Baseball’s New Pitch: How Short-Form Video is Bringing the Game to a New Generation
As the new Major League Baseball season gets underway, the sport is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, thanks in part to the power of short-form social media content. For years, baseball has struggled to compete with the faster-paced worlds of basketball and football, but the rise of platforms like TikTok has given the game a new lease on life. With its slow pace and long stretches of idle time, baseball can be a daunting commitment for casual viewers. However, the sport’s simplicity and elegance have always been its strongest assets, making it perfectly suited for the vertical screens and bite-sized attention spans of the digital age.
According to Bailey, creator of the YouTube channel Foolish Baseball, "To a non-fan, baseball comes across as a slow-paced sport where little of consequence happens for large portions of the game." However, he notes that short-form content on TikTok captures the thrilling moments that make baseball so exciting, giving non-fans a glimpse into the game’s magic. This format has proven to be a winning formula, with MLB stats showing a surge in social engagement during the 2024 World Series, including 6.6 million engagements on TikTok alone, a 136% jump from 2023.
The numbers are impressive, with MLB growing its TikTok following to 7.9 million since launching its account in 2019. While the sport still lags behind the NFL and NBA in terms of popularity, the trend is clear: baseball is becoming more accessible and appealing to a new generation of fans. As Bailey notes, "Even if only 1% of people who enjoyed a short video convert to regularly watching full broadcasts and attending games, the other 99% are still part of the ecosystem." By embracing short-form video, baseball is extending its reach and bringing the game to a wider audience, one snackable clip at a time.
The future of baseball looks bright, with the sport poised to capitalize on the popularity of short-form content. As the game continues to evolve and adapt to the digital age, one thing is clear: baseball is back, and it’s more relevant than ever. With its unique blend of simplicity, elegance, and excitement, the sport is sure to captivate a new generation of fans and cement its place as one of the world’s most beloved games.
