Fewer Americans Are Baseball Fans: Marist Poll

POUGHKEEPSIE, NY — Baseball season is upon us, but the number of fans of what some people say is America’s favorite pastime has been dropping. According to a recent Marist Poll, the proportion of Americans who say they are baseball fans matches its lowest in nearly 10 years. Forty-four percent of Americans now say they watch baseball a great deal (7 percent), a good amount (8 percent) or a little (29 percent).

A majority — 56 percent — say they do not watch baseball at all.

The proportion of fans of baseball is down from 50 percent in April 2016. In 2009, 44 percent of U.S. residents were baseball fans.

The sport’s popularity skews older. The Marist Poll found that 51 percent of Americans 45 or older are more likely than younger Americans under the age of 45 — 37 percent — to say they are fans.

And the sport also skews white, with 48 percent of white Americans say they are are fans of the sport, as opposed to 43 percent of Latinos and 35 percent of African Americans.

Fans also shake down by region, with Americans who live in the northeast (52 percent) and midwest (51 percent) being more likely than those in the south and west (both 39 percent) to call themselves lovers of baseball.

The Marist Poll surveyed 1,050 adults between March 5 and March 6, 2018. For complete methodology, go here.

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