Global InformationWorld Series television ratings information
Audience measurement by Nielsen Media Research, commonly referred to as Nielsen ratings, has provided World Series television ratings since at least 1963.[1][a] Key measurements are ratings, the percentage of all U.S. television-equipped households that watched a game, share, the percentage of television sets in use that were tuned to a game, and total viewers (or viewership), the average number of people watching a game throughout its duration.[4]
The highest ratings for an entire World Series is tied between 1978, featuring the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers, and 1980, featuring the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals. Both series went six games and averaged a rating of 32.8 and a share of 56.[5] Average viewership was slightly larger in 1978 (44,278,950) than in 1980 (42,300,000).[5]
The lowest ratings for an entire World Series was in 2023, a five-game series won by the Texas Rangers over the Arizona Diamondbacks, which averaged a 4.7 rating with a 14 share; it also had the lowest average viewership, at 9.082 million. Previously, the 2020 series in which the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in six games was the least watched, averaging a 5.2 rating and a 12 share.
The highest-rated individual game in World Series history was Game 6 in 1980, when the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Kansas City Royals; the game had a 40.0 rating.[5][6] The only other games with a rating of 39 or higher were Game 7 in 1975, when the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Boston Red Sox, with a 39.6 rating,[5] and Game 4 in 1963, when the Los Angeles Dodgers swept the New York Yankees, with a 39.5 rating.[6][1] The most-viewed game was Game 7 in 1986, when the New York Mets defeated the Boston Red Sox;[7] with a rating of 38.9,[5] its viewership is estimated at 55 to 60 million.[8][b]
The lowest-rated individual game was Game 2 in 2023, which had a 4.0 rating.[9] Though the game did not have the smallest viewership in World Series history, that mark belongs to Game 3 in 2023 at 8.126 million. That game had a 4.2 rating.[10] The previous least viewed game was Game 2 in 2023, which had 8.153 million viewers.[9] Prior to 2020, the only World Series game with less than 10 million viewers had been Game 3 in 2008,[11] which was impacted by a rain delay and had 9.836 million viewers.[12]
The most recent World Series game to record a rating of 30 or higher was Game 7 in 1991, as the Minnesota Twins defeated the Atlanta Braves; the game had a viewership of 50.340 million.[5] Game 7 in 2016 between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians had an average viewership of 40.045 million—the most-watched World Series game in 25 years dating back to 1991[13]—and peaked at 49.9 million viewers, and Fox estimated more than 75 million people watched all or part of the game.[14]
All four major U.S. broadcast television networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox) have broadcast the World Series. Fox has been the exclusive broadcast network for the World Series since 2000, and has a contract with MLB to carry the World Series through 2028.[15]
- ^ a b Young, Dick (January 31, 1964). "Young Ideas". Daily News. New York City. p. 57. Retrieved November 4, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Gross, Ben (September 27, 1947). "Listening In". Daily News. New York City. p. 16. Retrieved November 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "100 See Series Here Over Television". The Tribune. Scranton, Pennsylvania. October 1, 1947. p. 3. Retrieved November 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Porter, Rick (October 5, 2019). "TV Long View: A Guide to the Ever-Expanding World of Ratings Data". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g Cite error: The named reference
NMRgameswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Quinn, Dan (October 30, 1986). "World Series came out big winner over NFL". The Journal News. White Plains, New York. p. 42. Retrieved November 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Game 7 breaks audience mark". The Advocate. Newark, Ohio. AP. October 30, 1986. p. 15. Retrieved November 3, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Bonesteel, Matt (November 3, 2016). "Cursed teams make for good TV: World Series Game 7 scores boffo ratings". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 3, 2019.
- ^ a b Lewis, Jon (October 31, 2023). "World Series scores lowest rating ever in Game 2". sportsmediawatch.com. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ^ Pucci, Douglas (October 31, 2023). "Monday Ratings: NFL 'Monday Night Football' on ABC and ESPN Unsurprisingly Tops MLB World Series Game Three on Fox". Programming Insider. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ^ Young, Jabari (October 21, 2020). "Dodgers-Rays game one had the lowest TV ratings ever for a World Series game". CNBC. Retrieved October 21, 2020.
- ^ Newman, Mark (October 25, 2008). "Rain doesn't dampen enthusiasm". MLB.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2008. Retrieved October 25, 2008.
- ^ "World Series Game 7 Averages Over 40 Million Viewers – Fox Sports PressPass". Retrieved 22 March 2017.
- ^ World Series Game 7 Averages Over 40 Million Viewers
- ^ "Fox Sports and Major League Baseball Extend Rights Deal Through 2028". The Hollywood Reporter. 2018-11-15. Archived from the original on 2021-04-17.
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