The final game of the 2011 World Series earned the largest Major League Baseball audience since 2004.
Friday’s Rangers/Cardinals Game 7 earned a 14.7 final rating and 25.4 million viewers on FOX, down 18% in ratings and viewership from 2002 (SF/ANA G7: 17.9, 30.814M), and down 37% and 35%, respectively, from 2001 (NYY/ARI G7: 23.5, 39.084M). The 2002 and 2001 games aired on Sunday nights.
The Cardinals’ win ranks as the highest rated and most-viewed Major League Baseball telecast since 2004 (BOS/STL G4: 18.2, 28.844M). Game 7 finished comfortably ahead of the previous seven-year high, set in 2009 (NYY/PHI G4: 13.5, 22.761M).
In addition, the game was the top Friday night program in the history of the FOX network, and earned the largest Friday night audience on any network since the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics (32.641M, NBC).
Despite the strong numbers, Friday’s game ranks as the lowest rated and least-viewed Game 7 of the World Series. Since Red Sox/Mets Game 7 in 1986 (38.9, NBC), ratings have declined for each subsequent seventh game.
Over the past 40 years, every World Series Game 7 has taken place on a Wednesday or Sunday night, with the lone exception of the aforementioned 1986 game (Monday). This year’s game was no doubt at a disadvantage by airing on a Friday night, one of the lowest rated nights of the week.
Excluding NFL telecasts, Game 7 stands as the #2 sporting telecast of 2011, behind only the BCS National Championship Game (AUB/ORE: 15.3, 27.316M, ESPN).
Game 7 topped every game of the NBA Finals, including the clinching Game 6 (DAL/MIA: 13.3, 28.880M, ABC), every NCAA Tournament game, including the National Championship Game (CONN/BUT: 11.7, 20.055M, CBS), and four of five Bowl Championship Series games, including the Rose Bowl (TCU/WISC: 11.3, 20.558M, ESPN). In addition, the game easily topped events such as the final round of The Masters (9.5, 15.257M, CBS), the race portion of the Kentucky Derby (8.5, 14.539M, NBC), and the Daytona 500 (8.7, 15.597M, FOX).
Overall, Game 7 ranks as the sixteenth-most viewed sports telecast of the past ten years (dating back to 2001), excluding the NFL and the Olympic Games.
Compared to Game 7s in other sports, Friday’s game easily topped this year’s Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final (BOS/VAN G7: 4.8, 8.540M, NBC) earned a 4.8 and 8.540 million, but finished behind Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals (BOS/LAL G7: 15.6, 28.203M). This year’s NHL game aired on a Wednesday night; the 2010 NBA game aired on a Thursday night.
Locally, the Cardinals’ coronation earned a 52.7 rating, the highest of the series. By comparison, the team’s championship-clinching Game 5 win in the 2006 World Series — also on a Friday night — drew a 51.7.
In Dallas-Ft. Worth, Game 7 drew a 40.3 rating, down 14% from Game 6 (47.1), and up only barely from Game 5 (40.0). Still, the 40.3 tops the record-highs for both the Mavericks (39.8) and Stars (26.6). The Cowboys’ record is 58.5.
On the strength of Games 6 and 7, the 2011 World Series averaged a 10.0 rating and 16.6 million viewers on FOX, up 19% in ratings and 16% in viewership from last year (SF/TEX: 8.4, 14.3M), but down 15% and 14%, respectively, from 2009 (NYY/PHI: 11.7, 19.4M). The series stands as the highest rated and most-viewed since 2007 that did not involve the Yankees (BOS/COL: 10.6, 17.123M).
Additional details on the series as a whole are available here.
Ratings/Viewership For Game 7 of the World Series
Last 40 Years
|
Year
|
Date
|
Game
|
Net
|
Gm #
|
Rating
|
Viewers (000)
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2011
|
Fri., 10/28/11 | TEX 2, STL 6 | FOX |
7
|
14.7
|
25,400
|
|
2002
|
Sun., 10/27/02 | SF 1, ANA 4 | FOX |
7
|
17.9
|
30,814
|
|
2001
|
Sun., 11/4/01 | NYY 2, ARI 3 | FOX |
7
|
23.5
|
39,084
|
|
1997
|
Sun., 10/26/97 | CLE 2, FLA 3 (11) | NBC |
7
|
24.5
|
37,990
|
|
1991
|
Sun., 10/27/91 | ATL 0, MIN 1 (10) | CBS |
7
|
32.2
|
50,340
|
|
1987
|
Sun., 10/25/87 | STL 2, MIN 4 | ABC |
7
|
32.6
|
51,180
|
|
1986
|
Mon., 10/27/86 | BOS 5, NYM 8 | NBC |
7
|
38.9
|
—
|
|
1985
|
Sun., 10/27/85 | STL 0, KC 11 | ABC |
7
|
32.6
|
45,000
|
|
1982
|
Wed., 10/20/82 | MIL 3, STL 6 | NBC |
7
|
38.2
|
49,930
|
|
1979
|
Wed., 10/17/79 | PIT 4, BAL 1 | ABC |
7
|
36.9
|
49,890
|
|
1975
|
Wed., 10/22/75 | CIN 4, BOS 3 | NBC |
7
|
39.6
|
51,560
|
|
1973
|
Sun., 10/21/73 | NYM 2, OAK 5 | NBC |
7
|
33.7
|
39,935
|
|
1972
|
Sun., 10/22/72 | OAK 3, CIN 2 | NBC |
7
|
32.8
|
41,438
|
|
1971
|
Sun., 10/17/71 | PIT 2, BAL 1 | NBC |
7
|
34.2
|
37,420
|
(This year’s numbers from Fox Sports Media Group press release via Fang’s Bites, MLB.com; additional information from Dallas Morning News 6/13/11)
