The final game of the World Series was a decidedly better draw than the previous three, but still set record lows on FOX.
Game 4 of the Giants/Tigers World Series drew an 8.9 final rating and 15.485 million viewers — down 3% in ratings but up 2% in viewership from Cardinals/Rangers Game 4 last year (9.2, 15.156M), and down 1% and even, respectively, compared to Giants/Rangers Game 4 in 2010 (9.0, 15.537M).
The Giants’ series-clinching win ranks as easily the highest rated and most-viewed of the 2012 World Series. The previous high was a 7.8 and 12.3 million viewers for Game 2 on Thursday night.
Even so, Game 4 still set a pair of record lows. The 8.9 rating is the lowest ever for a Game 4 of the World Series, and the lowest ever for a Sunday night World Series game.
The game narrowly avoided being the lowest rated and least-viewed World Series clincher of all time. That ignominy still belongs to Giants/Rangers Game 5 in 2010 (8.8, 14.950M) — the last time the Giants won the World Series.
Though low historically, Game 4 was the first game of the World Series that performed respectably relative to other major sports competition. Game 4 drew a higher rating and more viewers than the Daytona 500 on FOX (8.0, 13.7M), the final round of The Masters on CBS (8.0, 13.5M), and Kentucky/Louisville in the NCAA Tournament Final Four (8.4, 13.9M).
Game 4 also earned a higher rating than Game 3 of the Heat/Thunder NBA Finals in June (8.8), marking the first time in the World Series that ratings matched or surpassed a game from this year’s NBA Finals.
Locally, Game 4 drew a 38.7 rating in the Bay Area — up 6% from Giants/Rangers Game 4 in 2010 (36.3), and up 2% from the Giants’ Game 5 clincher that same year (37.9). The 38.7 is the highest for a Major League Baseball game in the market since Giants/Angels Game 7 in 2002.
The game drew a 37.9 rating in Detroit, up 1% from Tigers/Cardinals Game 4 in 2006 (37.6).
Ratings/Viewership For Game 4 of the World Series
Past decade
| Year | Date | Away | Home | Net | Rating | Viewers (000) | A18-49 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Sun., 10/28/12 | Giants | Tigers | FOX |
8.9
|
15,485
|
4.7
|
| 2011 | Sun., 10/23/11 | Cardinals | Rangers | FOX |
9.2
|
15,156
|
4.2
|
| 2010 | Sun., 10/31/10 | Giants | Rangers | FOX |
9.0
|
15,537
|
4.3
|
| 2009 | Sun., 11/1/09 | Yankees | Phillies | FOX |
13.5
|
22,761
|
7.8
|
| 2008 | Sun., 10/26/08 | Rays | Phillies | FOX |
9.3
|
15,479
|
5.1
|
| 2007 | Sun., 10/28/07 | Red Sox | Rockies | FOX |
12.6
|
20,946
|
7.1
|
| 2006 | Thu., 10/26/06 | Tigers | Cardinals | FOX |
10.4
|
16,113
|
5.1
|
| 2005 | Wed., 10/26/05 | White Sox | Astros | FOX |
13.0
|
19,979
|
6.6
|
| 2004 | Wed., 10/27/04 | Red Sox | Cardinals | FOX |
18.2
|
28,844
|
10.0
|
| 2003 | Wed., 10/22/03 | Yankees | Marlins | FOX |
13.6
|
20,885
|
7.5
|
| 2002 | Wed., 10/23/02 | Angels | Giants | FOX |
11.8
|
18,085
|
6.0
|
(Sunday’s numbers from Fox Sports Media Group press release via Fang’s Bites)
