Final national ratings for Games 1 and 2 of the Indians/Red Sox American League Championship Series are unavailable. However, judging by the preliminary numbers, the games put in mixed performances.
Game 1 on Friday night was no match for the competition, as FOX finished fourth in total viewers, behind CBS, ABC and NBC. FOX averaged 7.1 million viewers, down 21% from 9 million viewers for the game on the comparable date last year — Game 2 of the NLCS, between the Cardinals and Mets. It should be pointed out that Cardinals/Mets aired an hour later, and had Game 3 of the ALCS as a lead-in.
FOX averaged a 2.3/7 rating among adults 18-49, second for the night behind CBS. The 2.3 is down 18% from a 2.8 rating for Cardinals/Mets last year, and marks a 37% decline from the 3.5/9 FOX drew on the night of Game 1 of last year’s ALCS. Keep in mind Friday nights are the second-least watched nights of the week, and Game 1 of last year’s ALCS aired on a Tuesday.
Game 2 did far better against its competition. FOX averaged 8.9 million viewers and a 2.8/9 among adults 18-49 on Saturday night, finishing first in both categories. The 8.9 million viewers marked an 18% improvement on the 7.5 million viewers for the game on the comparable date last year — Game 3 of the NLCS, between the Mets and Cardinals. FOX bested ABC, which was airing NASCAR, by 2.5 million viewers.
The 2.8/9 in adults 18-49 marked a 27% jump from the 2.2 18-49 rating FOX drew for Mets/Cardinals last year. The 2.8 was also an 8% jump from the 2.6 rating FOX averaged on the night of Game 2 of last year’s ALCS.
