MLB uses pop music and creators to connect with casual fans
Major League Baseball is reshaping its social media to reach fans who may not follow the sport closely, using pop music, celebrity moments and creator content alongside traditional highlights. The shift reflects a need to make baseball feel more accessible and culturally relevant, as its dense statistics and near-daily schedule can make it difficult for newcomers to engage.
An MLB video set to Olivia Rodrigo’s “My Way” drew more than 2.1 million Instagram views and 615,000 on TikTok. MLB says its English- and Spanish-language accounts recorded 19.1 billion views during the 2026 regular season, a record; this year it also worked with 400 creators who posted 3,800 pieces of content, with creators present at every postseason game and around 100 expected at the World Series, depending on its length.
In short
- MLB is using pop culture to bring in more casual fans.
- An Olivia Rodrigo video passed 2.7 million views across two platforms.
- The league worked with 400 creators during 2026.
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The case for
Using pop music, celebrity moments and creators can make baseball easier to discover for people who do not already follow the sport, while helping MLB remain culturally relevant in a crowded media environment. The reported viewership and creator activity suggest this approach can attract substantial attention and give fans more varied ways into the game.
The case against
A focus on viral moments and creator content may draw attention away from the sport itself, including its players, strategy and traditional highlights, and could make MLB’s presentation feel trend-driven. The reported views show reach but do not establish that casual viewers become lasting fans or that this strategy serves people who prefer baseball coverage centred on the game.
Explained simply
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the organisation behind the top professional baseball league in the United States and Canada. Its teams play a long season, with games on most days, and coverage often features detailed statistics that can be unfamiliar to new viewers.
MLB is using social media posts that include popular music, celebrity appearances and videos by online creators, alongside clips of games. Creators are people who make content for online audiences; MLB says hundreds took part during the 2026 season, in both English and Spanish.
The effort reflects a challenge for the sport: reaching people who may not already follow baseball closely. Social media offers a way to introduce its players and moments through formats that are familiar to wider audiences.
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Originally published by The Verge as “Major League Baseball is looking for a new kind of fan”.