- MLB 2025 is more popular than March Madness 2025
- Fan Support for ABS Weakens
- The Fans Like Baseball, Even Its Bad Calls
Major League Baseball commands a majority (51%) of the American public’s interest as we approach Opening Day on March 27th, maintaining its 2024 level and at a higher level than 2023 (48%). In fact, the general population’s excitement for MLB exceeds the recently polled level for either the Men’s or Women’s NCAA Basketball Tournament.
“To err is human, to forgive is divine” is the poet Alexander Pope’s 18th century phrase that highlights the quality of being able to forgive. But did we know it applies to young and old baseball and other sports fans alike? The Poll reveals that nearly two-thirds of the general population accepts human error on the part of its officials: 63% for baseball umpiring and 68% beyond baseball. Support for replacing umpires with Automatic Ball-Strike System (ABS) is also waning. MLB Fan support for ABS has declined five points since 2023 (47% – 2025, 48% – 2024, and 52% – 2023).
“It is unquestionable that baseball popularity spikes when the most popular teams succeed,” said Charles Grantham, Director of the Center for Sport Management in the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University. “The Yankees first World Series appearance in 15 years and a rematch of the 1981 World Series sets MLB up for a successful 2025. The labor negotiation in 2026 will occur while MLB is on this upswing.”
These are the findings of the Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted March 4-6th among 1,506 adults across the country. The Poll, which is sponsored by The Sharkey Institute within Seton Hall University’s Stillman School of Business features a national representative sample from YouGov Plc. weighted on U.S. Census Bureau figures for age, gender, ethnicity, education, income and geography and has a margin of error of +/-3.0 percent now.
Click here to see one of our students, Alayna Rivera, break down the data.
What is your level of interest in Major League Baseball (2025)?
Further insights from this question include:
- Two-thirds of Sports Fans are consistently interested in MLB since 2023
- Over half of the 18-34 subgroup is interested in MLB since 2024
The Dodger – Yankee Effect
Millions of fans around the globe leapt to their feet in exhilaration as the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman etched his name in baseball history with a game-winning grand slam in the 2024 World Series. Is there a Dodger – Yankee effect that fuels the noticeable increase in excitement in MLB? The Poll found that MLB fans’ interest is up 19 points (2025: 62%, 2024: 43%). In addition, the general population’s excitement for the 2025 MLB season has surged by six points since 2024 (2025: 33%, 2024: 27%).
Excitement Level for Major League Baseball (2025):
Excitement Level for Major League Baseball (2024):
Further insights from these questions include:
- General Population excitement up 6 points in 2025 (33%) compared to 2024 (27%)
- Casual Fan excitement up 9 points in 2025 (41%) compared to 2024 (32%)
Robo Umps or Human Error?
As MLB Spring Training nears its end, this season marks the first time the ABS system has been used at the highest level of baseball. When asked if they would like to see the ABS system implemented for the 2025 season, only one-third (34%) of Americans and 47 percent of MLB fans support the proposed change.
When asked a similar question in 2024 if they agreed with the MLB and the Players Association adopting a rule change to install ABS, 37 percent of Americans and 48 percent MLB fans supported the proposed change. In 2023, the numbers were on par with 37 and 52 percent, respectively.
Would you like to see this ABS system implemented in the MLB regular season (2025)?
To what extent do you agree or disagree with MLB and the Players Association continuing the following rules?
The use of a technology called the Automatic Balls and Strikes system, or ABS, which use robot umpires to call balls and strikes. All pitch calls are determined by an electronic strike zone. (2024)
The use of a technology called the Automatic Balls and Strikes system, or ABS, which use robot umpires to call balls and strikes. All pitch calls are determined by an electronic strike zone. (2023)
Further insights from this question include:
- MLB Fans have diminished support for implementing ABS
- The 55+ subgroup has the lowest support (20%)
- Only Avid Fans subgroup remains over 55% in last three years
Fans OK with Human Error?
Do fans enjoy the controversy that comes with the human error of umpires and referees? Although frustrating to players and managers, this aspect of the game is part of baseball culture. The Poll found that two-thirds of Americans (63%) accept human error as a part of MLB umpiring. Beyond baseball, there is slightly higher acceptance of human error with 68 percent of Americans and 74 percent of sports fans accept human error as a reasonable part of sports officiating.
“Resistance to eliminating human error on the part of umpires and referees shouldn’t be surprising since the culture of baseball is centuries old and competes with the precision of modern technology,” said Dr. Daniel Ladik, Marketing Professor in the Stillman School of Business and Methodologist for the Poll. “Balancing the available technology that eliminates mistakes but may dehumanize the game is apparently something that baseball fans resist more compared to other sports.”
Do you accept human error as a part of MLB umpiring?
Further insights from this question include:
- Nearly two-thirds or more of the general population (63%), casual fans (68%), males (68%) and 55+ subgroup (69%) accept umpire error
- Over three-quarters of Avid fans (76%) and MLB fans (76%) accept umpire error
Beyond Baseball, do you accept human error a reasonable part of sports officiating?
Further insights from this question include:
- Two-thirds of the general population (68%) and three-quarters of Sports Fans (74%) accept human error
- There is consistency among the age subgroups in accepting human error in a range of 65% to 69%
March 2025 Seton Hall Sports Poll Results FINAL
Daniel Ladik, Ph.D., Chief Methodologist – Daniel.ladik@shu.edu
This Seton Hall Sports Poll was conducted from March 4th to 6th and includes responses from 1,506 U.S. adults with a margin of error of +/- 3.0%. The sample mirrors the U.S. Census percentage on age, gender, income, education, ethnicity, and region.
Q1. Which of the following statements best describes you?
*Note: Presented in each table Avid + Casual = total sports fandom in the data. Some table break out the Avid and Casual segments
Q2c. What is your level of interest in Major League Baseball (2025)?
2024
2023
Thinking about your level of excitement for each of the following leagues/Championships. Compared to the previous year, are you more or less excited?
Q3c. Major League Baseball (2025):
Major League Baseball (2024):
Major League Baseball (2023):
Q9a. Would you like to see this ABS system implemented in the MLB regular season (2025)?
To what extent do you agree or disagree with MLB and the Players Association continuing the following rules?
The use of a technology called the Automatic Balls and Strikes system, or ABS, which use robot umpires to call balls and strikes. All pitch calls are determined by an electronic strike zone. (2024)?
The use of a technology called the Automatic Balls and Strikes system, or ABS, which use robot umpires to call balls and strikes. All pitch calls are determined by an electronic strike zone. (2023)?
Q9b. Do you accept human error as a part of MLB umpiring?
