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[Saba Sports News] Former NFL quarterback turned media personality Cam Newton is known for his bold opinions, and he delivered another during a recent episode of his 4th&1 podcast.
Newton claimed that baseball is a “dying sport” and predicted it would be surpassed by the WNBA in popularity within 20 years.
“Who’s really paying attention to baseball — especially in the regular season?” Newton questioned. “Baseball is like a — I hate to say it — a dying sport. I think baseball will be surpassed by the WNBA in 20 years. Baseball ain’t even being played by Americans anymore.”
While the WNBA did see a surge in popularity recently, partly thanks to rising star Caitlin Clark, its overall viewership and attendance still lag far behind Major League Baseball.
MLB, despite a dip in viewership during the 2023 season, bounced back in 2024 with its highest attendance in seven years and record streaming numbers on MLB.tv. For the first time in over a decade, the league experienced back-to-back attendance growth.
Though MLB commissioner Rob Manfred faces challenges, the sport is far from “dying.”
Baseball remains one of the most popular activities for American youth and continues to dominate in fan engagement compared to the WNBA, which still has a long way to go before competing with major American sports leagues.