Story perspectives

Netflix’s Field of Dreams Game Draws 1.66M Viewers

8/19/2026

Summary

Phillies Defeat Twins

The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Minnesota Twins 7-1 at Dyersville on Aug. 13, 2026.
The game attracted 1.66 million Netflix viewers, about half the 3.10 million who watched the 2022 Cubs-Reds game on FOX.
It was Netflix’s lowest-rated 2026 MLB event, trailing the Opening Night game and the July Home Run Derby.
Nielsen reported a median viewer age of 46, the youngest for any MLB special-event broadcast.

Summary

Phillies Open Stadium

The newly built permanent stadium next to the original Field of Dreams set hosted its first MLB game in four years.
John Deere served as the primary sponsor of the Field of Dreams game.
Over 8,000 fans, 26 Hall of Famers and VIPs such as Theo Von were present.
Phillies CEO John Middleton played catch with his grandsons on the infield while a ceremony honored military service members on the field.

History

Historical Context

The inaugural Field of Dreams regular-season game on August 12, 2021, aired on Fox and attracted 2.5 million viewers, marking baseball’s first contest at the movie-site field. MLB partnered with the Iowa community, while the New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and Nike each invested $5 million for stadium upgrades and promotion. In 2026, the Phillies-Twins game at the Field of Dreams stadium drew 1.66 million Netflix viewers, featured John Deere sponsorship, and recorded a median age of 46, echoing the 2021 event’s youthful audience. These novelty broadcasts signal baseball’s shift toward streaming platforms and corporate sponsors, encouraging the league to schedule more venue-specific games and broaden revenue sources.

1 of 3

Phillies Defeat Twins

The Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Minnesota Twins 7-1 at Dyersville on Aug. 13, 2026.
The game attracted 1.66 million Netflix viewers, about half the 3.10 million who watched the 2022 Cubs-Reds game on FOX.
It was Netflix’s lowest-rated 2026 MLB event, trailing the Opening Night game and the July Home Run Derby.
Nielsen reported a median viewer age of 46, the youngest for any MLB special-event broadcast.

1 / 3