MLB concludes 2026 with 71.75 million attendees, its fourth consecutive annual increase, while the collective agreement expires on December 1 and the league proposes a salary cap that players reject.
The regular season of Major League Baseball ended this Sunday with 71.75 million spectators in the stadiums, an average of 29,540 per game and an increase of 0.5% compared to 2025. This marks the fourth consecutive year of growth, a streak the league has not achieved since the period from 2004 to 2007, according to data collected by as.com.
The increase in attendance coincides with a postseason that kicks off on Tuesday, September 29 with the Wild Card series between the Yankees and Red Sox, a rivalry the league uses as a showcase to maintain interest. The Dodgers led attendance for the thirteenth consecutive season, with a franchise record of 4.03 million spectators. On the other hand, the Mets lost over 472,000 attendees after missing the playoffs for the second consecutive year, with 2.71 million at Citi Field.
The growth in parks is supported by measures the league introduced to speed up the game, such as the pitch clock and the automatic ball and strike system. Even with injuries to stars like Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, interest remained. Judge is uncertain for the Wild Card series due to a calf injury.
"Baseball is reaching its peak popularity in years just as owners and players prepare to discuss how to share the money generated by that growth"
The collective agreement between MLB and the players' union expires on December 1. The league has already presented a proposal that includes a rigid salary cap and a minimum payroll for the 30 franchises. For 2027, the proposed cap is $245.3 million and the floor is $171.2 million. With the 2026 payrolls, eight organizations would need to reduce their spending to stay below that limit. Players oppose the creation of the cap.
The memory of the 1994 strike remains present: that stoppage cancelled the World Series and average attendance fell from 31,256 fans per game in 1994 to 25,260 in 1995, a reduction of nearly 20%. The level prior to the conflict was not recovered until 2006, according to MLB's historical attendance records.
Negotiations have not halted any games, but they already have a deadline. The postseason begins on September 29 and the schedule for next season is contingent on what happens before December 1.
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