Record baseball participation numbers in the United States
According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) Topline Participation Report for 2023, baseball is in good shape in the United States of America.
Baseball participation is at nearly 16.7 million in the country, the highest officially recorded level since SFIA’s survey of more than 120 sports began in 2008.
Major League Baseball (MLB) stated in a press release that casual participation in baseball, which is comprised of casual forms of play championed by the PLAY BALL initiative, is at more than 8.9 million participants – also an all-time high in the history of SFIA’s tracking and an increase of +108% from 2014, the year prior to the launch of PLAY BALL.
The PLAY BALL initiative, launched by MLB and USA Baseball in 2015, has provided opportunities for youth in the US and worldwide. The 2024 calendar of events will involve the 30 MLB clubs, 120 Minor League Baseball (MiLN) clubs, more than 300 mayors in the US and Puerto Rico and various partners. Events will be scheduled in Korea, Mexico and England during the MLB World Tour events.
The SFIA report adds that softball participation grew by nearly 500,000 (up 6%). Baseball and softball combined participation is approximately 25.3 million, the highest level since 2018. Baseball and softball combined saw a larger percentage increase in participation (+7.6%) over basketball (5.6%) and football (3.6%).