Few American institutions illustrate the dynamics of creative destruction quite so vividly as baseball in the 21st century. Television empires have emerged and then been destroyed; streaming platforms have filled the void. New rules have been implemented, games have gotten shorter, and computers call balls and strikes. Attendance has stabilized after years of hand wringing about the game dying.
Baseball is being seen by more people, in more ways, than ever before. The catastrophic collapse of the regional sports network model has paradoxically opened the sport to a broader audience. Rule changes have made games crisper and faster. Streaming minutes on MLB platforms have grown by more than 50 percent in just four years. Platforms like Netflix get exclusive rights to show marquee events like the Home Run Derby.
