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Insights into Casual Baseball Fans' Viewing Intentions and Spending Behavior Towards WBC

A recent survey conducted by Loyalty Marketing Co., Ltd., which operates the Ponta point service, has revealed crucial insights about the interest and behaviors of casual baseball fans concerning the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC). The study targeted individuals aged 20 to 69 who don't possess a strong interest in baseball, specifically those who indicated they moderately like baseball or watch it occasionally.

Survey Highlights

1. Casual Viewership Patterns: Approximately 80% of those surveyed reported only watching Japan’s games or viewing highlight reels, with only 7.7% engaging in full match viewership.
2. Awareness of Streaming Changes: Over half of the respondents (54.2%) were unaware that the 2026 tournament would be exclusively streaming on Netflix, lacking traditional terrestrial broadcasts.
3. Impact of Paid Streaming: Around 70% of the participants indicated decreased interest in viewing if the event is available solely through paid streaming.
4. Willingness to Pay: A striking 67% said they would only watch for free, showing a reluctance to pay for access.
5. Viewing Preferences: More than half indicated they would prefer highlight clips or social media snippets over live streaming, with about 60% unwilling to spend money on WBC-related content.

Detailed Findings

Casual Viewership Patterns
When exploring past WBC viewing habits among the casual fan base, the survey identified that 52.5% had only seen Japanese games, with 32% occasionally watching highlights or catching snippets on social media. This suggests a trajectory of engagement that skews heavily towards limited exposure rather than full matches, underscoring the need for better access and engagement strategies to attract this audience.

Awareness of Streaming Changes
Notably, with the upcoming tournament set to be exclusively on Netflix and lacking traditional broadcasts, the awareness among casual fans appears alarmingly low. The data reveals that a majority of the respondents were caught off-guard by this change, revealing a gap in information dissemination leading up to the event.

Impact of Paid Streaming
Further probing into viewing intentions highlighted that if the WBC were only available through paid streaming, approximately 32.9% stated they would hardly watch at all. When cumulative responses highlighting reduced interest were tallied, a marked 70% of respondents voiced diminished enthusiasm, hinting at a potential decline in overall viewership should the paid model become the standard.

Willingness to Pay
While a portion of the audience remains open to considering a Netflix subscription under the right conditions (12.3%), a significant majority rallied around the preference for free viewing, with 67% preferring not to pay at all. Interestingly, the likelihood of subscribing seemed to correlate with age, where older respondents showcased a slightly higher openness to consider a paid plan.

Viewing Preferences
Regarding preferred viewing methods for the 2026 WBC, it appears highlights and social media snippets are the favored routes for over half of the respondents. Only 24.5% expected to watch anything at all, demonstrating a clear aversion to traditional viewing methods among casual fans. Moreover, respondents signaled limited willingness to invest in WBC-related purchases, with only 57.6% indicating they would spend money for related events, typically on lower-cost items like snacks.

Conclusion

The findings from this study underscore a potential crisis for the WBC event organizers, particularly in engaging the casual fan base without traditional broadcasting options. The importance of offering accessible viewing opportunities and enhancing awareness campaigns cannot be overstated if the ambition is to capture the interest of this particular demographic moving forward. Such insights could very well inform future strategies and necessary adjustments to ensure that the excitement surrounding the WBC is both inclusive and expansive.

Survey Overview

• - Method: Internet survey
• - Duration: February 3-6, 2026
• - Panel: Participants who are members of Ponta Research
• - Target Audience: Individuals residing in Japan ages 20 to 69 with a low level of interest in baseball
• - Valid Responses: 1,000

For any quotes or reproduction of the results, please credit as “Ponta Research.”

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• - Loyalty Marketing Overview
• - Published Reports
• - Public Data
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