Cam Newton Sparks Controversy with Claim That Baseball is a Dying Sport

Cam Newton Sparks Controversy with Claim That Baseball is a Dying Sport

Cam Newton’s football resume is nothing short of legendary: a Heisman Trophy, a National Championship, an NFL Rookie of the Year award, an NFC Championship, and an NFL MVP honor. With such accolades, one might expect him to stick to his expertise—football. However, Newton stirred the pot last week on his podcast, 4th & 1, with a bold and unexpected take about the future of Major League Baseball (MLB).

 

 

 

Newton labeled baseball a dying sport and predicted that it would be surpassed in popularity by the WNBA within the next 20 years. Unsurprisingly, his comments drew swift backlash from baseball fans and players alike, including Pittsburgh Pirates legend and former National League MVP Andrew McCutchen.

 

 

 

 

McCutchen didn’t hold back, taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to criticize Newton’s remarks. “He talks about baseball like a person who has never been around baseball talks about baseball,” McCutchen wrote, expressing the sentiment of many who felt Newton’s take was uninformed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

McCutchen’s post sparked a broader discussion, with many pointing out that Newton’s critique comes at an odd time for baseball. MLB’s 2024 season saw record-breaking engagement across multiple metrics. According to an October press release, league-wide attendance reached its highest point since 2017, with a nearly 6.8 million increase (+11%) from the previous year. The surge was credited to MLB’s new rules designed to shorten games, reduce downtime, and create more action-packed moments.

 

 

 

 

Television ratings also painted a strong picture for baseball’s growth. ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball saw a 12% uptick in viewership among the 18-34 demographic, while FS1 reported a 24% increase. Additionally, MLB.TV shattered records with 14.5 billion minutes watched, a 14% jump from 2023. Among the highlights of the season was Pirates rookie pitcher Paul Skenes’ MLB debut on May 11, which ranked as the sixth most-watched game in the streaming service’s history.

 

 

 

 

While Newton’s prediction has stirred debate, the current data suggests baseball remains a thriving sport. Whether his bold claim will age well remains to be seen, but for now, it’s clear that MLB is holding strong and even growing in popularity.

 

 

 

 

As McCutchen’s response illustrates, there’s a strong and vocal defense of baseball’s relevance. Time will tell if Newton’s forecast comes true, but one thing is certain: baseball’s fanbase isn’t ready to concede the game’s cultural significance anytime soon.