Record-breaking World Baseball Classic shows power of international baseball
The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) Executive Board hailed the success of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) for showcasing the importance and the power of the international game to a global audience and the strength of the WBSC’s partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB).
Two weeks of dramatic and exciting competition across 47 games ended on Tuesday night as Japan beat USA 3-2 in the final in Miami to win the Classic for a record third time. It signalled the end of an enthralling fifth edition of the WBC, which demonstrated the appetite for international baseball and the passion for the national teams among both the players and the sport’s fanbase in the United States and across the globe. The event also served as the perfect example of how MLB and the WBSC continue to work hand in hand to bring the very best of international baseball to the world.
Speaking at the WBSC Executive Board meeting, which met virtually on Friday, President Fraccari said: “A quintessential value of the World Baseball Classic is showing how global our sport has become and the potential to grow even further. This tournament shows the real power of baseball and softball around the world. As well as the passion of the players to play for their national teams, we have seen the fans live and breathe every moment of their country’s games.
“I must say well done and thank you to Major League Baseball for putting on such a fantastic tournament. Our relationship with the MLB has never been stronger and it has been our pleasure to support them in the delivery of this tournament.
“Without their willingness to drive forward the international game, we would not have had the chance to watch Shohei Ohtani pitch against Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout with the trophy on the line. Thanks to their efforts, we were able to witness what will surely become an iconic moment in the history of our sport.
“We will look to build on MLB’s efforts in the coming weeks, months and years to ensure that international baseball continues its upward trajectory. The future is exciting.”
Huge crowds flocked to the pool games in Japan, Taiwan and the US with both the semi-finals and finals in Miami sold out in advance as fans were inspired by the tournament’s earlier games. In total, 1.3 million fans attended games, which was a 20 per cent increase on the previous record set in 2017. It also included a record 1,010,999 fans in the first round with an overall average attendance per game of 25,275.
As well as full stands, the World Baseball Classic was also a huge hit on television across the globe with three of the four most-watched games in tournament history taking place during this year’s edition. Coverage spanned 163 countries and territories and was broadcast in 13 different languages.
The final was the most-watched WBC game ever broadcast on US TV with an average of 5.2 million viewers, up 69 per cent from the 2017 WBC final. That popularity began at the start of the tournament when Team USA’s opening game with Great Britain had the highest viewership for a pool game in the country since 2009.
In Japan, 62 million viewers tuned in for Japan’s group stage game against South Korea on 10 March and their quarterfinal win against Italy had an average of 48.7 per cent of households in the country watching.
Japan, whose win over USA in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games final two years ago was the most watched sports event of the Tokyo Games with a 37% rating, is the first country to hold the World Baseball Classic, Olympic and Premier12 titles at the same time.
It was not just the finalists who caught the imagination of their countries either, with Puerto Rico’s game against the Dominican Republic gaining a 62 per cent share of the television audience at the time in the country. Around the world, the largest viewership gains in comparison to 2017 were Taiwan (+151 per cent), Mexico (+103 per cent) and Canada (+44 per cent).
Twenty countries from five continents took part in the WBC, including debutants the Czech Republic, Great Britain and Nicaragua. Of the 20 sides participating, 18 of them picked up a victory during pool play, showing the competitive nature of international baseball.
Despite the defeat in the final, Team USA captain Trout labelled the WBC as the most fun he has had in his career. "It was probably the funnest 10 days I've ever had,” Trout said. “I can't really express what's different about it. You can just feel it in your veins. It's a special, special feeling."
He went on to thank the US fans for their support, while Ohtani simply said: “I believe this is the best moment in my life.”
Brycer Harper, the Philadelphia Phillies outfielder, would have been part of Team USA if he had not had to undergo Tommy John surgery in November. Even though he was forced to watch on TV as a result, he spoke out about his desire to see more international baseball, including at the Olympic Games.
Harper said: “I’ve been a huge advocate of baseball getting back in the Olympics and us [in MLB] taking that pause during the regular season, kind of like hockey does, to just let the guys go and play. It’d be so much fun to have that and have the game and see that in the Olympics and have the best players in the world doing it.
“You’ve seen Japan and Korea and all these teams, Chinese Taipei, and the Dominican [Republic], the fan bases in with Puerto Rico and Venezuela, Mexico. It’s so cool to see the fan bases get behind their countries and really just show out for them.”
