Major League Baseball is on the verge of the highest-profile World Series in years as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers prepare to do battle, beginning with Game 1 on Friday night. While fans across the country will spend the week debating which team has the edge, ESPN's Jeff Passan is taking a broader view of the series.

In an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, Passan called the World Series a “litmus test” for gauging MLB's true popularity in 2024.

“I feel like we're going to see the ceiling for Major League Baseball nationally,” he said.

The 2023 World Series, between the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers, was the least-watched World Series ever, averaging 9.1 million viewers. The teams had something to do with that, of course. Neither team moves the needle much nationally, and certainly nothing close to what the Yankees or Dodgers could do.

As Front Office Sports wrote, the World Series typically averages 11 to 14 million viewers. The exceptions on the higher end of the extreme have always featured a major market team — the Yankees and Phillies in 2009, the Cubs in 2016, and Dodgers in 2017.

“It's gonna be really good to have that baseline to understand, OK, just how much has the natural interest in the sport waned in recent years and how much room is there to grow beyond that as you try to bring it back from being more of a local, more of a parochial game than it’s ever been before and take it back to the national leviathan that it was once upon a time,” Passan added.

So when the Dodgers closed out the New York Mets on Sunday to win the National League Championship Series, Passan knew how employees at the Commissioner's Office reacted.

“I’ve never seen Rob Manfred dance,” he said. “I’m not sure how good of a dancer he is, frankly, but if you ever say Yankees-Dodgers to anyone in the Commissioner’s Office they’re gonna start doing a little jig, a little shimmy, a little something like that because this is their dream.”

Related NewsArticle continues below
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano (19) throws during the first inning of their game against the Milwaukee Brewers Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
3 Dodgers trade targets to save banged-up pitching staff
Ryan Helsley, cardinals
1 player St. Louis Cardinals must trade before 2025 deadline
Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages (44) makes a catch during the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at Dodger Stadium.
This impressive Andy Pages stat proves worth to Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani makes the World Series a global draw

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates on the field after defeating the New York Mets in game six of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs to advance to the World Series at Dodger Stadium.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Shohei Ohtani is more than the most exciting player in baseball, but that alone will bring plenty more eyeballs to the World Series. He has done enough this year and in his career so far to show he is a true 1-of-1 player. Ohtani is the first 50/50 hitter ever, and in September had one of the single-greatest games in baseball history, going 6-6 with three home runs, two stolen bases, and 10 RBI.

But as many eyes as an Ohtani World Series will draw in the United States, he'll draw even more overseas. Look no further than Game 5 of the National League Division Series for proof. 7.5 million people in the United States tuned in for the winner-take-all game, while 12.9 million watched in Japan. Even more impressive? While the game was in primetime in the United States, it was a morning duel overseas.

Now, take those eyeballs and add the World Series and the international draw that the Yankees already bring.

This is more than your average World Series. It can be a global event.