Ratings and viewership for the championship game of the Little League World Series bounced back from last year.
The California/Japan Little League World Series Championship Game earned a 2.4 final rating and 3.866 million viewers on ABC last Sunday, up 20% in ratings and 27% in viewership from last year (JPN/HAW: 2.0, 3.042M), and flat in both measures compared to 2009 (CAL/TAI: 2.4, 3.872M).
The 2.4 rating is tied as the fourth-lowest for the LLWS Championship Game since at least 1997 (ratings prior to 1998 were not immediately available).
The game was originally scheduled to air at 3 PM ET, but due to Hurricane Irene, officials moved up the start to 12 PM ET. The start time was eventually moved back to 3 PM.
On Saturday, the California/Montana U.S. Championship Game drew a 1.8 and 2.765 million viewers on ABC, flat in ratings and up 1% in viewership from last year (HAW/TEX: 1.8, 2.737M), and up 157% and 170%, respectively, from 2009 (CAL/TEX: 0.7, 1.032M, ESPN2).
The International Championship Game was the only dud of the weekend, as the Japan/Mexico game earned a 1.2 and 1.685 million viewers on ABC — down 14% in ratings and 18% in viewership from last year (JPN/TAI: 1.4, 2.062M), and down 20% and 21%, respectively, from 2009 (TAI/MEX: 1.5, 2.122M).
All three games outdrew last week’s edition of MLB on FOX.
(Nielsen)
