I think the problem with comparing baseball and football is that their seasons barely overlap, so you're almost never forced to pick one over the other. Also, the % may go down, but the population during that time has risen from 237mil to 316mil so you're taking from a much large group.
The key numbers are the revenue and they set a record last year with over $8 billion, up from $7.5 B the year before and $7 B in 2011, so there is a steady growth.
Attendance in 2013 was just under the all-time high and the ten best years ever for attendance all happened in the last ten years.
Minor league baseball has been just as strong, with nine straight years over 41 million fans and they don't even include attendance from any of the rookie league teams(GCL/AZL/VSL/DSL).
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