Home Run Derby ratings crash on Netflix, sets 20-plus-year low as questions surface about program quality

The Home Run Derby drew just 5.3 million viewers on Netflix on Monday, marking the event’s lowest audience since 2003.

The two-decade low is somewhat unusual, given that most live sporting events have posted notable year-over-year viewership gains in recent years.

Still, the slumpish rating likely has more to do with Netflix than the event itself. Despite changing viewing habits, live sports continue to perform better on traditional television than on streaming platforms.

Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals bats during the T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pa., on Monday, July 13, 2026. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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The drop also isn’t particularly alarming. The Home Run Derby averaged 5.73 million viewers on ESPN in 2025 and 5.45 million in 2024, meaning Netflix’s first broadcast wasn’t far off the event’s recent baseline.

The hope for major sports leagues is that the gap between streaming and linear television will continue to narrow and that, eventually, a marquee event will draw a larger audience on a streaming platform than on a traditional network.

Right now, the strongest model appears to be simulcasting games across both television and streaming, whether it’s NBC/Peacock, ESPN/ESPN Unlimited, or Fox/Fox One.

A general view of the atmosphere is seen at the Netflix Sports Club at the Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park on July 13, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pa. (Lisa Lake/Getty Images for Netflix)

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Further, Netflix’s sports coverage remains underwhelming.

Netflix’s foray into live sports has drawn widespread criticism for often feeling more like an infomercial for the company’s entertainment slate than a straightforward sports broadcast.

The streamer continues to feature celebrities and influencers prominently during its coverage, including Will Ferrell throughout Monday’s Home Run Derby.

Even longtime sports radio host Dan Patrick criticized Netflix’s approach on Monday.

“I’d like to think I’m at least socially aware of sporting events, but I had no idea,” Patrick said. “And then all of a sudden, it’s like Netflix, and then you had Will Ferrell show up, you had Bonds and Pujols, and I’m like, OK. They’re trying. Netflix is trying, trying different things. Now, sometimes you can try too hard. Sometimes you can try to dress something up, and you really don’t need to.”

Indeed.

Elle Duncan attends the 2026 Netflix Upfront at Sunset Pier 94 Studios in New York City on May 13, 2026. (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Netflix)

Netflix also hasn’t helped itself by making former ESPN host Elle Duncan the face of its sports division. To much of the general public, Duncan is best known for reportedly questioning Sage Steele’s “blackness” behind the scenes and protesting “Don’t Say Gay” on the air during the NCAA tournament.

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“Who at Netflix decided we’re going to make Elle Duncan the face and voice of Netflix Sports? And how does that person still have a job? Legit they have all the money in the world and this was their pick. It’s like giving Davis Mills a $200 million contract,” OutKick founder Clay Travis asked on X.

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“Apologies to Davis Mills. Poor guy is probably just trying to watch the home run derby in peace and just got drive by whacked by me. He’s way better at QB’ing than Duncan is at hosting TV.”

Suffice it to say, Netflix has work to do before it becomes a serious player in live sports. And its programming decisions aren’t doing much to increase either interest or viewership.