When the Montreal Expos became the Washington Nationals in 2005, Canada’s teams decreased by 50 percent. The Canadian love of baseball; however, is still alive and well. Maybe even enough to get a new team in Montreal when MLB expands to 32 teams.
In 2024, the MLB witnessed a high growth in fan engagement as attendance peaked over seven years, with more than 71 million fans, up 1 percent compared to 2023. The Washington Nationals are no exception. League initiatives to cut down game times and add more action helped boost attendance by 13 percent on weekdays compared to 2022.
Baseball is reaching younger audiences more, as evidenced by double-digit percentage increases in the 18-34 age group through significant networks. This demographic shift in their favor comes with a Nationals team geared towards the arrival of young talents with James Wood and Dylan Crews and a young starting rotation. Getting closer is Brady House and maybe even Robert Hassell III. For this reason, the Nationals should be in their window to compete for contention.
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