If Game 2 is any indication, the 2008 World Series is a lock to finish as the lowest rated ever.
The Rays’ victory over the Phillies drew an 8.1/13 final rating and 12.8 million viewers on FOX Thursday night, down 27% and 25%, respectively, from an 11.1/18 and 17.0 million for Game 2 of Rockies/Red Sox in ’07.
The 8.1 rating is the second-lowest ever for a World Series game, ahead of only an 8.0 for Game 1 of the 2006 World Series, which aired on a Saturday night. The game drew 12.78 million viewers, which would make it the least viewed World Series game in history. The previous least viewed game, the aforementioned Game 1 of the ’06 series, drew 12.84 million.
Through two games, the Phillies/Rays World Series is averaging an 8.7/14 rating, down 19% from a 10.8 last year, and down 11% from a 9.8 through two games of the record-low setting 2006 series.
Neither game of this series has drawn a 10.0 rating. Prior to this year, only four World Series games had ever drawn less than a 10.0 rating. The first two games of Phillies/Rays have finished as the second and fourth lowest rated games in World Series history.
To put the ratings in perspective, no game of June’s NBA Finals drew a rating as low as the 8.1 for Game 2. Meanwhile, the 8.1 puts Game 2 behind events such as the Kentucky Derby (8.8), the Belmont Stakes (9.0), and the final round of The Masters (8.6). On the plus side, the 8.1 is higher than the ratings for three of the five BCS games in January. Meanwhile, the 8.7 average through two games is slightly higher than the NBA Finals (8.6 through the first two games).
Lowest rated World Series games.
8.0: Cardinals/Tigers Game 1 (Sat., 10/21/06, 8 PM FOX)
8.1: Phillies/Rays Game 2 (Thu., 10/23/08, 8 PM FOX)
8.5: Red Sox/Rockies Game 3 (Sat., 10/24/07, 8 PM FOX)
9.2: Phillies/Rays Game 1 (Wed., 10/22/08, 8 PM FOX)
9.4: Giants/Angels Game 1 (Sat., 10/19/02, 8 PM FOX)
9.5: Astros/White Sox Game 1 (Sat., 10/22/05, 8 PM FOX)
