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Cam Newton is certain that MLB's days are numbered. The controversial former Carolina Panthers quarterback said Major League Baseball is about to disappear, displaced by a sport that no one was betting on a few years ago.
Newton is one of the most controversial figures in the NFL. The former quarterback often grabs headlines, and not always for the right reasons. From the sexist comments that got him in trouble in 2017 to the fight at a youth football game this year, Newton is constantly in the news.
Since retiring from the NFL, Newton has made a career for himself as a regular contributor for ESPN's First Take, as well as hosting his own podcast, 4th & 1. It was on the latter that the former quarterback predicted the downfall of MLB and the rise of the WNBA as a powerhouse in television ratings.
Cam predicts the downfall of MLB
In a recent comment on his podcast, the former NFL star claimed that MLB is on the brink of extinction. "Baseball is like a -I hate to say- a dying sport," Newton said.
According to the former player, "Baseball will be surpassed by WNBA in 20 years. Baseball isn't being played by Americans anymore... It's like, who's really paying attention to baseball? Especially paying attention to baseball in the regular season."
According to a report by Statista, Newton could be right. The statistical research agency said in March that 64% of sports fans between 55 and 64 follow baseball, compared to 43% of those between 25 and 34, and 34% of those between 18 and 24.
Ratings are also on Newton's side
Although the data varies by source, Sports Media Watch reported that MLB's regular-season television audience fell 2% in 2023 to an average of 1.41 million viewers per game, from 1.44 million who tuned in on ESPN in 2022.
By contrast, the average WNBA viewership per game on ESPN soared 170% in 2024 to 1.19 million viewers, up from 700,000 viewers on average per game in 2023. Looking at these numbers, maybe Cam is onto something.