Republican boycotts don't seem to have hurt national MLB ratings
Republican politicians, including former President Donald Trump, have called on their supporters to boycott Major League Baseball after it moved the 2021 All-Star Game out of Atlanta in response to Georgia's controversial new voting law. So far, at least, the strategy doesn't seem to be working.
Ratings for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, the sport's flagship weekly national broadcast, are actually up 38 percent compared to last season's average, Sports Illustrated's Jimmy Traina reports. That's not surprising now that fans are back in the stands after a season-long, pandemic-related absence, giving the games a more exciting feel, but the ratings have also improved 7 percent from the 2019 season average.
It's only been a few weeks so it remains to be seen if this is a trend, or the result of a few marquee games — this past Sunday's star-studded clash between the rival San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers drew particularly strong numbers, for instance — hitting the airwaves, but, either way, the All-Star Game controversy has not yet proven to be an issue. Tim O'Donnell
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
-
Today's political cartoons - September 15, 2024
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - growing GOP concerns, a NYC dumpster fire, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 vice-laden cartoons about Dick Cheney
Cartoons Artists take on joyful feelings, dark endorsements, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Discover Ravenna's glittering treasures
The Week Recommends The 'magical' town is home to magnificent churches and excellent restaurants
By The Week UK Published
-
The worst baseball franchises of the Wild Card era
The Explainer These teams have consistently failed to find a winning formula
By David Faris Published
-
MLB adds Negro League stats, raising Josh Gibson
Speed Read The record books have changed as old Negro Leagues stats are finally incorporated
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The economics of taxpayer-subsidized stadiums
In Depth Shiny new stadiums can end up costing taxpayers billions
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Caitlin Clark the No. 1 pick in bullish WNBA Draft
Speed Read As expected, she went to the Indiana Fever
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is legalized betting hurting sports?
Today's Big Question A 'building avalanche of gambling scandals' threatens competition
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
South Carolina ends perfect season with NCAA title
Speed Read The women's basketball team won a victory over superstar Caitlin Clark's Iowa Hawkeyes
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
The Shohei Ohtani gambling scandal is about more than bad bets
In The Spotlight The firestorm surrounding one of baseball's biggest stars threatens to upend a generational legacy and professional sports at large
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Iowa's Caitlin Clark breaks NCAA scoring record
speed read College basketball star Caitlin Clark set the new record in Iowa's defeat of Ohio State
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published