The Cubs have FOX partying like its 1997.
Game 6 of the Cubs/Indians World Series delivered a 13.3 rating and 23.4 million viewers on FOX Tuesday night, per Nielsen fast-nationals — up 63% in ratings and 75% in viewership from Giants/Royals in 2014 (8.1, 13.4M) and up 17% and 22%, respectively, from Cardinals/Red Sox in 2013 (11.3, 19.2M).
The Cubs’ series-tying win ranks as the most-watched Game 6 of the World Series since Indians/Marlins on NBC in 1997 (23.7M). The previous high over that span was 23.2 million for Marlins/Yankees in 2003. Three games in the series have hit at least a ten-year high in viewership, with Game 5 also the most-watched since 1997 and Game 3 the most-watched since 2004.
It was also the highest rated Game 6 of the World Series since Phillies/Yankees in 2009 (13.4).
Overall, Tuesday’s game delivered the third-largest audience for any Major League Baseball game since 2004 — behind Game 5 of the series on Sunday (23.6M) and Game 7 of Rangers/Cardinals in 2011 (25.4). It was the second-highest rated over that span, behind only Game 7 in 2011 (14.7). The Cubs/Indians series has now delivered four of the twelve largest baseball audiences since 2004.
In adults 18-49, Game 6 had a 6.6 rating — up 89% from 2014 (3.5), up 16% from 2013 (5.7) and the highest Game 6 rating in the demo since 2009 (7.4). It had a 5.2 in adults 18-34; comparable figures in 2014 were not available.
Figures do not include Spanish-language viewership on Fox Deportes (425K) or the streaming audience on Fox Sports GO (151K), both of which were records for the respective platforms. With those numbers added to the mix, the game had 24.0 million viewers.
Entering Wednesday’s seventh game, Cubs/Indians has averaged an 11.3 rating and 20.0 million viewers on FOX — up 30% in ratings and 36% in viewership from last year’s five-game Royals/Mets series (8.7, 14.7M) and up 55% and 63%, respectively, from the first six games of Giants/Royals in 2014 (7.3, 12.3M). It is virtually guaranteed to finish as the most-watched World Series since 2004 (25.4M). By comparison, the NBA Finals averaged a 10.7 and 18.5 million through six games.
(Tue. numbers from Fox Sports, with additional info from ShowBuzz Daily)
