Major League Baseball (MLB) faced challenges filling stadiums during the opening games of the 2026 Wild Card Series, as afternoon start times coincided with typical work and school hours. In Atlanta, the Braves drew 30,127 fans for a Tuesday game with a 2:00 p.m. local start, despite Truist Park having a capacity of 41,108. Similarly, the Houston Astros reported 34,011 attendees for a 4:00 p.m. game at Daikin Park, which seats 41,168.
The attendance figures follow a trend since MLB expanded to a 12-team playoff bracket in 2022. According to research from Sportradar, only six of 26 afternoon Wild Card Series games played through Tuesday reached or exceeded stadium capacity. The Atlanta-Philadelphia game on Tuesday was recorded at 73.2% capacity, the lowest mark since the postseason expansion began.
League officials have scheduled these games during daytime windows to ensure separate television broadcasts for each matchup. NBC currently pays MLB approximately $200 million annually for the rights to broadcast "Sunday Night Baseball" and the Wild Card Series under a three-year agreement reached in November 2025. While Tuesday saw seating gaps, attendance was higher for Wednesday's games, with Atlanta drawing 37,150 and Houston drawing 36,015.
The scheduling of afternoon playoff games affects thousands of local ticket holders in participating cities. For a stadium like Truist Park, the difference between a capacity crowd and Tuesday’s attendance represents approximately 11,000 unoccupied seats. Fans who wish to attend these games face the choice of missing work or school, often with only a few days' notice of the official start times. In 2023, the Tampa Bay Rays recorded 19,704 fans for an afternoon opener, which was the lowest attendance for a postseason game not affected by COVID-19 since the 1919 World Series.
The arrangement allows national television networks and the league to maximize viewing windows under broadcast contracts. However, the resulting environment can lead to a quieter atmosphere for athletes during high-stakes games. Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm noted that while the mid-week start time likely impacted attendance, the players were not focused on how many people showed up.
In Houston, the frustration of the crowd was compounded by the team’s performance, as fans were heard booing when the Astros fell behind early in their Game 1 loss. The Wild Card Series concludes this week as teams compete to advance to the Division Series. MLB declined to comment on the attendance numbers.