You’ve probably heard the rumors that baseball is "dying." People have been saying it for decades. They point to the slow pace, the lack of stars, or the rise of the NFL. But if you actually look at the numbers, specifically MLB attendance year by year, you’ll see a very different story unfolding right now.
Honestly, baseball is having a moment.
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In 2024, Major League Baseball wrapped up its season with a total attendance of 71,348,366. That wasn’t just a fluke. It was the highest total since 2017. Then 2025 rolled around and did it again, hitting 71,409,421. For the first time since the mid-2000s, the league has seen three consecutive years of growth. People aren't just watching on TV; they are actually showing up to the ballpark.
The Rollercoaster of the 2000s
To understand where we are, you have to look back at where we’ve been. The "Golden Era" for modern attendance was actually 2007. That year, MLB hit an all-time peak of 79,503,175 fans. It was the height of the "new stadium" boom, with places like Petco Park and Citizens Bank Park still feeling fresh.
Then things started to slide. Between 2008 and 2019, attendance basically went on a slow, agonizing walk downstairs.
- 2008: 78.5 million
- 2012: 74.8 million
- 2016: 73.1 million
- 2019: 68.4 million
By the time the pandemic hit in 2020, the league was already facing questions about its relevance. 2020 was a wash (zero fans), and 2021 was a weird, restricted mess with only 45 million fans allowed in.
What Actually Changed in 2023?
The 2022 season was the first "normal" year back, but the numbers were still underwhelming at 64.5 million. Then, MLB did something drastic. They changed the rules.
We’re talking about the pitch clock, bigger bases, and the ban on the shift. Most traditionalists hated it at first. But the result? Games got faster. Action increased. In 2023, attendance jumped by over 6 million fans in a single year—the biggest year-over-year spike in a quarter-century.
The average game time in 2024 dropped to 2 hours and 36 minutes. That’s the crispest pace we've seen since 1984. It turns out, when you don't make people sit through three and a half hours of a pitcher adjusting his jersey, they actually want to buy a ticket.
The "Ohtani Effect" and Market Giants
You can't talk about MLB attendance year by year without mentioning the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2025, they became the first team since 2008 to eclipse 4 million fans in a single season.
It's not just LA, though.
- San Diego Padres: Set franchise records three years in a row, proving that a "small market" can pack the house if they actually try to win.
- Philadelphia Phillies: Had their best turnout since 2012.
- New York Mets: Reached their highest attendance since 2008.
The league is skewing younger, too. The median age of ticket buyers has dropped from 51 in 2019 to 43 in 2025. Younger fans are showing up for the vibe, the "out-of-market" stars like Shohei Ohtani, and the fact that a Tuesday night game doesn't end at midnight anymore.
The Oakland Outlier
It's not all sunshine and stadium nachos. While the league is up, the Oakland Athletics have been a grim outlier. In 2024, they were the only team to pull in fewer than a million fans (922,286). The move to Sacramento and eventually Las Vegas is a direct result of that attendance death spiral. When you compare the Dodgers' 49,000 average to Oakland’s 11,000, you realize the "average" attendance figure for MLB (around 29,500) hides some massive gaps between the haves and the have-nots.
Why These Numbers Matter for the Future
If you’re looking at the data to predict what’s next, keep an eye on weekday attendance. Traditionally, Tuesdays and Wednesdays were "dead" days at the park. However, since the rule changes, weekday attendance has climbed 13% since 2022.
Why? Because parents can take their kids to a 7:00 PM game and actually be home by 10:00 PM.
The reality is that baseball has pivoted from being a "slower, pastoral" game to a "fast-paced, high-action" entertainment product. The attendance figures prove that the gamble worked.
Next Steps for the Savvy Fan:
If you're planning on catching a game this season, keep these insights in mind to get the best experience:
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- Check the "Ohtani Tax": Expect ticket prices to be 30-50% higher when the Dodgers are in town; if you're on a budget, target series featuring teams like the Rays or Marlins where demand is lower.
- Monitor the Pitch Clock Impact: Since games are shorter, concessions often cut off alcohol sales earlier (usually by the middle of the 7th or 8th inning). Arrive early if you want the full "ballpark food" experience.
- Watch the "Surprise" Markets: Teams like the Royals and Orioles have seen massive attendance spikes (upwards of 25-30%) due to sudden winning streaks. Buy tickets for these "rising" teams early in the season before the bandwagon effect drives prices up.
The data shows that baseball isn't just surviving—it's actually growing for the first time in nearly two decades. Whether you're a die-hard or a casual fan, the atmosphere at the park right now is the best it's been in years.