FOX Flies the W: Cubs/Indians Game 7 Has 25.2 Overnight

With two decades-long droughts on the line, a back-and-forth tension-filled Game 7 of the World Series delivered mammoth numbers on FOX.

Game 7 of the Cubs/Indians World Series earned a 25.2 overnight rating on FOX Wednesday night, up 66% from Giants/Royals in 2014 (15.2) and up 55% from Rangers/Cardinals on a Friday night in 2011 (16.3), the two most recent game sevens. Overnights peaked at a 31.1 from 11:15-11:30 PM ET, with the final quarter-hour (12:30-12:45 AM) scoring a 27.2.

The Cubs’ extra-inning, series-clinching victory, which ended the longest championship drought in the history of U.S. professional sports and clinched the year’s second 3-1 comeback in a championship series, delivered the highest overnight rating for any Major League Baseball game since Game 7 of the 2001 Yankees/Diamondbacks World Series (27.0). That game aired on a Sunday night with an NFL lead-in. The previous high over that span was a 22.2 for Game 7 of the 2004 Red Sox/Yankees American League Championship Series.

Excluding the NFL and the Olympics, the 25.2 is the highest for any sporting event since that 2001 Game 7. There are no college football, college basketball or NBA games on record — dating back to at least the late 1990s — with a higher number in the metered markets. For reference, the 2006 Texas/USC Rose Bowl had a 22.7 overnight and Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals had a 22.9.

For the year, the 25.2 is the fifth-highest for any television program, including the NFL — behind Super Bowl 50 (49.0), Patriots/Broncos AFC Championship Game (31.8), Cardinals/Panthers NFC Championship Game (26.8) and Steelers/Broncos in the Divisional Round (26.2). It topped every night of the Rio Summer Olympics and Game 7 of the NBA Finals (18.9).

Chicago delivered an 51.2 rating for Game 7, surpassing Game 7 of the 2003 Marlins/Cubs National League Championship Series as the highest on record for baseball in the market. In Cleveland, Game 7 had an 48.6 — down from a 59.4 for Marlins/Indians Game 7 in 1997 but ahead of a 46.3 for Cavaliers/Warriors Game 7 in this year’s NBA Finals. Kansas City was the top neutral market with a 36.0 and the nation’s top two markets, New York and Los Angeles, turned in a 23.5 and 22.6, respectively.

(Wed. numbers from Fox Sports, Michael Mulvihill/Twitter 11/3a, 11/3b, 11/3c, 11/3d)

For Second Straight Night, World Series Hits 19-Year Viewership High

Jon Lewis

Jon Lewis has been covering the sports media industry on a daily basis since 2006 as the founder and main writer of Sports Media Watch. You can contact him here or on the social media websites X (Twitter) or Bluesky.

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Comments 12

Jasoni says:

10 years ago

One interesting thing is the NBA Finals game 7 of this year peak audience was over 44 Million, Last nights peak audience was 38-42 Million. Paulsen what does that say If anything?

I don’t think we will EVER see a bigger audience this year for a MLB game ever, Even with the Yankees being in it. Even Yankees WS numbers dropped drastically from 2000 till 2009. Game 7 Always helps brings up the final ratings averages, but this was the last major Sporting haul that was a major thing. I would say MLB World Series will average 7.0-11.5 and I put the NBA ceiling at 6.5-12.0. Remember We haven’t had the Knicks be relevant for such a long time. But this is going be the biggest night for MLB this century besides the 2001 game which was a different world back then. Paulsen has how the Kids Demographics and Older demographics been between the NBA Finals and World Series? Cause all we hear about is How bad MLB National TV Ratings are besides Yanks,Cubs and Sox? Again thanks for your coverage
- Paulsen says:
  
  10 years ago
  
  World Series should end up averaging somewhere in the high 12.0-low 13.0 range thanks to Game 7. While end of Cubs’ drought is also the end of baseball’s best storyline, I think a Cubs/Yankees World Series that also went seven games could deliver similar numbers. As far as younger demos, NBA should end up topping World Series in adults 18-49 (and adults 18-34), even with the huge Game 7 numbers.
- Hello Larry says:
  
  10 years ago
  
  NBA’s peak was 44-45 million but baseball’s peak was not 38-42. The overall viewership was 39.2 million viewers until finals come out later. The Finals did way below that. Baseball’s peak got a 31.1 for the overnight so I’m assuming it will clear 50 million for sure and will beat the NBA this season and it won’t even be close.
  
