An extra inning finish helped Game 5 of the World Series outlast, if not outdraw, its NFL competition.
Game 5 of the Royals/Mets World Series drew an 11.7 overnight rating on FOX Sunday night, up 43% from Royals/Giants last year (8.2), up 17% from Red Sox/Cardinals on a Monday night in 2013 (10.0), and the top Game 5 overnight since Yankees/Phillies in 2009 (12.8). The last Game 5 clincher, Giants/Rangers in 2010, had a 10.6.
The 11.7 overnight is easily the highest of the series, topping the previous mark of 10.5 for Game 1, and the highest for a Sunday night World Series game since Yankees/Phillies Game 4 in 2009 (15.6).
The Royals’ title-clinching, extra-inning win aired opposite the Packers/Broncos NFL game on NBC (14.3). While nearly all of the extra-inning portion took place after football ended, overnights peaked at a 13.2 from 11-11:15 PM ET — while the Broncos were still wrapping up their 19-point blowout. The 11.7 is the highest for the World Series opposite NBC’s Sunday Night Football in six head-to-head meetings (dating back to 2010), topping the previous mark of 10.6 for Giants/Tigers Game 4 in 2012.
While the NFL provided stiff competition for Game 5, it also delivered a substantial lead-in. Sunday’s game aired directly after the Seahawks/Cowboys NFL national window on FOX, which had a 19.5 overnight rating — the highest ever for the NFL on FOX leading into a World Series game.
Locally, Game 5 had a whopping 60.0 rating in Kansas City — the highest for any World Series game in any market since 2001, when Yankees/Diamondbacks Game 7 drew a 62.3 in Phoenix. Last year’s Game 5 had a 48.0 in the market, and last year’s Game 7 had a 58.3. The game drew a 25.5 in New York, down 40% from the last Game 5 to involve the Mets in 2000 (42.8). The 2000 game also involved the Yankees, who clinched their third straight title.
For posterity, Saturday’s Game 4 had a 9.3 overnight. Final numbers for that game have already been reported.
(Sun. numbers from Fox Sports, Deadline)
