The 2010 World Series ended with a whimper on Monday night, as the Giants’ coronation drew the lowest Game 5 numbers on record.
Game 5 of the Giants/Rangers series earned an 8.8 final rating and 14.950 million viewers on FOX Monday night, down 17% in ratings and 13% in viewership from last year’s Game 5 (NYY/PHI: 10.6, 17.092 mil), and down 8% and 5%, respectively, from Game 5 in 2008 (TB/PHI: 9.6, 15.787 mil).
Rays/Phillies Game 5 in 2008 began on a Monday night, was suspended in the sixth inning, and concluded two nights later.
The Giants’ series-clinching win ranks as the lowest rated, least-viewed Game 5 of the World Series on record. The previous low was set by the aforementioned 2008 Game 5.
This comes on the heels of the lowest rated Game 4 ever on Sunday night, the second-lowest Game 3 on Saturday, the second-lowest Game 2 last Thursday, and the second-lowest Game 1 last Wednesday.
Overall, the five games of the Giants/Rangers World Series rank among the nine lowest-rated World Series games of all time.
Amazingly, the highest rated game of this year’s World Series (Game 4: 9.0) finished behind the lowest rated game of last year’s World Series (Game 3: 9.1). Even the 2008 Phillies/Rays series topped the previous year’s series low on three separate occasions.
Monday’s game was not the top program of the night on broadcast, falling behind Dancing With The Stars on ABC (12.5, 19.934 mil).
There is no shame in losing the Dancing With The Stars, however; last year’s Yankees/Phillies Game 5 also drew a lower rating than the ABC reality show — though the game drew more viewers. Additionally, the NCAA Basketball National Championship Game was outdrawn by the show in both 2009 and 2008.
Game 5 drew a 4.2 rating among adults 18-49, down 21% from last year’s Game 5 (5.3). The game was topped by CBS’ Two And A Half Men in the demographic (4.7).
Giants/Rangers topped ESPN’s Monday Night Football head-to-head in ratings (8.8 to 7.4) and viewership (14.950 mil to 11.911 mil). However, MNF topped Game 5 in the adults 18-49 demo (4.9 to 4.2).
After the 8.9 rating for Game 1 of the World Series last Wednesday, FOX and MLB were no doubt hoping that the series would grow from game-to-game. Instead, Game 1 drew a higher rating and more viewers than Games 2, 3 and 5. The same happened last year, with Game 1 of Phillies/Yankees topping Games 2, 3 and 5 of the series.
Overall, the 2010 World Series averaged an 8.4 rating and 14.3 million viewers, tied as the lowest-rated ever, and standing alone as the second-least viewed. For more details on the series as a whole, click here.