  I think you make good points about baseball’s future as this could be their highest rated game to-date just like Jordan did in 1998. It’s possible the Cubs popularity can surge if they become a dynasty and get lucky with a matchup against the Yanks or Sox that includes a game 7 in it. It will be hard to duplicate this number again.
  
  As for the NBA I don’t see them beating this game 7 of the World Series anytime soon but since the audience is so young the future still looks bright to defeat Jordan’s rating but there will have to be a player who rivals Jordan in order to do that.
  - JakeFrankie1 says:
    
    10 years ago
    
    I saw the peak of the game last night was under 41 million, lower than the NBA’s game7, Remember Red Sox swept in 2004 but also baseball was bigger than imagine they went 6 or even 7. MLB will never die, but people in baseball are worried about the popularity of the game. NBA is suited for the future of the country with the youth and demographics of america changing. That’s not downplaying baseball regional dominance but the MLB must do there best to cater to this fast paced world we are in media. Either way great year for both sports, Cubs gonna be a good draw for MLB.
    - Paulsen says:
      
      10 years ago
      
      Game definitely peaked above 41M. Averaged 40M.
    - JR says:
      
      10 years ago
      
      According to WSJ, last night’s game peaked 49.9 million around 20 mins before rain delay, higher than the 44.51M for the NBA Finals G7 during the last 10 mins, the NBA game still holds the biggest gap between the average audience and peak audience in recent memory, which is understandable for basketball viewing habits.
    - JR says:
      
      10 years ago
      
      Correction: should be peaked “just before the 20mins delay”
    - JakeFrankie1 says:
      
      10 years ago
      
      Thanks I was wrong, Gotta give Cubs credit all you hear about from casual fans how “boring” baseball is now a days. Either my apologizes but This story was more than a sport, something usually soccer only hits upon worldwide. My apologizes again.
Hello Larry says:

10 years ago

OMG! I did not expect that high of a number honestly that is a super huge turnout for game 7 especially considering everything it defeated in its path. I think the number that got me was that it beat MJ’s final game as a Bull in 1998 I thought that number would never be touched again for anything outside of the NFL or Olympics. It also got the Rose Bowl too which setting the standard for this century.

40 million viewers is really large and I can’t wait to see what the peak is as that’s going to easily surpass 50 million probably even get into the 55-70 million range. The shares in Chicago and Cleveland were quite enormous as well as Chicago got a 71 share and Cleveland got a 69 share.

This makes me wonder what kind of draw the Cubs can be if they started a dynasty run here with this young team. They literally can single-handily bring baseball just like the Blackhawks did for the NHL. Having a Chicago team successful is huge for any league.
- Jasoni says:
  
  10 years ago
  
  As you saw with Red Sox after 2004, No way Cubs draw like this ever again. Don’t get me wrong they are a big draw. But the drought is over and the extra fans wouldn’t be there. I would say any Cubs World series is a easy 9.0- 10.5 average, But I can’t see another 12.0 in Baseball again or any sport unless it’s a SUPER Massive draw like Yankees vs Cubs or another case. I guess In NBA’s case If Lakers, Bulls or Knicks got a LeBron like player they possibly could get a 12.0 average if it goes 7 games. But this year was a rare thing like 2004 was.
  - Hello Larry says:
    
    10 years ago
    
    I don’t necessarily disagree with you there this could be the highest rating the Cubs ever get because the curse mystique is gone now but don’t count out the Cubs actually becoming a stronger draw if they actually become a dynasty but obviously whoever they go against in the American League will factor this out. The Indians, Yanks, or Sox are the three big ones that they can still draw from.
    
    Game 7s are needed these days in both leagues to see the ratings potential be reached. I am interested in seeing how the Cubs draw if they did become a dynasty though because who knows they may bring people back to baseball or draw in new viewers. MLB will be okay either way with the Cubs.
    
    I think the Cubs are bigger than the Red Sox too as evident by these ratings the whole series in a TV age that’s much lower ratings wise plus I will say that the Sox didn’t have the best matchups in 2007 and 2013 with the Rockies and Cards. The Cards had become a real stale team compared to 2004.
- Paul Kelly says:
  
  10 years ago
  
  No chance the Cubs pull numbers like this if they make the World Series next year. None at all.
  
  America latched on to this series because the Cubs hadn’t won a championship since 1908, not because we’re suddenly head over heels in love with baseball again.
  
  This was a GREAT story and a GREAT series. But it’s a Halley’s Comet moment for baseball.