NEW YORK (AP) — Major League Baseball's average attendance rose 0.9% this season, increasing in consecutive years for the first time since 2011-12.
MLB drew 71.35 million fans over 2,413 gates for an average of 29,568, its highest since 30,042 in 2017, the commissioner's office said Tuesday.
The total was up 0.8% from last year's 70.75 million in 2,415 gates. MLB drew 64.56 million and averaged 29,295 in 2023, up from 64.56 million and 26,843 in 2022.
MLB drew 69.63 million in 2018 and dropped to 68.49 million in 2019, the last season before the coronavirus pandemic caused the 2020 season to be played without fans and much of 2021 in front of limited capacities.
Five teams topped 3 million, down from eight in 2023.
The Los Angeles Dodgers topped the major leagues at 3.94 million and have led each year since 2013, other than the 2020 season without fans.
Philadelphia was second at 3.36 million, followed by San Diego at 3.33 million, the New York Yankees at 3.31 million and Atlanta at 3.01 million.
They were followed by the Chicago Cubs at 2.91 million, St. Louis at 2.88 million, Houston at 2.84 million, Toronto at 2.68 million and Boston at 2.66 million.
St. Louis, Houston and Toronto had all been above 3 million in 2023. The Cardinals dropped by 363,000 to 2.88 million, the Blue Jays by 341,000 to 2.68 million and the Astros by 217,000 to 2.84 million.
Oakland drew a major league-low 922,286 in their final season before moving to Sacramento. The Athletics plan to spend three seasons in Sacramento and move to Las Vegas in 2028.
Miami drew 1.09 million, Tampa Bay 1.34 million and the Chicago White Sox 1.38 million in a season in which they lost a post-1900 record 121 games.
Arizona had the biggest increase after reaching the World Series, rising 381,000 to 2.34 million. Kansas City rose 351,000 to 1.66 million, Baltimore increased 344,000 to 2.28 million and Philadelphia went up 311,000 to 3.36 million.
After selling off several stars at the 2023 trade deadline, the New York Mets dropped 244,000 to 2.33 million.
MLB said ESPN's Sunday night telecasts averaged 1,505,000 viewers, up 6% and its highest since 2019. Fox's broadcasts averaged 1,879,000, up from 1,875,000. TBS's early prime time games averaged 375,000, a 2% rise.
Among viewers 18-34, MLB said ESPN Sunday games increased 12% and Fox 9%.
Games on MLB.TV were streamed for 14.5 billion minutes, up 14% from 12.7 billion last year. MLB said the number of games watched in their entirety increased 17%.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
FILE - The Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers compete during a baseball game, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass, File)
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and his family waved to a crowd of flag-waving New Year’s well-wishers gathered at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Friday.
Standing with his wife Masako and the rest of the royal family, he wished a happy new year to people lined up below the palace balcony, some shouting, “banzai" — Japanese for "long live.”
The annual New Year’s appearance by the emperor and his family draws huge crowds to the palace’s usually cloistered grounds in central Tokyo.
People stand in long lines, weathering the cold, for each of the five appearances during the day, as the imperial family remains relatively popular.
The emperor does not have political power but holds symbolic significance for Japan. He and his family are longtime advocates for peace, although World War II was fought in the name of Naruhito’s grandfather Hirohito.
In a statement released in advance, Naruhito noted that last year marked 80 years since the end of that war. He stressed the importance of the message of peace, given that war and strife continued in parts of the world.
“I deeply feel it’s important to continue with efforts among people for dialogue, trying to deepen mutual understanding, so we can build a world of peace,” he said in the statement.
In both the statement and comments Friday, he spoke about recent natural disasters such as earthquakes, heavy rainfall and snow, and forest fires.
In 2024, the annual appearance was canceled because of a New Year’s Day quake in the Noto Peninsula, a coastal area in central Japan, which killed hundreds of people. In 2021 and 2022, it got canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Princess Aiko, the imperial couple's only child, appeared with her parents at this year’s greeting, as did other relatives. She is at the center of a national debate about rules allowing only men to inherit to the Chrysanthemum Throne.
The presence of Naruhito’s nephew, Hisahito, also drew attention, as he now takes part in adult imperial events and is a possible heir to the throne. He is second in line after his father, the emperor’s brother.
Akihito, Naruhito’s father and emperor emeritus who abdicated in 2019, was also there with his wife Michiko, the emperor’s mother.
Yuri Kageyama is on Threads https://www.threads.net/@yurikageyama
Japan's Princess Kako and Prince Hisahito, daughter and son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, greet well-wishers during a public appearance for New Year's celebrations at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Japan's Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko greet well-wishers during a public appearance for New Year's celebrations at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Japan's Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko greet well-wishers during a public appearance for New Year's celebrations at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako greet well-wishers during a public appearance for New Year's celebrations at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Japan's Emperor Naruhito greets well-wishers during a public appearance for New Year's celebrations at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
