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MLB MLB Fan Survey In this year's survey, we checked in on how fans are feeling about the current state of the game. Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic; Photos: Cole Burston / Getty Images, Patrick Smith / Getty Images It has been four months since an epic World Series concluded with a shattered bat on the infield grass, the tying run stranded at third base and the Los Angeles Dodgers erupting in celebration. It was baseball at its best. Then, only a week after the championship parade in Los Angeles, two major leaguers were indicted for their alleged participation in a pitch-rigging scheme. The gambling scandal served as the opening salvo of an offseason defined by mounting fan frustration over the Dodgers’ spending, a brewing battle over a salary cap and leadership turmoil at the players’ union. Is Major League Baseball in a good or bad place? It depends on the day. Advertisement More than 14, 500 readers participated in our annual MLB fan survey. The results are categorized into four areas: the state of the game, its economics, the fan experience and the league’s future. We begin with how participants responded to questions about the state of the sport in 2026 — covering gambling, the Death Star Dodgers, Commissioner Rob Manfred, and more. Reader comments have been edited for brevity. If you are an MLB official reading these results, you might feel a sense of relief. Collectively, 67. 1 percent of respondents identified as enthusiastic or hopeful, while 21. 9 percent were upset or disappointed. Given the audible frustration regarding how the Dodgers have built a dynasty, the proportion of "upset" fans is surprisingly low. The shift in sentiment is stark when compared to our 2022 survey, conducted during the lockout: Enthusiastic: 2. 8 percent

Hopeful: 24. 8 percent

Indifferent: 9. 4 percent

Disappointed: 51. 6 percent

Upset: 11. 4 percent The rebound in fan sentiment signals significant momentum for the league — momentum that could be jeopardized if a prolonged lockout threatens the 2027 regular season. Roberto J. : The game on the field remains fascinating. Players are better than ever. They take the game seriously, work at their craft, and the on-field drama is better than any other form of entertainment. It's not perfect. I'd like to see more balls in play. There are too many franchises that don't really try to compete. I don't have the answers but refuse to let perfect be the enemy of good. Sam S. : You can go back to interviews with Honus Wagner and Ty Cobb and hear them talk about the way "the game used to be played" and how new-age players weren't up to snuff. This idea that baseball isn't as good as it was is so pervasive, and, unfortunately, if you have made your mind up, you’ll have a hard time appreciating the present. Manfred's approval rating remains middling, though the general trend shows opinions gravitating toward the center. Advertisement During the 2022 lockout, 77. 5 percent of respondents rated Manfred’s performance as a 1 or 2. A year later, after the successful implementation of various rule changes, 40. 8 percent gave him a 1 or 2. This time, 36. 3 percent rated Manfred's performance a 1 or 2. But he is also receiving fewer 4s and 5s in 2026 than he did in 2023. So, the strong feelings both ways have lessened. In a poll conducted before the World Series, 28. 4 percent of participants said the Dodgers were good for baseball. Since then, the Dodgers hoisted another World Series trophy and signed top free agent Kyle Tucker. And now 4 percent more think they're good for baseball. Why the positive change? In the previous poll, we excluded Dodgers fans from this specific question. This time, we failed to ask fans to identify their favorite team, so Dodgers fans were included in the general pool. Even with the Dodgers faithful factored in, more than half of all respondents believe the Dodgers, as baseball’s modern-day villain, are bad for the sport. Matthew H. : I don't think the Dodgers are bad. They are doing what teams should do (maximize the chances of winning), but the system that makes it significantly easier for big-market teams to compete is a broken system. Stephen C. : I said the Dodgers are good for baseball because having a heel is fun. But I believe how they leverage their money can be problematic — especially given that no team responds in kind. Thomas W. : No opinion. A team winning multiple championships and having a top-rated farm system should be seen as a way for all teams to get better, not whine and complain that they have no money and try to force a salary cap. Blame the cheap owners, don't blame the players. Give a reason for Tucker to sign elsewhere. Despite the saturation of gambling content in broadcasts and in advertising, the vast majority of fans do not regularly bet on the game. While our readers may not represent a perfect cross-section of all fans, the response here was overwhelmingly one-sided. Legalized sports gambling has led to increased oversight and more ways to get caught cheating, yet scandals persist across pro and college sports. It is difficult to defend MLB’s integrity when an All-Star closer is accused of fixing pitches, including in a postseason game. Advertisement Jim P. : Gambling is a huge concern for me, and I know there's no going back, but this close association/sponsorship by gambling organizations will taint sports. William D. : I loved baseball for 40-plus years, starting with the '67 Cardinals. I know things change and I was good with it until MLB sold its soul to gambling. Manfred and the owners destroyed the bedrock value to the point that any player at any time can do something or nothing to ensure a prop bet pays out. I made it through the steroid era, but the gambling era is the killer. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Stephen J. Nesbitt is a senior MLB writer for The Athletic. He previously wrote for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, covering the Pittsburgh Pirates before moving to an enterprise/features role. He is a University of Michigan graduate. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenjnesbitt. Follow Stephen J. on Twitter @stephenjnesbitt