MLB Averages More Than 1 Million Viewers For YouTube Broadcasts

MLB averaged 1.2 million live views, including the pre- and postgame shows, for the 13 games streamed on YouTube this season, according to Todd Spangler of VARIETY. The Total average minute audience across the games "was 130,000; the peak concurrent viewer average was 171,000." The "most-watched game on YouTube" was the Aug. 7 Cardinals-Dodgers game, which had "just over 320,000 live peak concurrent viewers" (VARIETY.com, 9/29). MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred today said, "We feel it's important to be on the platforms that young people use. We have some very good information about Gen Z people -- that we're actually very strong with that group -- and we think a part of it is our effort to experiment with Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, the platforms younger people like." Manfred said of the league's engagement numbers, "Our engagement numbers digitally are really strong. Our At Bat, our own app, was up about 18% this year and we think younger people are going to consume the game differently and we need to make sure we provide that opportunity" ("Mornings with Maria," Fox Business, 9/30).