The most-discussed topics on MLB social media platforms included:
- Reigning NL MVP Shohei Ohtani was the most discussed player across social media as he squared off against his former team, the Los Angeles Angels.
- Juan Soto was the second-most discussed player across social media as he returned to face his former Yankees’ teammates.
- Three of the 10 most engaged MLB Instagram posts came from the Subway Series.
- Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star pitcher Paul Skenes facing Philadelphia Phillies All-Star first baseman Bryce Harper was the second-most engaged post on Instagram.